Equilibrium Statistical Mechanics
Ideal as an elementary introduction to equilibrium statistical mechanics, this volume covers both classical and quantum methodology for open and closed systems. Introductory chapters familiarize readers with probability and microscopic models of systems, while additional chapters describe the general derivation of the fundamental statistical mechanics relationships. The final chapter contains 16 sections, each dealing with a different application, ordered according to complexity, from classical through degenerate quantum statistical mechanics. Key features include an elementary introduction to probability, distribution, functions, and uncertainty prior to a discussion of statistical mechanics; a review of the concept and significance of energy, together with a discussion of various models of physical systems. A series of appendixes contains helpful information on Gaussian integrals, the error function, the entropy constant, solutions to problems, and other subjects.A background in integral calculus is assumed, but because material is presented at a reasonable level of complexity, even readers not familiar with quantum mechanics can make use of at least two-thirds of this book. Index. 5 Appendixes. Problems at ends of chapters. Over 100 text figures.
Geons, Black Holes, and Quantum Foam
He studied with Niels Bohr, taught Richard Feynman, and boned up on relativity with his friend and colleague Albert Einstein. John Archibald Wheeler's fascinating life brings us face to face with the central characters and discoveries of modern physics. He was the first American to learn of the discovery of nuclear fission, later coined the term "black hole," led a renaissance in gravitation physics, and helped to build Princeton University into a mecca for physicists. From nuclear physics, to quantum theory, to relativity and gravitation, Wheeler's work has set the trajectory of research for half a century. His career has brought him into contact with the most brilliant minds of his field; Fermi, Bethe, Rabi, Teller, Oppenheimer, and Wigner are among those he called colleagues and friends. In this rich autobiography, Wheeler reveals in fascinating detail the excitement of each discovery, the character of each colleague, and the underlying passion for knowledge that drives him still.
Cats’ Paws and Catapults
Nature and humans build their devices with the same earthly materials and use them in the same air and water, pulled by the same gravity. Why, then, do their designs diverge so sharply? Humans, for instance, love right angles, while nature's angles are rarely right and usually rounded. Our technology goes around on wheels--and on rotating pulleys, gears, shafts, and cams--yet in nature only the tiny propellers of bacteria spin as true wheels. Our hinges turn because hard parts slide around each other, whereas nature's hinges (a rabbit's ear, for example) more often swing by bending flexible materials. In this marvelously surprising, witty book, Steven Vogel compares these two mechanical worlds, introduces the reader to his field of biomechanics, and explains how the nexus of physical law, size, and convenience of construction determine the designs of both people and nature. "This elegant comparison of human and biological technology will forever change the way you look at each."--Michael LaBarbera, American Scientist
Geometry of Curves
Integrating the three main areas of curve geometry-parametric, algebraic, and projective curves-Geometry of Curves offers a unique approach that provides a mathematical structure for solving problems, not just a catalog of theorems. Almost entirely self-contained, this book begins with the basics then takes readers on a fascinating journey from conics through the properties of parametric curves and the classification of limacons to the application of projective curves to asymptotes and boundedness. The uniqueness of this work lies in its integration of the different types of curves, its use of analytic methods, and its plentiful examples, exercises, and illustrations.
Schaum’s Outline of Modern Physics
Tough Test Questions? Missed Lectures? Not Enough Time?Fortunately for you, there's Schaum's Outlines. More than 40 million students have trusted Schaum's to help them succeed in the classroom and on exams. Schaum's is the key to faster learning and higher grades in every subject. Each Outline presents all the essential course information in an easy-to-follow, topic-by-topic format. You also get hundreds of examples, solved problems, and practice exercises to test your skills. This Schaum's Outline gives youPractice problems with full explanations that reinforce knowledgeCoverage of the most up-to-date developments in your course fieldIn-depth review of practices and applicationsFully compatible with your classroom text, Schaum's highlights all the important facts you need to know. Use Schaum's to shorten your study time-and get your best test scores!Schaum's Outlines-Problem Solved.
Elementary Particles and the Laws of Physics
Developing a theory that seamlessly combines relativity and quantum mechanics, the most important conceptual breakthroughs in twentieth century physics, has proved to be a difficult and ongoing challenge. This book details how two distinguished physicists and Nobel laureates have explored this theme in two lectures given in Cambridge, England, in 1986 to commemorate the famous British physicist Paul Dirac. Given for nonspecialists and undergraduates, the talks transcribed in Elementary Particles and the Laws of Physics focus on the fundamental problems of physics and the present state of our knowledge. Professor Feynman examines the nature of antiparticles, and in particular the relationship between quantum spin and statistics. Professor Weinberg speculates on how Einstein's theory of gravitation might be reconciled with quantum theory in the final law of physics. Highly accessible, deeply thought provoking, this book will appeal to all those interested in the development of modern physics.
