The Silicon Web: Physics for the Internet Age
Introduction: Physics and Its Relation to Computer and Internet Technologies Physics, Silicon, and the "Magic" behind the Internet Age A Zoomed-In Look inside a Computer Timeline of Great Discoveries and Inventions in Physics and Computer and Communication Technologies The Methods and Significance of Science The Relation of Science and Information Technology Social Impacts: Science and Technology Mathematics: The Language of Science and Technology The Utility of Mathematics in Science and Technology Graphs Precision and Significant Digits Large and Small Numbers and Scientific Notation Real-World Example 2.1: Precision of Display Pixels Units for Physical Quantities Proportionality Binary Numbers The Concept of Information Exponential Growth Social Impacts: The Exponential Change of Nearly Everything Mechanics: Energy Enables Information Technology From Looms to Computers Speed, Acceleration, and Force In-Depth Look 3.1: Distance Traveled under Constant Acceleration Real-World Example 3.1: Seek Time of a Hard-Drive Head In-Depth Look 3.2: Net Force Vectors Real-World Example 3.2: Acceleration in Cathode-Ray Tubes Principles of Mechanics Real-World Example 3.3: Force on a Hard-Drive Head The Physics of Energy Friction and Thermal Energy The Constancy of Energy Units for Mechanics Power Real-World Example 3.4: Motion Sensors in Laptops Social Impacts: Scientific Thought and Methods Have Arguably Changed the Course of Human History More Than Anything Else Matter and Heat: Cooling Computers is Required by the Physics of Computation From Steam Engines to Computers Matter and Atoms Gases, Liquids, and Solids In-Depth Look 4.1: Size and Numbers of Atoms Real-World Example 4.1: Growing Silicon Crystals for Computer Chips Pressure in a Gas Pressure in a Liquid Pumps, Current, and Resistance Real-World Example 4.2: A Water-Pressure-Operated Computer Temperature The Ideal Gas Heat and Thermal Energy Transfer Real-World Example 4.3: Cooling Computer Chips Principles of Thermodynamics: Extracting Work from Heat Cooling Computers is Required by the Physics of Computation Social Impacts: The Industrial Revolution and the Information Revolution Electricity and Magnetism: The Workhorses of Information Technology Electricity and Magnetism Are the Basis of Computers and the Internet Electric Charge In-Depth Look 5.1: The Concept of Plus and Minus Electric Charge Electric Forces: Coulomb's Law In-Depth Look 5.2: The Discovery of the Electron Electric Fields In-Depth Look 5.3: Electric Field Lines Electric Current and Conductors Electrical Energy and Voltage Real-World Example 5.1: Capacitor Computer Memory Resistors, Conductors, and Ohm's Law Electrical Power Magnetism Electromagnetism Real-World Example 5.2: The Telegraph, Precursor to the Internet In-Depth Look 5.4: Magnetic Materials and Data Storage Social Impacts: Innovation and Public Support of Science Digital Electronics and Computer Logic The "Reasoning" Abilities of Computers Concepts of Logic Electronic Logic Circuits Logic Operations and Diagrams Using Logic to Perform Arithmetic Implementing Logic with Electromagnetic Switches Supplemental Section: Boolean Search of Databases Chapter 7 Waves: Sound, Radio, and Light Communicating with Sound, Radio, and Light Simple Harmonic Motion Damped and Complex Harmonic Motion Driven Harmonic Motion and Resonance In-Depth Look 7.1: Resonance Frequencies Real-World Example 7.1: Crystal Oscillators and Microprocessor Clocks Waves Simple Harmonic Waves Interference of Waves In-Depth Look 7.2: Standing Waves Sound Waves In-Depth Look 7.3: Beats Wireless Radio Waves Real-World Example 7.2: AM Radio Let There Be Light Waves In-Depth Look 7.4: Light Polarization Real-World Example 7.3: LCD Screens Interference of Light Social Impacts: Music, Science and Technology Analog and Digital Communication Communication