Book Description

Time Domain Electromagnetics deals with a specific technique in electromagnetics within the general area of electrical engineering. This mathematical method has become a standard for a wide variety of applications for design and problem solving. This method of analysis in electromagnetics is directly related to advances in cellular and mobile communications technology, as well as traditional EM areas such as radar, antennas, and wave propagation. Most of the material is available in the research journals which is difficult for a non-specialist to locate, read, understand, and effectively use for the problem at hand.

* Only book currently available to practicing engineers and research scientists exclusively devoted to this subject
* Includes contributions by the world's leading experts in electromagnetics
* Presents the most popular methods used in time domain analysis are included at one place with thorough discussion of the methods in an easily understandable style
* In each chapter, many simple and practical examples are discussed thoroughly to illustrate the salient points of the material presented
* All chapters are written in a consistent style that allows the book to be of use for self-study by professionals as well as for use in a graduate-level course in electrical engineering ... Read more

Book Description

In their successful text, Shen and Kong cover fundamentals of static and dynamic electromagnetism fields and waves. The authors employ a unique approach, beginning with a study of Maxwell's equations and waves and covering electromagnetic fields later. This presentation allows students to work with electromagnetic concepts using relatively simple computational analysis, building in a logical progression to more complex topics and mathematical methods for analysis. The Third Edition provides computer-based problems, homework problems, end-of-chapter summaries, and a rich collection of real-world application examples that include discussion of cellular phone and microwave exposure limits set by IEEE; safety concerns about electromagnetic fields from power lines; new and powerful magnets; and single-mode optical fibers. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Garbage
This book is an absolute waste of paper. The explanations are horrible and the examples even worse. My instructor uses this book(wonder why?) and the class average is 55%. Now I am studying Smith Chart and the way those guys explain it makes me wanna burn the damned book. Do yourself a favour. Don't buy this book.

Horrible Book
I'm currently in an electromagnetics course that uses this book and this book is awful. The author cannot explain the concepts in a clear manner. The author skips parts of the explaination leaving me confused as to what he did. Also the examples in the book are not very good, an answer is given with little or no work. The book needs more examples and needs to explain the concepts much better. If you're in a course that uses this book get another book, such as Schaum's Outline of Electromagnetics. From a student point of view, this is a horrible book.

Review of Shen and Kong's book on Applied Electromagnetics
I think the main weakness of the book is the first chapter on complex vectors. This book should have emphasized on this topic somewhat more. Additionally, in the 1st chapter the vector integral calculus (Divergence, Stokes, Green's theorems) are omitted. This weakness must be corrected by the authors in its future editions.

The main aspect of this book I liked is the very straightforward introduction to Maxwell's equations. After all, it is Electromagnetic *WAVE* theory and from Maxwell's equations how the wave nature of electric and magnetic fields are being realized, is of importance. The book does not dwell on pre-requisite traditional topics such as "electrostatics" and "magnetostatics". This makes teaching of EM at the junior level much easier.

Non-traditional ordering of chapters
I just completed a junior-level course which made use of this text. Although the topics are arranged differently than in similar textbooks, I found the explainations of EM concepts quite good. The main strength is getting right to Maxwell's equations in chapter two (--after all, that's what EM is all about, right?). Maxwell's equations are explained well and at an introductory level so that the reader is not overwhelmed. The main weakness is the very underdeveloped first chapter, "Complex Vectors" which is too brief and oversimplified for the subject matter at hand. The book also presents very informative and even entertaining asides on applications, such as "anti-glare headlights" (polarization), "tails of comets" (radiation pressure) and "microwave ovens" (penetration depth). Overall, a very good first EM book.

A don't buy
This was not a good book. I found it very difficult tounderstand and learn from. It is the required text for a class I'min. I am currently looking around Amazon.com for a text to replace it. Save money. Buy something else. ... Read more

Book Description

Described by Einstein as "the most important event in physics since Newton's time," the discovery by James Clerk Maxwell that a vast array of phenomena could be united by four elegant formulas remains one of the greatest successes of modern physics. Originally published in 1891, this renowned treatise presents the original work which forms the basis for everything from computers to quantum mechanics. Volume I covers electrostatics and electrokinematics. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Not a useful guide to electromagnetic theory
Difficult book to follow, except by those who specialize in electro-magnetic theory. I thought I could improve my understanding of EM theory by reading Maxwell's original book. Definitely not. There are very few drawings, headings are not highlighted, and no examples - just one continuous gibberous.