How Nature Works
and acknowledgments Self-organized criticality is a new way of viewing nature. The basic picture is one where nature is perpetually out of balance, but organized in a poised state-the critical state-where anything can happen within well-defined statistical laws. The aim of the science of self-organized criticality is to yield insight into the fundamental question of why nature is complex, not simple, as the laws of physics imply. Self-organized criticality explains some ubiquitous patterns existing in nature that we view as complex. Fractal structure and catastrophic events are among those regularities. Applications range from the study of pulsars and black holes to earthquakes and the evolution of life. One intriguing conse- quence of the theory is that catastrophes can occur for no reason whatsoever. Mass extinctions may take place without any external triggering mechanism such as a volcanic eruption or a meteorite hitting the earth (although the the- ory of course cannot rule out that this has in fact occurred). xu How Nature Works Since we first proposed the idea in 1987, more than 2, ooo papers have been written on self-organized criticality, making ours the most cited paper in physics during that period. How Nature Works is the first book to deal with the subject. The basic idea is simple, and most of the mathematical models that have been used in the implementation of the theory are not complicated.
Mathematical Methods for Physicists and Engineers
Practical text focuses on fundamental applied math needed to deal with physics and engineering problems: elementary vector calculus, special functions of mathematical physics, calculus of variations, much more. 1968 edition.
Pale Blue Dot
"Fascinating . . . memorable . . . revealing . . . perhaps the best of Carl Sagan's books."--The Washington Post Book World (front page review) In Cosmos, the late astronomer Carl Sagan cast his gaze over the magnificent mystery of the Universe and made it accessible to millions of people around the world. Now in this stunning sequel, Carl Sagan completes his revolutionary journey through space and time. Future generations will look back on our epoch as the time when the human race finally broke into a radically new frontier--space. In Pale Blue Dot, Sagan traces the spellbinding history of our launch into the cosmos and assesses the future that looms before us as we move out into our own solar system and on to distant galaxies beyond. The exploration and eventual settlement of other worlds is neither a fantasy nor luxury, insists Sagan, but rather a necessary condition for the survival of the human race. "Takes readers far beyond Cosmos . . . Sagan sees humanity's future in the stars."--Chicago Tribune
Eight Lectures on Theoretical Physics
In 1909 the great German physicist and Nobel Prize winner Max Planck (1858-1947) delivered a series of eight lectures at Columbia University giving a fascinating overview of the new state of physics, which he had played a crucial role in bringing about. The first, third, fifth, and sixth lectures present his account of the revolutionary developments occasioned when he first applied the quantum hypothesis to blackbody radiation. The reader is given a valuable opportunity to witness Planck's thought processes both on the level of philosophical principles as well as their application to physical processes on the microscopic and macroscopic scales. In the second and fourth lectures Planck shows how the new ideas of statistical mechanics transformed the understanding of chemical physics. The seventh lecture discusses the principle of least action, while the final one gives an account of the theory of special relativity, of which Planck had been an early champion. These lectures are especially important since they reflect Planck's reconsiderations and rethinking of his original discovery of quantum theory. A new Introduction by Peter Pesic places this book in historical perspective among Planck's works and those of his contemporaries. Now available in this inexpensive edition, it will be of particular interest to students of modern physics and of the philosophy and history of science.
Image and Logic: A Material Culture of Microphysics
"I want to get at the blown glass of the early cloud chambers and the oozing noodles of wet nuclear emulsion; to the resounding crack of a high-voltage spark arcing across a high-tension chamber and leaving the lab stinking of ozone; to the silent, darkened room, with row after row of scanners sliding trackballs across projected bubble-chamber images. Pictures and pulses--I want to know where they came from, how pictures and counts got to be the bottom-line data of physics." (from the preface) Image and Logic is the most detailed engagement to date with the impact of modern technology on what it means to "do" physics and to be a physicist. At the beginning of this century, physics was usually done by a lone researcher who put together experimental apparatus on a benchtop. Now experiments frequently are larger than a city block, and experimental physicists live very different lives: programming computers, working with industry, coordinating vast teams of scientists and engineers, and playing politics. Peter L. Galison probes the material culture of experimental microphysics to reveal how the ever-increasing scale and complexity of apparatus have distanced physicists from the very science that drew them into experimenting, and have fragmented microphysics into different technical traditions much as apparatus have fragmented atoms to get at the fundamental building blocks of matter. At the same time, the necessity for teamwork in operating multimillion-dollar machines has created dynamic "trading zones," where instrument makers, theorists, and experimentalists meet, share knowledge, and coordinate the extraordinarily diverse pieces of the culture of modern microphysics: work, machines, evidence, and argument.
