Basic concepts in physics from the cosmos to quarks Masud Chaichian, Hugo Perez Rojas, Anca Tureanu

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Chaichian, M. (Masud), 1941- author.

Perez Rojas, Hugo, author.

Tureanu, Anca, author.

Series:

Undergraduate lecture notes in physics 2192-4791

Undergraduate Lecture Notes in Physics 2192-4791

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Physics.

physics.

Physical Description:

1 online resource

Place of Publication:

Heidelberg Springer 2014

Summary:

"Basic Concepts in Physics: From the Cosmos to Quarks" is the outcome of the authors' long and varied teaching experience in different countries and for different audiences, and gives an accessible and eminently readable introduction to all the main ideas of modern physics. The book's fresh approach, using a novel combination of historical and conceptual viewpoints, makes it ideal complementary reading to more standard textbooks. The first five chapters are devoted to classical physics, from planetary motion to special relativity, always keeping in mind its relevance to questions of contemporary interest. The next six chapters deal mainly with newer developments in physics, from quantum theory and general relativity to grand unified theories, and the book concludes by discussing the role of physics in living systems. A basic grounding in mathematics is required of the reader, but technicalities are avoided as far as possible; thus complex calculations are omitted so long as the essential ideas remain clear. The book is addressed to undergraduate and graduate students in physics and will also be appreciated by many professional physicists. It will likewise be of interest to students, researchers and teachers of other natural sciences, as well as to engineers, high-school teachers and the curious general reader, who will come to understand what physics is about and how it describes the different phenomena of Nature. Not only will readers of this book learn much about physics, they will also learn to love it

Contents:

Gravitation and Newton Laws

Entropy, Statistical Physics and Information

Electromagnetism and Maxwell Equations

Electromagnetic Waves

The Special Theory of Relativity

The Atom and Quantum Theory

Quantum Electrodynamics

Fermi-Dirac and Bose-Einstein Statistics

The Four Fundamental Forces

General Relativity and Cosmology

Unification of the Forces of Nature

Physics and Life

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and indexes

Online resource; title from PDF title page (SpringerLink, viewed November 4, 2013)

Other Format:

Print version Chaichian, M. (Masud), 1941- Basic concepts in physics.

ISBN:

9783642195983

3642195989

OCLC:

864000859

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license