Good stuff
There's alot of interesting stuff here. Very informative about history yes, but it is still probably the best text on eletromagnetic theory. There is some advanced math in here. I only read part of it for a research project(its huge). From this(and the equation contained within) came the basis for all of modern physics. Maxwell's equations are inconsistent in some ways with classical mechanics. To compensate, physicists had to create relatvity and quantum mechanics. Maxwell's work was not all new stuff. He took other people's theories and summed them up in his book. He then predicted the existence of EM waves and such . Might I add that Gauss, Faraday, and Maxwell(don't know about ampere) were all deeply religious men!

More of Historical Value
How can one rationally rate this book? It is impossible. Maxwell is probably one of the more underrated scientists in terms of his impact versus public knowledge.

His equations of course are the bedrock of modern classical physics and electrodynamics. After the development of classical physics by Newton 200 years earlier in 1687 and the famous book by Newton on Natural Philosophy, the works of Maxwell on electricity and magnetism in 1873 were widely accepted as the "second step" so to speak in the development of physics. So here you have one of the most important book in physics.

I have owned a copy of this book for many years. It is not a book to learn electromagnetic theory but to try and understand the writings of the famous scientist first hand. It is sort of like reading Darwin's "Origin of the Species". Both are brilliant works but probably have (at some time long ago) stopped being the most efficient way to learn the subject.

Buy the book and read it as art and history. It is best if you have already taken courses in the subject at the equivalent of second or third year physics, and even to fourth year would be better so you can interpret the significance of some of the writings and equations.

Jack in Toronto

A classic that still is worth reading
Whenever I teach a course which touches on electric or magnetic phenomena I find myself going through this book. It works well with the early chapters of Jackson, in particular, and Smythe. Maxwell knew the subject thoroughly, up to the 1870s (and much of this material has since dropped out of courses and almost out of memory), his thinking was both profound and clear, and he may well be the best writer on physics in the English language. His proofs are economical and elegant. Oh yes - this book is still a good reference for the treatment of spherical harmonics and multipole expansions in Cartesian coordinates.

Electricity & Magnetism defined mathematically
The book in my opinion coming from a calculus III student is very rigorous and one needs to have a firm foundation on Mathematics I would say about calc III or better to even try to read this book. So far I have just started but every page is exciting because he goes into a deep explanation of what is happening and going on physically and mathematically. Not to mentioned his work is very organized. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

feynmans way
I think this is a good supplemental book. it's like his course on physics; you cant learn from it alone; but with a canonical text it adds wonderful insight on a subject. His theory of fundamental processes is out of date (way before tau neutrinos, and there are mistakes in parts); so i would avoid that one. this one I find to be about the level of sophistication of his lectures on gravitation, but explaining field theory. Feynman naturally has a slightly more functional approach than other books of this era. I think it's a good book to keep next to something like peskin and schroeder in ones personal library

The first great Feynman classic
This book collects a set of lectures by Feynman on quantum electrodynamics and a few reprints of his papers on the subject.Nowadays it would be a (hard) graduate course. At its time it was written for Feynman's peers. At that time the method developped by him, though he had total control of it, was not complete as far as derivations are concerned. However, each topic was solidly grounded on the basis of specific arguments. This is how things are done. Usually you have a hundred incomplete arguments which, put together, are, so to speak, stronger than a formal demonstration. And, what arguments! What insight this (then) young guy had already!This book is for pleasure! You probably should read it together with some modern text, like Veltman's "Diagrammatica", to get the modern perspective and also to see how little, after all, was changed. A companion book, called "Theory of Fundamental Processes" is also a sterling lecture, for the same reasons. Perhaps even more so.

Question
I know two kinds of books on the Quantum Electrodynamics by Richard P. Feynman; "Q.E.D." and this title "Quantum Electrodynamics". Once I owned both. But by my mistake I lost "Quantum Elec...". Rubendoz's review looks like one for "Q.E.D.", a good book for the Physics Student who begins to learn Q.E.D., but also good for the laymen who wants to understand the perspect of the theory.
Now my question: Tell me - since Rubendoz's review confuses me - if this book is a renamed version of the easier - if it is - book, "Q.E.D.", or the formula-prone book, "Quantum Electrodynamics" , to say, the harder book. I wish there were the publisher's review which would make this point clear.
Thanks.