Driving Force: The Natural Magic of Magnets
Driving Force unfolds the long and colorful history of magnets: how they guided (or misguided) Columbus; mesmerized eighteenth-century Paris but failed to fool Benjamin Franklin; lifted AC power over its rival, DC, despite all the animals, one human among them, executed along the way; led Einstein to the theory of relativity; helped defeat Hitler's U-boats; inspired writers from Plato to Dave Barry. In a way that will delight and instruct even the nonmathematical among us, James Livingston shows us how scientists today are creating magnets and superconductors that can levitate high-speed trains, produce images of our internal organs, steer high-energy particles in giant accelerators, and--last but not least--heat our morning coffee. From the "new" science of materials to everyday technology, Driving Force makes the workings of magnets a matter of practical wonder. The book will inform and entertain technical and nontechnical readers alike and will give them a clearer sense of the force behind so much of the working world.
Relativity Simply Explained
Since the publication of Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity in 1905, the discovery of such astronomical phenomena as quasars, pulsars, and black holes -- all intimately connected to relativity -- has provoked a tremendous upsurge of interest in the subject.This volume, a revised version of Martin Gardner's earlier Relativity for the Million, brings this fascinating topic up to date. Witty, perceptive, and easily accessible to the general reader, it is one of the clearest and most entertaining introductions to relativity ever written. Mr. Gardner offers lucid explanations of not only the special and general theories of relativity, but of the Michelson-Morley experiment, gravity and spacetime, Mach's principle, the twin paradox, models of the universe, and other topics. A new Postscript, examining the latest developments in the field, and specially written for this edition, is also included. The clarity of the text is especially enhanced by the brilliant graphics of Anthony Ravielli, making this "by far the best layman's account of this difficult subject." -- Christian Science Monitor.
Methods of Thermodynamics
Unlike most general books, this outstanding text focuses on the physical technique of thermodynamics, typical problem areas of understanding, and significance and use of thermodynamic potential. Mathematical apparatus, first law of thermodynamics, second law and entropy, ideal substances, some useful formulas, many other topics are covered. 1965 edition.
First Light
Seven years before Richard Preston wrote about horrifying viruses in The Hot Zone, he turned his attention to the cosmos. In First Light, he demonstrates his gift for creating an exciting and absorbing narrative around a complex scientific subject--in this case the efforts by astronomers at the Palomar Observatory in the San Gabriel Mountains of California to peer to the farthest edges of space through the Hale Telescope, attempting to solve the riddle of the creation of the universe. Richard Preston's name became a household word with The Hot Zone, which sold nearly 800,000 copies in hardcover, was on The New York Times's bestseller list for 42 weeks, and was the subject of countless magazine and newspaper articles. Preston has become a sought-after commentator on popular science subjects.
How Nature Works
and acknowledgments Self-organized criticality is a new way of viewing nature. The basic picture is one where nature is perpetually out of balance, but organized in a poised state-the critical state-where anything can happen within well-defined statistical laws. The aim of the science of self-organized criticality is to yield insight into the fundamental question of why nature is complex, not simple, as the laws of physics imply. Self-organized criticality explains some ubiquitous patterns existing in nature that we view as complex. Fractal structure and catastrophic events are among those regularities. Applications range from the study of pulsars and black holes to earthquakes and the evolution of life. One intriguing conse- quence of the theory is that catastrophes can occur for no reason whatsoever. Mass extinctions may take place without any external triggering mechanism such as a volcanic eruption or a meteorite hitting the earth (although the the- ory of course cannot rule out that this has in fact occurred). xu How Nature Works Since we first proposed the idea in 1987, more than 2, ooo papers have been written on self-organized criticality, making ours the most cited paper in physics during that period. How Nature Works is the first book to deal with the subject. The basic idea is simple, and most of the mathematical models that have been used in the implementation of the theory are not complicated.
Poetry of the Universe
In the bestselling literary tradition of Lewis Thomas's Lives of a Cell and James Watson's The Double Helix, Poetry of the Universe is a delightful and compelling narrative charting the evolution of mathematical ideas that have helped to illuminate the nature of the observable universe. In a richly anecdotal fashion, the book explores the leaps of imagination and vision in mathematics that have helped pioneer our understanding of the world around us.
