Rising force : the magic of magnetic levitation /

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Bibliographic Details
Author / Creator: Livingston, James D., 1930-
Format: Book
Language:English
Imprint: Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University Press, 2011.
Subjects:
Description
Summary:

From Peter Pan to Harry Potter, from David Copperfield to levitating toys, there is magic in conquering gravity. In this first-ever popular introduction to "maglev"- the use of magnetic forces to overcome gravity and friction-James D. Livingston takes lay readers on a journey of discovery, from basic concepts to today's most thrilling applications.

The tour begins with examples of our historical fascination with levitation, both real and fake. At the next stop, Livingston introduces readers to the components of maglev: gravitational and magnetic forces in the universe, force fields, diamagnetism and stabilization, superdiamagnetism and supercurrents, maglev nanotechnology, and more. He explores the development of the superconductors that are making large-scale levitation devices possible, and the use of magnetic bearings in products ranging from implanted blood pumps to wind turbines, integrated circuit fabrication, and centrifuges to enrich uranium. In the last chapters, we arrive at the science behind maglev transportation systems, such as Chinese trains that travel 250 miles per hour without touching the tracks.

Packed with fascinating anecdotes about the colorful personalities who have "fought friction by fighting gravity," the book maintains accuracy throughout while it entertains and informs technical and nontechnical readers alike. With so many new applications for magnetic levitation on the horizon, Rising Force is sure to retain its own magic for years to come.

Physical Description:xi, 271 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm
Bibliography:Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN:9780674055353
0674055357
Author Notes:

Caryl Rivers is professor of journalism at the College of Communication at Boston University. A nationally known author and journalist, she was awarded the Helen Thomas Lifetime Achievement Award for distinguished work in journalism from the Society of Professional Journalists. Her articles have appeared in the The New York Times Magazine , The Nation , Saturday Review , Ms. , Mother Jones , McCall's , Glamour , Redbook , Rolling Stone , and Ladies' Home Journal . She writes for the Washington Post , Los Angeles Times , Boston Globe , and Chicago Tribune and is the author of Selling Anxiety: How the News Media Scare Women , among other works of fiction and nonfiction.Rosalind C. Barnett is a senior scientist at the Women's Studies Research Center at Brandeis University. Her pioneering research on workplace issues and family life in America has been sponsored by major federal grants, and she is often invited to lecture at major venues in the United States and abroad. Dr. Barnett has a private clinical practice and is the author of scholarly and popular books and articles appearing in Self , Working Woman , McCall's , Ladies' Home Journal , The New York Times Magazine , and Working Woman . She is the recipient of the Radcliffe College Graduate Society's Distinguished Achievement Medal, the Life Time Legacy Award from the Families and Work Institute, and the Anne Roe Award from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education for her contribution to women's professional growth and the field of education. Both Barnett and Rivers received an honorable mention in the 2011 Casey Medals for Meritorious Journalism for their work in this field.