Hot Molecules, Cold Electrons: From the Mathematics of Heat to the Development of the Trans-Atlantic Telegraph Cable

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An entertaining mathematical exploration of the heat equation and its role in the triumphant development of the trans-Atlantic telegraph cable

Heat, like gravity, shapes nearly every aspect of our world and universe, from how milk dissolves in coffee to how molten planets cool. The heat equation, a cornerstone of modern physics, demystifies such processes, painting a mathematical picture of the way heat diffuses through matter. Presenting the mathematics and history behind the heat equation, Hot Molecules, Cold Electrons tells the remarkable story of how this foundational idea brought about one of the greatest technological advancements of the modern era.

Paul Nahin vividly recounts the heat equation's tremendous influence on society, showing how French mathematical physicist Joseph Fourier discovered, derived, and solved the equation in the early nineteenth century. Nahin then follows Scottish physicist William Thomson, whose further analysis of Fourier's explorations led to the pioneering trans-Atlantic telegraph cable. This feat of engineering reduced the time it took to send a message across the ocean from weeks to minutes. Readers also learn that Thomson used Fourier's solutions to calculate the age of the earth, and, in a bit of colourful lore, that writer Charles Dickens relied on the trans-Atlantic cable to save himself from a career-damaging scandal. The book's mathematical and scientific explorations can be easily understood by anyone with a basic knowledge of high school calculus and physics, and MATLAB code is included to aid readers who would like to solve the heat equation themselves.

A testament to the intricate links between mathematics and physics, Hot Molecules, Cold Electrons offers a fascinating glimpse into the relationship between a formative equation and one of the most important developments in the history of human communication.

Reviews

"[A] treat . . . I think that students studying this material would not only find Pauls treatments easy to follow, but would benefit greatly by learning something of the history that surrounds the development of the analysis and applications of the heat equation."---Jim Stein, New Books in Mathematics
"Nahin knows how to write a book mixing physics and (a lot of) mathematics and (still) make it readable."---Adhemar Bultheel, European Mathematical Society
"Hot Molecules, Cold Electrons has provided me with a new perspective on what I thought to be a rather tedious topic. . . . I would recommend it to anyone who wants to work out their maths muscles and learn something along the way."---Louis Ammon, Chemistry World

Author Bio

Paul J. Nahin is the author of many popular math books, including How to Fall Slower Than Gravity, Dr. Eulers Fabulous Formula, and An Imaginary Tale (all Princeton). He is professor emeritus of electrical engineering at the University of New Hampshire and received the 2017 Chandler Davis Prize for Excellence in Expository Writing in Mathematics. He lives in Exeter, New Hampshire.