The six core theories of modern physics
Author(s)
Bibliographic Information
The six core theories of modern physics
MIT Press, 1995
- : pbk
Available at 31 libraries
Note
"A Bradford book."
Includes bibliographical references (p. 223-225) and indexes
Description and Table of Contents
- Volume
-
ISBN 9780262193597
Description
This text presents a summary of the basic theoretical structures of classical mechanics, electricity and magnetism, quantum mechanics, statistical physics, special relativity and modern field theories. The book can be used by advanced undergraduates or beginning graduate students as a supplement to the standard texts and for a succinct review of the key areas. Professionals in such quantitative sciences as chemistry, engineering, computer science, applied mathematics and biophysics who need to brush up on the essentials of a particular area will find most of the required background material, including the mathematics. Chapters may be read in any order, although the order in which they appear indicates roughly their level of difficulty and the extent to which a particular chapter depends upon knowledge and sophistication gained in preceding ones. Each chapter consists of a main part which gives the core theory and additional, optional sections that are more advanced and specialized.
Table of Contents
- Preface
- Notational Conventions. Part 1 Mathematics: Vector Analysis
- Linear Operators on Inner-Product Spaces
- Green's Functions
- The Calculus of Variations
- Random Walk
- Functional Calculus
- Gaussian Random Processes*
- Cartesian Tensors. Part 2 Classical Mechanics: Euler-Lagrange Equation: First Version
- Hamilton's Principle
- Multiple Particles in Three Dimensions
- Euler-Lagrange Equation: Second Version
- Hamilton's Equations
- Poisson Brackets*. Part 3 Electricity and Magnetism: The Electrostatic Field
- The Magnetostatic Field
- The Electromagnetic Field
- The Macroscopic Maxwell's Equations
- Gauge Transformations*. Part 4 Quantum Mechanics: Fundamental Assumptions
- Schrodinger's Equation
- Next Steps
- Momentum Representation
- Operators
- The Uncertainty Principle
- The Schrodinger and Heisenberg Pictures
- Time-Varying Forcing*. Part 5 Statistical Physics
- Historical Context
- Thermodynamics
- Equilibrium Statistical Mechanics
- Nonequilibrium Statistical Mechanics*
- Quantum Statistical Mechanics*. Part 6 Special Relativity: Einstein's Postulates and First Consequences
- Theories Must Be Covariant. Part 7 Quantum Field Theory: The Lagrangian for a Mechanical Field
- The Field-Transition Amplitude
- The Feynman Propagator
- Second Quantisation
- Interacting Fields
- Antiparticles. Additional Reading
- Symbol Index
- Equation Index
- Subject Index.
- Volume
-
: pbk ISBN 9780262691888
Description
Charles Stevens, a prominent neurobiologist who originally trained as a biophysicist (with George Uhlenbeck and Mark Kac), wrote this book almost by accident. Each summer he found himself reviewing key areas of physics that he had once known and understood well, for use in his present biological research. Since there was no book, he created his own set of notes, which formed the basis for this brief, clear, and self-contained summary of the basic theoretical structures of classical mechanics, electricity and magnetism, quantum mechanics, statistical physics, special relativity, and quantum field theory. The Six Core Theories of Modern Physics can be used by advanced undergraduates or beginning graduate students as a supplement to the standard texts or for an uncluttered, succinct review of the key areas. Professionals in such quantitative sciences as chemistry, engineering, computer science, applied mathematics, and biophysics who need to brush up on the essentials of a particular area will find most of the required background material, including the mathematics.
Table of Contents
- Preface
- Notational Conventions. Part 1 Mathematics: Vector Analysis
- Linear Operators on Inner-Product Spaces
- Green's Functions
- The Calculus of Variations
- Random Walk
- Functional Calculus
- Gaussian Random Processes*
- Cartesian Tensors. Part 2 Classical Mechanics: Euler-Lagrange Equation: First Version
- Hamilton's Principle
- Multiple Particles in Three Dimensions
- Euler-Lagrange Equation: Second Version
- Hamilton's Equations
- Poisson Brackets*. Part 3 Electricity and Magnetism: The Electrostatic Field
- The Magnetostatic Field
- The Electromagnetic Field
- The Macroscopic Maxwell's Equations
- Gauge Transformations*. Part 4 Quantum Mechanics: Fundamental Assumptions
- Schrodinger's Equation
- Next Steps
- Momentum Representation
- Operators
- The Uncertainty Principle
- The Schrodinger and Heisenberg Pictures
- Time-Varying Forcing*. Part 5 Statistical Physics
- Historical Context
- Thermodynamics
- Equilibrium Statistical Mechanics
- Nonequilibrium Statistical Mechanics*
- Quantum Statistical Mechanics*. Part 6 Special Relativity: Einstein's Postulates and First Consequences
- Theories Must Be Covariant. Part 7 Quantum Field Theory: The Lagrangian for a Mechanical Field
- The Field-Transition Amplitude
- The Feynman Propagator
- Second Quantisation
- Interacting Fields
- Antiparticles. Additional Reading
- Symbol Index
- Equation Index
- Subject Index.
by "Nielsen BookData"