Once More
I only had the opportunity to browse around this book. However, I imediately realized that this one was worth reading calmly. Once more Fayman explains this generally abstract subject with his grace and knowledge, making it easier to digest the material. If you have read any of Fayman's book, you know his ways of explaining things are just superb. So, without further explanations, this book it is worth every penny, it worked for me, a Physics student, and it will work for anyone who's interested in this matter.

QED IN NUTSHELL !
People reading this book must be safely assumed to be physics oriented guys esp the ones in particle physics. The book is a good introduction for an amateur who is not necessarily a good mathematician cuz this book has surprisingly NO glamorous formulae associated with QED.It doesn't give you in-depth scrutiny of the high-energy world yet it gives you enough to keep you interested all the way. The title can be mis-leading cuz it doesn't really cover extensive knowledge about the field, should've been introductory QED or something on those lines. Anyways should be fun to read iff you want to know the nuances of matter ! ... Read more

Book Description

Combining the contemporary knowledge from widely scattered sources, this is a much-needed and comprehensive overview of the field. In maintaining a balance between theory and experiment, the book guides both advanced students and specialists to this research area.
Topical reviews written by the foremost scientists explain recent trends and advances, focusing on the correlations between electronic structure and magnetic properties. The book spans recent trends in magnetism for molecules -- as well as inorganic-based materials, with an emphasis on new phenomena being explored from both experimental and theoretical viewpoints with the aim of understanding magnetism on the atomic scale. The volume helps readers evaluate their own experimental observations and serves as a basis for the design of new magnetic materials.
Topics covered include:
* Metallocenium Salts of Radical Anion Bis-(dichalcogenate) metalates
* Chiral Molecule-Based Magnets
* Cooperative Magnetic Behavior in Metal-Dicyanamide Complexes
* Lanthanide Ions in Molecular Exchange Coupled Systems
* Monte Carlo Simulation
* Metallocene-Based Magnets
* Magnetic Nanoporous Molecular Materials
A unique reference work, indispensable for everyone concerned with the phenomena of magnetism.
... Read more

Book Description

Basic Electricity Second Edition A Self-Teaching Guide Ever Wonder… What makes a light bulb work? What overloads a fuse? Why your car needs a battery and an alternator? We all use electricity in our daily lives, yet most of us don’t know what it is or how it works. With Basic Electricity, Second Edition, you can teach yourself all about electricity—for everyday understanding or as a basis for further study. This easy-to-use guide takes you through the basics of electricity and familiarizes you with the workings of voltage, current, resistance, power, and other circuit values in direct-current and alternating-current electricity. The Second Edition has been extensively updated to include the latest in electrical technology. Through step-by-step problem-solving, you’ll gain a true understanding of the basic rules, laws, concepts and equations of electric circuits. Best of all, you’ll understand and appreciate the nature of electricity without ever having to determine its "invisible" identity. Self-tests at the end of each chapter have been fully revised…and a brand-new end-of-course exam is included so you can test your overall comprehension of basic electricity. For further study, the Second Edition’s cross-referenced list of standard texts on electricity has also been updated. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Good review of the basics
I found the book helpful in reviewing basic electricity as I've been out of school for a number of years. I wasn't impressed with the experiments and lab exercises presented in the book though; the author could have done a better job of presenting those. It would be rather difficult to actually do these lab exercises as presented, you'd probably need to look for other sources to really set up the lab exercises unless you already have a lot of electrical skill.

A bit outdated, but good nevertheless.
This is a very good book for the true beginner. You learn the basics of resistance, power, capacitance and inductances, and some stuff on motors. If you like simple, easy to follow pictures, this is a good book. However, there is also something lacking. What's lacking is up-to-date information--an idea of how to do useful things with useful components, such as IC's, microcontrollers, etc. I think it's a great book for the basic concepts, but not very good for practical applications. The book was written some time ago, so you can expect this to be the case.

great book
This is a fantastic book. If you know nothing about electricaty and want to this is the book to get. It is in a workbook format and walks you through step by step. It makes a great reference guide was well. Highley recomended.

