Protons and neutrons have approximately the same mass, about 1.67 × 10-24 grams.
I'm curious to know the process that scientist had to go through to figure out the mass of protons and neutrons. How did they come up with a mass. Why do electrons weigh less?
Their discovery is a very human endeavor, with all the elements of mystery, imagination, struggle, triumph, and disappointment inherent in any creative effort
In this part of the text, it is very evident where and how philosophy plays a role in physics and how it came to be. We can see that this " human endeavor" is due to our curiosity in the way the world/ universe works. It is based off our observations and how we question. For example, questions like what is time? What is space? or do particles exist independently of observation? Are as much philosophical as they are physical.
The same gravity that causes the stars of Andromeda to rotate and revolve also causes water to flow over hydroelectric dams here on Earth.
The Andromeda Galaxy seems so out of reach and disconnected, but it is interesting to see how physics is the one thing that connects us all as a part of the universe and nature. We think that everything is so out of reach, and we sometimes get so caught up in our own world, but our world is connected to others in ways we can't even see. However, we know that through these forces it is all related. We are all connected.
the ancient Greeks
I never knew that the ancient Greeks were among the first to try to understand nature. It was also very interesting to find out that physics stemmed from the prior knowledge of astronomy and mechanics.