The Pursuit of Perfect Packing
Edition: 1 edition
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Published: October 2000
Language: eng
Format: Paperback
Number of pages: 136
ISBN-13: 9780750306485
Subjects: Science: General Issues; Theoretical methods; Molecular Physics; Mathematical Recreations; Science; Mathematics; Science/Mathematics; Physics; Applied; Science / Physics; Combinatorial packing and cove; Recreations & Games; Combinatorial packing and covering
First sentence: The half-empty suitcase or refrigerator is a rare phenomenon.
Description: The Pursuit of Perfect Packing explores the densest possible arrangement of identical spheres and many others problems that have to do with packing things together. The examples from mathematics, physics, biology, and engineering include the arrangement of soap bubbles in foam, atoms in a crystal, the architecture of the bee's honeycomb, and the structure of the Giant's Causeway. The book also contains brief accounts of the lives of many of the scientists who devoted themselves to problems of packing over many centuries, together with wry comments on their efforts. It is an entertaining introduction to the field for both specialists and the more general public.