Excellent: clear and well-organized introduction
This is a VERY good introduction if you know absolutely nothing about electricity. The clarity of explanation, the organization of the material, and the self-test exercises help you to build a very solid knowledge of this important field. New material is introduced very gradually and smoothly. ... Read more

Book Description

Designed as an upper-level undergraduate/beginning graduate text and as a reference for research scientists, Modern Problems in Classical Electrodynamics addresses a wide range of topics in modern physics--including lasers and nonlinear optics--that are not found in other texts. The book begins with relativistic mechanics and field theory, partly because they lend unity and beauty to electrodynamics, and also because relativistic concepts appear frequently throughout the book. Electrostatics and magnetostatics, waves, continuous media, nonlinear optics, diffraction, and radiation by moving particles are then covered in depth. The book concludes by returning to basics, discussing the fundamental problems inherent in the classical theory of electrons. Modern Problems in Classical Electrodynamics features examples and homework exercises drawn from condensed-matter physics, particle physics, optics, and atomic physics. Many of these are experimentally oriented and help to make the book interesting and relevant to a broad audience. An instructor's manual including answers to the homework exercises is available to adopters. ... Read more

Book Description

One of the best books on electrostatics for the hobbyists, inventor, or experimenter is updated and expanded to include newly uncovered information on electrostatic generators and complete instructions for building various types, including Wimshurst and Van de Graaff generators. Throughout the book, the author provides hard-to-find information on electrical anomalies, which represent the frontier of electrostatic research.

Covering theory and presenting electroscope and other construction projects and experiments, this handbook also includes experiments with electrohorticulture, gravitation and electricity, cold light, and electric tornadoes. Homemade Lightning is both an excellent first book for the building electrical experimenter and a superb book for accomplished experimenters who haven't spent much time with electrostatics. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Home Made Lightning
This book is eye opening in that it awakens you to the fact that many traditional explanations of electricity do not explain all of the properties of electricity. A wonderful reference work. The illustrations are old, perhaps because the research seemed to stop around the 1930's. His chapter 6 on "Theories of generator operation" is excellent. His statement that "It is fair to say that there are as many theories as there are inventors of original generator designs." inspirers you to learn about all of the other designs. The book is packed with extensive references and I have recently acquired many of them. Although his references concerning Nikola Tesla are not pronounced, at least he mentions him in chapter 21 "Some philosophical conclusions and insights". Final answer: If I lose the book, I'll buy another!

Where's the Originality
There is an old saying to the effect: If you steal from one, it is plagiarism. If you steal from many, it is research.

On that basis, this is a well-researched book.

Without actually counting pages, my impression is that roughly a third of the book consists of facsimile reproductions of 100-150 year old news releases, advertisements, and journal reports. Most of the illustrations and pictures are of similar age.

The author does go into loving detail with regards to the construction of his machines -- essentially a copy of a Wimshurst with a modern drive system (dual axle-mounted motors vs one motor/crank driving a straight and a crossed belt).

The chapter on theory is only 5 pages long, and 3.5 of those are facsimile reproductions. I'm also surprised the author managed to get any output from his version of Kelvin's water drop generator -- his illustration shows the drops formed inches above the induction rings. A working device needs the drops to break loose from the water source just at the point of induction. In order for the drop to retain the charge as it falls into the collector it has to have the "repelled" charge pass from one-side, which means a continuous circuit from nozzle through source to other nozzle.

If deciding between this book, and A. D. Moore's "Electrostatics" (which was finally reprinted in 1997, 30 years after the original release), I recommend one consider "Electrostatics"

Packed with info, could use more on dangers, yes, dangers
The book has great info, but read a lot more then this before implementing. Dangers exist with Hi Pressure, DC voltages. Science can be fun but a fully charged 1 quart Lyden Jar, or a 2 liter plastic soda bottle Lyden Jar will knock you down. It can be lethal. Read, then read again, don't experiment alone and make sure everyone can do CPR(having number for EMTS is good too). When they tell you make your own lightening, remember the dangers of lightening. Other then that, there are process' that are downright dangerous just to make, (electrophorus). The finished product is safe enough(maybe), but the process of manufacture is tricky and dangerous.

Other then that 5 stars, great, you will develope respect for that "Humble" foot dragging on the rug static snap you give the dog on his nose. You will understand why they ground your car at toll booths, before you hand the person at the booth.

Finally this book IS NOT for children. High Schooler Seniors maybe. BUT WITH SUPERVISION, CLOSE SUPERVISION, a Lab setting is preferential, with fire extinguishers, First Aiders and people who can tell if you are about to reach X-Ray Potentials.

Modern, detailed view of mysterious subject
This is an area of science that seems neglected, hidden in the back room of the "mad scientist". however, this book details both traditional and moderns means of obtaining, using, measuring & studying aspects of static electricity, including history. Several projects containing relatively common materials compliment the theory. The author is very open minded about science in general, although sometimes to the extreme. All in all, a very informative, even enjoyable read for anyone interested in high voltage electrostatics.