Systems: Analog and Digital Basics of Analog Radio Basics of Digital Radio The Maximum Rate of Transmitting Data Maximum Data Rate Frequency Multiplexing and Bandwidth In-Depth Look 8.1: Signal Reconstruction Quantum Physics of Atoms and Materials Atoms, Crystals, and Computers The Quantum Nature of Electrons and Atoms The Experiments behind Quantum Theory In-Depth Look 9.1: Spectrum of Hydrogen Atoms The Spinning of Electrons The Principles of Quantum Physics Building Up the Atoms Real-World Example 9.1: Fluorescent Lamps Electrical Properties of Materials In-Depth Look 9.2: Origin of the Energy Gap in Silicon Crystals In-Depth Look 9.3: Atomic Nature of Magnetic Domains Social Impacts: Science, Mysticism, and Pseudo-Science Semiconductor Physics: Transistors and Circuits Silicon, Transistors, and Computers Controlling the Conductivity of Silicon p-n Junctions and Diodes Real-World Example 10.1: A Simple Crystal AM Radio Receiver Transistors CMOS Computer Logic In-Depth Look 10.1: Water-Effect Transistors Miniaturization, Integrated Circuits, and Photolithography In-Depth Look 10.2: Bipolar Transistors Social Impacts: Labeling Every Object in the World Digital Memory and Computers Physics, Memory, and Computers Sequential Logic for Computer Memory Feedback Example #1: NOT Loop Feedback Example #2: One-Time Latch Static Random-Access Memory In-Depth Look 11.1: SRAM with Six Transistors Dynamic Random-Access Memory Nonvolatile Memory In-Depth Look 11.2: Quantum Tunneling Magnetic Tape and Hard Disk Memory Optical Compact Disk Memory Error Immunity of Digital Data The Structure of a Computer Hierarchy of Computer Memory Heat-Imposed Limits of Computers Representing Information in Computers using Codes Coding Images Data Compression Photons: Light Detectors and Light Emitting Diodes Light, Physics, and Technology The Quantum Nature of Light-Photons Power and Energy in Light Absorption of Light by Atoms and Crystals (or "How Einstein Got His Nobel Prize") In-Depth Look 12.1: Inability of Constant Voltage to Accelerate Electrons in an Insulator Real-World Example 12.1: Semiconductor Light Detectors Emission of Light by Atoms and Crystals Real-World Example 12.2: Light-Emitting Diodes Social Impacts: Lighting the Darkness (Efficiently) Light and Optical Fibers for the Internet Light as a Communication Medium Propagation, Reflection and Transmission of Light Light in Transparent Media Refraction of Light at a Boundary Reflection of Light at a Boundary Total Internal Reflection Prisms and Speeds of Different Colored Light Lenses and Curved Mirrors Optical Loss in Materials-The Clarity of Optical Fiber Light Guiding Optical Fibers Light Pulses in Optical Fibers Social Impacts: Total Immersion in a Sea of Information Light Amplification and Lasers Atoms and Lasers The Uniqueness of Laser Light Absorption and Emission of Light by Atoms Laser Resonators In-Depth Look 14.1: Laser Resonator Frequencies How a Laser Works The Helium-Neon Laser In-Depth Look 14.2: Extreme Laser Facts Variable-Color Semiconductor Lasers Overcoming Losses in Fiber-Optic Systems Quantum Physics Description of Lasers The Semiconductor Diode Laser Fiber-Optics Communication Bandwidth and the Physics of Waves Overview of Fiber-Optical Communication Systems Modulating a Laser Beam with Data Wavelength Multiplexing in Optical Communication The Virtues of Lasers for Optical Communication Hardware for Wavelength Multiplexing Laser Beam Routing Communication Networks and the Internet The Physics behind the Internet The Goals of Computer Communication Networks Noise in Analog and Digital Systems Challenges in Networking Broadcasting Networks and Switching Networks Failure-Resistant Communications Wireless Mobile Cell Phone Networks Propagation of Wireless Waves in Terrain Summary of Scientific Notation and Units Sources and Credits for Quotes Used with Permission Glossary