Titles by Simon Quellen Field

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Titles Found: 5

Boom! (4 Formats) ›

By Simon Quellen Field

Trade Paper Price 17.99

Trade Paper, PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket

Published Jul 2017

Black powder, the world’s first chemical explosive, was originally developed in the seventh century, during China’s Tang dynasty. It was a crude mixture at first, but over time chemists discovered the optimum proportion of sulfur, charcoal, and nitrates, as well as the best way to mix them so that the particles of each component were tiny and homogenous, resulting in a complete and powerful reaction.
Author and chemistry buff Simon Quellen Field takes readers on a decades-long journey through the history of things that go boom, from the early days of black powder to today’s modern plastic explosives. Not just the who, when, and why, but also the how. How did Chinese alchemists come to create black powder? What accidents led to the discovery of high explosives? How do explosives actually work on a molecular scale? And though most people have a vague understanding that dynamite is more powerful than gunpowder, what does it mean to be more powerful?
Boom! The Chemistry and History of Explosives goes back to the original papers and patents written by the chemists who invented them, to shed light on their development, to explore the consequences of their use for good and ill, and to give the reader a basic understanding of the chemistry that makes them possible.

Culinary Reactions (4 Formats) ›

By Simon Quellen Field

Trade Paper Price 18.99

Trade Paper, PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket

Published Nov 2011

When you're cooking, you're a chemist! Every time you follow or modify a recipe, you are experimenting with acids and bases, emulsions and suspensions, gels and foams. In your kitchen you denature proteins, crystallize compounds, react enzymes with substrates, and nurture desired microbial life while suppressing harmful bacteria and fungi. And unlike in a laboratory, you can eat your experiments to verify your hypotheses.

In Culinary Reactions, author Simon Quellen Field turns measuring cups, stovetop burners, and mixing bowls into graduated cylinders, Bunsen burners, and beakers. How does altering the ratio of flour, sugar, yeast, salt, butter, and water affect how high bread rises? Why is whipped cream made with nitrous oxide rather than the more common carbon dioxide? And why does Hollandaise sauce call for "clarified" butter? This easy-to-follow primer even includes recipes to demonstrate the concepts being discussed, including: Whipped Creamsicle Topping—a foam; Cherry Dream Cheese—a protein gle; Lemonade with Chameleon Eggs—an acid indicator; and more!

Electronics for Artists (3 Formats) ›

By Simon Quellen Field

PDF Price 9.99

PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket

Published Feb 2015

With today’s modern technology—LEDs, servomotors, motion sensors, speakers, and more—artwork can incorporate elements of light, sound, and motion for dramatic effects. Author and educator Simon Quellen Field has developed a primer for creative individuals looking for new ways to express themselves though electronically enhanced art. Following step-by-step examples of basic circuitry and programming, readers can develop the skills necessary to enhance their works of art. The book also features art projects to try, including a bouquet of glowing flowers, an LED metronome, a talking computer, a sensile robot, and a simple wheeled robot. A variety of artistic works created by Field’s students and based on these open-ended lessons are also included to provide creative sparks for the readers. For those interested in programming their circuits, Field explores the basics of Energia, a free software package, and provides simple programs to create flashing light patterns, computer controlled motors, and LCD text displays.

Gut Reactions (4 Formats) ›

By Simon Quellen Field

Trade Paper Price 17.99

Trade Paper, PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket

Published Jan 2019

How much do you really know about how the human body works and how it reacts to food, exercise, nutrition, and the environment? While most people have read about at least one fad diet, they're left wondering about the greater biochemistry, psychology, sociology, and physiology of the obesity crisis in the United States.
Gut Reactions by chemist Simon Quellen Field shows readers how their bodies react to food and the environment and how their brains affect what and how much they eat. It reveals why some diets work for some people but not for others, based on genetics, previous weight history, brain chemistry, environmental cues, and social pressures. It explores how dozens of hormones affect hunger and satiety and interact with the brain and the gut to regulate feeding behavior. And it explains the addictive nature of foods that interact with the same dopamine and opioid receptors in the brain as cocaine, heroin, amphetamines, and nicotine.
Whether you’re looking to lose weight, put on muscle mass, or simply understand how your metabolism or gut microbiome impact your food cravings, Simon Quellen Field has the scientific answers for you.

Why Is Milk White? (4 Formats) ›

By Alexa Coelho, By Simon Quellen Field

Trade Paper Price 14.95

Trade Paper, PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket

Published Jan 2013

When it comes to chemistry, most kids have more questions than answers. Why do you get cavities when you eat too much sugar? How does sun block protect your skin from getting a sunburn? What makes soda so fizzy? And why do you need antifreeze in your car? Teenager Alexa Coelho quizzed her neighbor, chemist Simon Field, with hundreds of perplexing questions, and now she has the answers. Field covers a wide variety of concepts from simple to complex, but always with straightforward, easy-to-understand explanations.

And for those readers who want to see chemistry in action, Why Is Milk White? also includes a dozen unique experiments to try at home. Lift latent fingerprints from a “crime scene” using super glue (for a glass or smooth surface) or iodine (for paper). Hollow out the zinc interior of a penny using muriatic acid, leaving only a thin copper shell. Conduct a paper chromatography experiment to separate food coloring into its component dyes. Or use easy-to-find chemicals to create plastic “slime,” Silly Putty, or a bouncing ball. This book is the perfect resource for budding scientists everywhere.