The Quark and the Jaguar
From one of the architects of the new science of simplicity and complexity comes an explanation of the connections between nature at its most basic level and natural selection, archaeology, linguistics, child development, computers, and other complex adaptive systems. Nobel laureate Murray Gell-Mann offers a uniquely personal and unifying vision of the relationship between the fundamental laws of physics and the complexity and diversity of the natural world.
Ideas and Opinions
A collection of insightful and thought provoking essays from one of the greatest thinkers of the twentieth century A new edition of the most definitive collection of Albert Einstein's popular writings, gathered under the supervision of Einstein himself. The selections range from his earliest days as a theoretical physicist to his death in 1955; from such subjects as relativity, nuclear war or peace, and religion and science, to human rights, economics, and government.
Schaum's Outline of Beginning Physics I: Mechanics and Heat
Confusing Textbooks? Missed Lectures? Not Enough Time?Fortunately for you, there's Schaum's Outlines. More than 40 million students have trusted Schaum's to help them succeed in the classroom and on exams. Schaum's is the key to faster learning and higher grades in every subject. Each Outline presents all the essential course information in an easy-to-follow, topic-by-topic format. You also get hundreds of examples, solved problems, and practice exercises to test your skills. This Schaum's Outline gives youPractice problems with full explanations that reinforce knowledgeCoverage of the most up-to-date developments in your course fieldIn-depth review of practices and applicationsFully compatible with your classroom text, Schaum's highlights all the important facts you need to know. Use Schaum's to shorten your study time-and get your best test scores!Schaum's Outlines-Problem Solved.
Hyperspace: A Scientific Odyssey Through Parallel Universes, Time Warps, and the
From the renowned theoretical physicist and national bestselling author of The God Equation comes the first book-length exploration of the most exciting development in modern physics: the theory of 10-dimensional space. "Among the best of its genre to appear in recent years...What a wonderful adventure it is, trying to think the unthinkable!" --The New York Times Book ReviewThe theory of hyperspace, which Michio Kaku pioneered, may be the leading candidate for the Theory of Everything that Einstein spent the remaining years of his life searching for.
Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays 霍金講演錄——黑洞、嬰兒宇宙及其他
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - Thirteen extraordinary essays shed new light on the mystery of the universe--and on one of the most brilliant thinkers of our time. "[Hawking] sprinkles his explanations with a wry sense of humor and a keen awareness that the sciences today delve not only into the far reaches of the cosmos, but into the inner philosophical world as well."--The New York Times Book Review In his phenomenal bestseller A Brief History of Time, Stephen Hawking literally transformed the way we think about physics, the universe, reality itself. In these thirteen essays and one remarkable extended interview, the man widely regarded as the most brilliant theoretical physicist since Einstein returns to reveal an amazing array of possibilities for understanding our universe. Building on his earlier work, Hawking discusses imaginary time, how black holes can give birth to baby universes, and scientists' efforts to find a complete unified theory that would predict everything in the universe. With his characteristic mastery of language, his sense of humor and commitment to plain speaking, Stephen Hawking invites us to know him better--and to share his passion for the voyage of intellect and imagination that has opened new ways to understanding the very nature of the cosmos.
A Survey of Physical Theory
In this classic of scientific literature, the Nobel Laureate and creator of the quantum revolution explores the ideas intrinsic to physics. Planck''s clear, simple presentation is accessible not only to the scientific community but also to other readers. He concludes with an engrossing step-by-step narrative of his development of quantum theory. 1925 edition.
Hawking on the Big Bang and Black Holes
Stephen Hawking, the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge University, has made important theoretical contributions to gravitational theory and has played a major role in the development of cosmology and black hole physics..Hawking's early work, partly in collaboration with Roger Penrose, showed the significance of spacetime singularities for the big bang and black holes. His later work has been concerned with a deeper understanding of these two issues. The work required extensive use of the two great intellectual achievements of the first half of the Twentieth Century: general relativity and quantum mechanics; and these are reflected in the reprinted articles. Hawking's key contributions on black hole radiation and the no-boundary condition on the origin of the universe are included.The present compilation of Stephen Hawking's most important work also includes an introduction by him, which guides the reader though the major highlights of the volume. This volume is thus an essential item in any library and will be an important reference source for those interested in theoretical physics and applied mathematics.
