Recommended Books for Understanding Light and Heat

[christian0710]

Hi,

What books would be good to read if i want to understand:

How light works: Is there a good physics book that gives you a good intuition for how light works and how it's used in modern application. I'm really curious about the light duality view (particle wave) and want to understand everything about how light works. So where do i start? What books are good?

How Heat works: I wan't to understand what heat is, how it relates to light, and how it's used in modern applications. Do we really know what heat is? what books would be good to read to get a clear understanding of what heat is (perhaps with demonstrative experimens)?

 

[SteamKing]

The verb 'to want' is not a contraction.

 

[whyevengothere]

The Feynman lectures on physics is really helpful.

 

[HallsofIvy]

The verb 'to want' is not a contraction.

Let those who have never made a typo cast the first stone!

 

[johnqwertyful]

Hi,

What books would be good to read if i want to understand:

How light works: Is there a good physics book that gives you a good intuition for how light works and how it's used in modern application. I'm really curious about the light duality view (particle wave) and want to understand everything about how light works. So where do i start? What books are good?

How Heat works: I wan't to understand what heat is, how it relates to light, and how it's used in modern applications. Do we really know what heat is? what books would be good to read to get a clear understanding of what heat is (perhaps with demonstrative experimens)?

There are a million books out there on light and heat. What's your background? QED by Feynman was a good nontechnical introduction.

"Do we really know what heat is?"
Do we really know what anything is?

One thing I would like to caution you about. There is a difference between temperature and heat. We know both pretty well.

The verb 'to want' is not a contraction.

Come on man don't be a jerk.

 

[SteamKing]

Come on man don't be a jerk.

I'm not trying to be a jerk. I'm trying to help the OP improve his English.

 

[porcupine137]

Hi,

What books would be good to read if i want to understand:

How light works: Is there a good physics book that gives you a good intuition for how light works and how it's used in modern application. I'm really curious about the light duality view (particle wave) and want to understand everything about how light works. So where do i start? What books are good?

How Heat works: I wan't to understand what heat is, how it relates to light, and how it's used in modern applications. Do we really know what heat is? what books would be good to read to get a clear understanding of what heat is (perhaps with demonstrative experimens)?

We do have a clear understanding of what heat is.

You might want to look over stuff like The Feynman Lectures on Physics and QED by Feynman. (Optics by Hecht.)
To actually get into the math of the theory of light and matter at the most advanced level is very intense and you'd likely need years to get ready to handle it (although it depends upon your current level). It takes a bit of doing to get prepared to study quantum field theory.