Why are Things the Way They are?

This book uses basic calculations to help the student answer questions such as, “Why is the size of an atom roughly 10–8cm and not 1cm?” or “Why is the height of Mount Everest 10 km and not 100 km?” In short, “Why are things the way they are?” This book is an introduction to some methods of making rapid estimates, and shows how estimated answers can be made in just a few steps.