Matter and Motion
Considered by many educators one of the finest elementary scientific treatises ever written, this work contains all of the characteristic freshness and elegance of Maxwell's writings and gives illuminating glimpses of a great mind's approach to fundamental subjects. After 115 years, Matter and Motion still retains its power of suggestion; it deserves a place in any well-rounded modern scientific library.As drawn up by one of the masters of science, the book is a carefully thought-out survey of Newtonian dynamics. Its generalizations proceed gradually from simple particles of matter to physical systems beyond complete analysis.In this edition, the treatment of the fundamental principles of dynamics has been enlarged along the author's own lines by the inclusion of the chapter "On the Equations of Motion of a Connected System," from Volume II of Electricity and Magnetism. Two apprendices have been added by the editor, one dealing with the principles of the relativity of motion and the other with the wider aspects of the principle of least action.
Greek Astronomy
Astronomy as a science began with the Ionian philosophers, with whom Greek philosophy and mathematics also began. While the Egyptians and Babylonians had accomplished much of astronomical worth, it remained for the unrivalled speculative genius of the Greeks, in particular, their mathematical genius, to lay the foundations of the true science of astronomy. In this classic study, a noted scholar discusses in lucid detail the specific advances made by the Greeks, many of whose ideas anticipated the discoveries of modern astronomy.Pythagoras, born at Samos about 572 B.C., was probably the first to hold that the earth is spherical in shape, while his later followers anticipated Copernicus with the then-startling hypothesis that the earth was not the center of the universe but a planet like the others. Heraclides of Pontus (c. 388-315 B.C.), a pupil of Plato, declared that the apparent daily rotation of the heavenly bodies is due, not to a rotation of the heavenly sphere about an axis through the center of the earth, but to the rotation of the earth itself around its own axis. Secondly, Heraclides discovered that Venus and Mercury revolve around the sun like satellites. Perhaps the greatest astronomer of antiquity was Hipparchus, who flourished between 161 and 126 B.C. He compiled a catalog of fixed stars to the number 850 or more, made great improvements in the instruments used for astronomical observations, and discovered the precession of the equinoxes, among other accomplishments. The astronomy of Hipparchus takes its definitive form in the Syntaxis (commonly called the Almagest) of Ptolemy, written about A.D. 150, which held the field until the time of Copernicus.The extraordinary achievements of these and many more Greek theorists are given full coverage in this erudite account, which blends exceptional clarity with a readable style to produce a work that is not only indispensable for astronomers and historians of science but easily accessible to science-minded lay readers.
The Cartoon Guide to Physics
If you think a negative charge is something that shows up on your credit card bill -- if you imagine that Ohm's Law dictates how long to meditate -- if you believe that Newtonian mechanics will fix your car -- you need The Cartoon Guide to Physics to set you straight.You don't have to be a scientist to grasp these and many other complex ideas, because The Cartoon Guide to Physics explains them all: velocity, acceleration, explosions, electricity and magnetism, circuits -- even a taste of relativity theory -- and much more, in simple, clear, and, yes, funny illustrations. Physics will never be the same!
Think of a Number
Written in a lively and readable style, Think of a Number relates the story of some of the most famous problems that have confronted the world's experts over the centuries, from the earliest interests of the ancient Greeks to the very cutting-edge of modern research involving today's most powerful computers. The book also explores the relationship between numbers and nature in its broadest sense and discovers the beauty of fractals and chaos. Requiring little or no prior knowledge of mathematics, this resource will be fascinating reading for anyone with an interest in numbers and their role in the natural world.
Chronicon Paschale 284-628, Ad
The Chronicon Paschale is one of the major constituents of the Byzantine chronographic tradition covering the late antique period.
Schaum's Outline of Thermodynamics with Chemical Applications
Confusing Textbooks?Missed Lectures? Tough Test Questions? Fortunately for you, there's Schaum's Outlines. More than 40 million students have trusted Schaum's to help them succeed in the classroom and on exams. Schaum's is the key to faster learning and higher grades in every subject. Each Outline presents all the essential course information in an easy-to-follow, topic-by-topic format. You also get hundreds of examples, solved problems, and practice exercises to test your skills. This Schaum's Outline gives youPractice problems with full explanations that reinforce knowledgeCoverage of the most up-to-date developments in your course fieldIn-depth review of practices and applicationsFully compatible with your classroom text, Schaum's highlights all the important facts you need to know. Use Schaum's to shorten your study time-and get your best test scores!Schaum's Outlines-Problem Solved.
