The Prism and the Pendulum: The Ten Most Beautiful Experiments in Science.

ROBERT P. CREASE

Few people outside science refer to experiments as beautiful, but scientists use the word to describe those rare events that "crystallize crys·tal·lize also crys·tal·ize
v. crys·tal·lized also crys·tal·ized, crys·tal·liz·ing also crys·tal·iz·ing, crys·tal·liz·es also crys·tal·iz·es

v.tr.
1. a new insight and reshape how we perceive things," says Crease. A beautiful experiment is characterized by three elements--depth, efficiency, and definitiveness. Crease, a science historian, polled physicists Below is a list of famous physicists. Many of these from the 20th and 21st centuries are found on the list of recipients of the Nobel Prize in physics. A

Ernst Karl Abbe — Germany (1840–1905)
Derek Abbott — Australia (1960- )

on the most beautiful experiments in history. Accounts of the top 10 are here. Among them are Galileo's experiment with inclined planes inclined plane, simple machine, consisting of a sloping surface, whose purpose is to reduce the force that must be applied to raise a load. To raise a body vertically a force must be applied that is equal to the weight of the body, i.e. that established a mathematical formula for accelerated motion (Mech.) motion with a continually increasing velocity.

See also: Accelerate , Isaac Newton's unraveling of the nature of light and color, and Thomas Young's two-slit experiment that revealed the wavelike character of light. RH, 2003, 244 p., b&w photos/illus., hardcover, $23.95.

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Publication:	Science News
Date:	Oct 18, 2003
Words:	115
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