Group Theory and Its Applications to Physical Problems
"A remarkably intelligible survey . . . well organized, well written and very clear throughout." -- Mathematical ReviewsThis excellent text, long considered one of the best-written, most skillful expositions of group theory and its physical applications, is directed primarily to advanced undergraduate and graduate students in physics, especially quantum physics. No knowledge of group theory is assumed, but the reader is expected to be familiar with quantum mechanics. And while much of the book concerns theory, readers will nevertheless find a large number of physical applications in the fields of crystallography, molecular theory, and atomic and nuclear physics.The first seven chapters of the book are concerned with finite groups, focusing on the central role of the symmetric group. This section concludes with a chapter dealing with the problem of determining group characters, as it discusses Young tableaux, Yamanouchi symbols, and the method of Hund. The remaining five chapters discuss continuous groups, particularly Lie groups, with the final chapter devoted to the ray representation of Lie groups. The author, Professor Emeritus of Physics at the University of Minnesota, has included a generous selection of problems. They are inserted throughout the text at the place where they naturally arise, making the book ideal for self-study as well as for classroom assignment.."A very welcome addition to [the] literature. . . . I would warmly recommend the book to all serious students of Group Theory as applied to Physics." -- Contemporary Physics.
Selected Papers
This is the third of six volumes collecting significant papers of the distinguished astrophysicist and Nobel laureate S. Chandrasekhar. His work is notable for its breadth as well as for its brilliance; his practice has been to change his focus from time to time to pursue new areas of research. The result has been a prolific career full of discoveries and insights, some of which are only now being fully appreciated. Chandrasekhar has selected papers that trace the development of his ideas and that present aspects of his work not fully covered in the books he has periodically published to summarize his research in each area. This volume is divided into four sections. The first, on dynamical friction and Brownian motion, includes papers written after Chandrasekhar published his 1942 monograph Principles of Stellar Dynamics. Also in this section is "Stochastic Problems in Physics and Astronomy," one of the most cited papers in the physics literature, as well as papers written jointly with John von Neumann that have been given impetus to recent research. As Chandrasekhar notes, the papers in the second section, on statistical problems in astronomy, were influenced by Ambartsumian's analysis of brightness in the Milky Way. A third section on the statistical theory of turbulence addresses issues still unresolved in fluid dynamics, and the last section is devoted to hydromagnetic problems in astrophysics that are not discussed in Chandrasekhar's monographs.
Statistical Thermodynamics
In this concise volume, one of the founder of quantum mechanics and one of the greatest theoretical physicists of the century (Nobel laureate, 1933) attempts to develop a simple, unified standard method of dealing with all cases of statistical thermodynamics (classical, quantum, Bose-Einstein, Fermi-Dirac, etc.)The level of discussion is relatively advanced. As Professor Schr繹dinger remarks in the Introduction: "It is not a first introduction for newcomers to the subject, but rather a 'repetitorium.' The treatment of those topics which are to be found in every one of a hundred text-books is severely condensed; on the other hand, vital points which are usually passed over in all but the large monographs (such as Fowler's and Tolman's) are dealt with at greater level."
Electronic Structure and the Properties of Solids
"Should be widely read by practicing physicists, chemists and materials scientists." -- Philosophical MagazineIn this comprehensive and innovative text, Professor Harrison (Stanford University) offers a basic understanding of the electronic structure of covalent and ionic solids, simple metals, transition metals, and their compounds. The book illuminates the relationships of the electronic structures of these materials and shows how to calculate dielectric, conducting, and bonding properties for each. Also described are various methods of approximating electronic structure, providing insight and even quantitative results from the comparisons. Dr. Harrison has also included an especially helpful "Solid State Table of the Elements" that provides all the parameters needed to estimate almost any property of any solid, with a hand-held calculator, using the techniques developed in the book.Designed for graduate or advanced undergraduate students who have completed an undergraduate course in quantum mechanics or atomic and modern physics, the text treats the relation between structure and properties comprehensively for all solids rather than for small classes of solids. This makes it an indispensable reference for all who make use of approximative methods for electronic-structure engineering, semiconductor development and materials science.The problems at the ends of the chapters are an important aspect of the book. They clearly show that the calculations for systems and properties of genuine and current interest are actually quite elementary. Prefaces. Problems. Tables. Appendixes. Solid State Table of the Elements. Bibliography. Author and Subject Indexes."Will doubtless exert a lasting influence on the solid-state physics literature." -- Physics Today
Quantum Theory
This superb text by David Bohm, formerly Princeton University and Emeritus Professor of Theoretical Physics at Birkbeck College, University of London, provides a formulation of the quantum theory in terms of qualitative and imaginative concepts that have evolved outside and beyond classical theory. Although it presents the main ideas of quantum theory essentially in nonmathematical terms, it follows these with a broad range of specific applications that are worked out in considerable mathematical detail. Addressed primarily to advanced undergraduate students, the text begins with a study of the physical formulation of the quantum theory, from its origin and early development through an analysis of wave vs. particle properties of matter. In Part II, Professor Bohm addresses the mathematical formulation of the quantum theory, examining wave functions, operators, Schr繹dinger's equation, fluctuations, correlations, and eigenfunctions.Part III takes up applications to simple systems and further extensions of quantum theory formulation, including matrix formulation and spin and angular momentum. Parts IV and V explore the methods of approximate solution of Schr繹dinger's equation and the theory of scattering. In Part VI, the process of measurement is examined along with the relationship between quantum and classical concepts.Throughout the text, Professor Bohm places strong emphasis on showing how the quantum theory can be developed in a natural way, starting from the previously existing classical theory and going step by step through the experimental facts and theoretical lines of reasoning which led to replacement of the classical theory by the quantum theory.
Partial Differential Equations of Mathematical Physics
The classical partial differential equations of mathematical physics, formulated by the great mathematicians of the 19th century, remain today the basis of investigation into waves, heat conduction, hydrodynamics, and other physical problems.In this comprehensive treatment by a well-known Soviet mathematician, the equations are presented and explained in a manner especially designed to be accessible to the novice in the field. The reader is assumed to have no previous knowledge other than elementary analysis. From there, more advanced concepts are developed in detail and with great precision; moreover, theorems are often approached through the study of special simpler cases, before being proved in their full generality, and are applied to many particular physical problems.After deriving the fundamental equations, the author provides illuminating expositions of such topics as Riemann's method, Lebesgue integration of multiple integrals, the equation of heat conduction, Laplace's equation and Poisson's equation, the theory of integral equations, Green's function, Fourier's method, harmonic polynomials and spherical functions, and much more.For this third edition, various improvements in style and clarifications of the presentations were made, including a simplification of the theory of multiple Lebesgue integrals and greater precision in the proof of the Fourier method. Finally, the translation is both idiomatic as well as accurate, making the vast amount of information in this book more readily accessible to the English reader.
Taking the Quantum Leap
A fascinating journey for the general reader from the earliest and most fundamental concepts of physics to the furthest limits of science and imagination--an American Book Award winner.
Statistical Physics
The Manchester Physics Series General Editors: D. J. Sandiford; F. Mandl; A. C. Phillips Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester Properties of Matter B. H. Flowers and E. Mendoza Optics Second Edition F. G. Smith and J. H. Thomson Statistical Physics Second Edition E. Mandl Electromagnetism Second Edition I. S. Grant and W. R. Phillips Statistics R. J. Barlow Solid State Physics Second Edition J. R. Hook and H. E. Hall Quantum Mechanics F. Mandl Particle Physics Second Edition B. R. Martin and G. Shaw The Physics of Stars Second Edition A. C. Phillips Computing for Scientists R. J. Barlow and A. R. Barnett Statistical Physics, Second Edition develops a unified treatment of statistical mechanics and thermodynamics, which emphasises the statistical nature of the laws of thermodynamics and the atomic nature of matter. Prominence is given to the Gibbs distribution, leading to a simple treatment of quantum statistics and of chemical reactions. Undergraduate students of physics and related sciences will find this a stimulating account of the basic physics and its applications. Only an elementary knowledge of kinetic theory and atomic physics, as well as the rudiments of quantum theory, are presupposed for an understanding of this book. Statistical Physics, Second Edition features: A fully integrated treatment of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. A flow diagram allowing topics to be studied in different orders or omitted altogether. Optional "starred" and highlighted sections containing more advanced and specialised material for the more ambitious reader. Sets of problems at the end of each chapter to help student understanding. Hints for solving the problems are given in an Appendix.
Optical Resonance and Two Level Atoms
"Coherent and lucid...a valuable summary of a subject to which [the authors] have made significant contributions by their own research." -- Contemporary PhysicsOffering an admirably clear account of the basic principles behind all quantum optical resonance phenomena, and hailed as a valuable contribution to the literature of nonlinear optics, this distinguished work provides graduate students and research physicists probing fields such as laser physics, quantum optics, nonlinear optics, quantum electronics, and resonance optics an ideal introduction to the study of the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with matter.The book first examines the applicability of the two-level model for atoms to real atoms, then explores semiclassical radiation theory, and derives the optical Bloch equations. It then examines Rabi inversion, optical nutation, free-induction decay, coherent optical transient effects, light amplification, superradiance, and photon echoes in solids and gases.Before the publication of this book, much of the material discussed was widely scattered in other books and research journals. This comprehensive treatment brings it together in one convenient resource. The style of writing is clear and informal and the emphasis throughout is always on the physics of the processes taking place. There are numerous helpful illustrations, excellent introductions to each chapter, and lists of references for further reading."The authors have endeavored to create a primer for the field of optical resonance...they have succeeded admirably. Their coverage of the subject is remarkably complete." -- IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics
States of Matter
This unique overview by a prominent CalTech physicist provides a modern, rigorous, and integrated treatment of the key physical principles and techniques related to gases, liquids, solids, and their phase transitions. No other single volume offers such comprehensive coverage of the subject, and the treatment consistently emphasizes areas in which research results are likely to be applicable to other disciples.Starting with a chapter on thermodynamics and statistical mechanics, the text proceeds to in-depth discussions of perfect gases, electrons in metals, Bose condensation, fluid structure, potential energy, Weiss molecular field theory, van der Waals equation, and other pertinent aspects of phase transitions. Many helpful illustrative problems appear at the end of each chapter, and annotated bibliographies offer further guidance.
Principles of Stellar Evolution and Nucleosynthesis
Donald D. Clayton's Principles of Stellar Evolution and Nucleosynthesis remains the standard work on the subject, a popular textbook for students in astronomy and astrophysics and a rich sourcebook for researchers. The basic principles of physics as they apply to the origin and evolution of stars and physical processes of the stellar interior are thoroughly and systematically set out. Clayton's new preface, which includes commentary and selected references to the recent literature, reviews the most important research carried out since the book's original publication in 1968.
Introduction to Mathematical Fluid Dynamics
Fluid dynamics, the behavior of liquids and gases, is a field of broad impact -- in physics, engineering, oceanography, and meteorology for example -- yet full understanding demands fluency in higher mathematics, the only language fluid dynamics speaks. Dr. Richard Meyer's work is indeed introductory, while written for advanced undergraduate and graduate students in applied mathematics, engineering, and the physical sciences. A knowledge of calculus and vector analysis is presupposed.The author develops basic concepts from a semi-axiomatic foundation, noting that "for mathematics students such a treatment helps to dispel the all too common impression that the whole subject is built on a quicksand of assorted intuitions." Contents include: Kinematics: Lagrangian and Eulerian descriptions, Circulation and Vorticity.Momentum Principle and Ideal Fluid: Conservation examples, Euler equations, D'Alembert's and Kelvin's theorems.Newtonian Fluid: Constitutive and Kinetic theories, exact solutions.Fluids of Small Viscosity: Singular Perturbation, Boundary Layers.Some Aspects of Rotating Fluids: Rossby number, Ekman layer, Taylor-Proudman Blocking.Some Effects of Compressibility: Thermodynamics, Waves, Shock relations and structure, Navier-Stokes equations.Dr. Meyer writes, "This core of our knowledge concerns the relation between inviscid and viscous fluids, and the bulk of this book is devoted to a discussion of that relation."
Theory of Relativity
Wolfgang Pauli (1900-1958) was one of the 20th-century's most influential physicists. He was awarded the 1945 Nobel Prize for physics for the discovery of the exclusion principle (also called the Pauli principle). A brilliant theoretician, he was the first to posit the existence of the neutrino and one of the few early 20th-century physicists to fully understand the enormity of Einstein's theory of relativity.Pauli's early writings, Theory of Relativity, published when the author was a young man of 21, was originally conceived as a complete review of the whole literature on relativity. Now, given the plethora of literature since that time and the growing complexity of physics and quantum mechanics, such a review is simply no longer possible.In order to maintain a proper historical perspective of Professor Pauli's significant work, the original text is reprinted in full, in addition to the author's insightful retrospective update of the later developments connected with relativity theory and the controversial questions that it provokes.Pauli pays special attention to the thorny problem of unified field theories, its connection with the range validity of the classical field concept, and its application to the atomic features of nature. While an early skeptic of solutions along classical lines, Pauli's alternative model was subsequently supported by the newer epistemological analysis of quantum or wave mechanics. Given the many pieces of the puzzle yet to be fitted into a cohesive picture of relativity, the differences of opinion on the relation of relativity theory to quantum theory are merging into one of science's great open problems.Pauli provides additional informative views on: problems beyond the original frame of special and general relativity; the conflict between "classical physics" and the quantum mechanical approach; the importance of Einsteinian theory in the development of physics; and finally, the epistemological analysis of the finiteness of the quantum of action and the move away from na簿ve visualizations.