Wimshurst Machine and other wonderful information
This is a must buy book for the electrical experimenter and science/physics educator. Very well written with unusual and unexpected material. Beautifully illustrated. Great plans for Wimshurst machine to make 14 inch sparks! Kinetic gravity and countergravitation experiments/information and more! ... Read more

Book Description

An off-beat introduction to the workings of electricity forpeople who wish Richard Brautigan and Kurt Vonnegut had teamed up toexplain inductance and capacitance to them. Despite its title, it's notwild ranting pseudo-science to be dismissed by those with brains. Rather,Amdahl maintains that one need not understand quantum physics to grasphow electricity works in practical applications. To understand yourtoaster or your fax machine, it doesn't really matter whether there areelectrons or not, and it's a lot easier and more fun to start with thetoaster than with quarks and calculus. The book is mildly weird, oftenfunny, always clear and easy to understand. It assumes the reader doesn'tknow a volt from a hole in the ground and gently leads him or her throughintegrated circuits, radio, oscillators and the basics of the digitalrevolution using examples that include green buffalo, microscopic beerparties, break-dancing chickens and naked Norwegian girls in rowboats.OK, it's more than mildly weird.

The book has been reprinted numerous times since 1991 and has achievedminor cult status. Reviewed and praised in dozens of electronics andeducational magazines, it is used as a text by major corporations,colleges, high schools, military schools and trade schools. It has beenstudied by education programs at colleges across the United States. Thisbook was making wise cracks in the corner before anyone thought ofdesigning books for dummies and idiots; some say it helped to inspirethat industry.

It may be the only "introduction to electronics books" with back covercomments by Dave Barry, Ray Bradbury, Clive Cussler, and George Garrett,as well as recomendations from Robert Hazen, Bob Mostafapour, Dr. RogerYoung, Dr. Wayne Green, Scott Rundle, Brian Battles, Michelle Guido, HerbReichert and Emil Venere. As Monitoring Times said, "Perhaps the bestelectronics book ever. If you'd like to learn about basic electronics buthaven't been able to pull it off, get There Are No Electrons. Just trustus. Get the book." ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Amdahl deserves a teaching award.
I just recently finished reading this book. The motivation for reading this book was, ofcourse, to learn electronics, both analog and digital, and to ultimately be able to build out ideas that I have floating in my head for the last several years.

The cover of this book caught my eye, and flipping through the pages, I could tell the book was definitely not dry. But was it good? I looked up some of the reviews and all of them were positive from some more reputable sources: National Public Radio/ Car Audio and Electronics / Science News / Radio Electronics Magazine. So I decided to purchase the book.

This book introduces basic concepts of eletronics by use of analogies; imagery of little green men, chickens, and magicians to get his points across. Amdahl was impressed that his children could comprehend the entire Star Wars universe after watching the movie for 2 hours, and he figures he could do the same with electronics.

Usually the format goes, introduce a theory with the usual electron jargon, translate the jargon into a story about Greenies who want to party. Repeat a few times, then review the last few sections with a story about Greenies and electron jargon.

The concepts learned are pretty basic. It doesn't get into much detail, or formulas except for the two basic ones where a component is in series versus in parallel. Semi-conductors are covered.

The stories themselves are somewhat entertaining. And they help you *some what* remember the concepts you learned. Amdahl has borrowed a concept used by mnemonics.

However, the stories can be quite long. Some sections have five pages worth of stories to go through, and none of it has to do with electronics, or analogies. Just pure entertainment. I'd rather he just make analogies, and keep the narrative to the minimal. Remember, the more unusual, the better remembered, and to have a long narrative in a story helps make the bizarre imagery rational, thus losing it unusualness.

The stories themselves with the electronics makes this book -for me- worth 3 stars. What makes this book worth five stars is the following.

The book got me over my 'procrastination' hump and into learning electronics. I also liked the analogies and at times Amdahl pretty much comes out and says there are no really good analogies to electronics and everyday life. You'd be foolish to think that the dry textbooks know it all, and he gives some examples of how explanations in textbooks don't really make sense.

That's a big thing, because having forgotten the electronics I learned in highschool, I do remember knowing the rules and how to apply them, but feeling quite anxious about not understanding. which I felt hindered my remembering the subject. Remember, whatever the textbooks or physicists come up with, it is only a model of reality, a mental construct, which just so happens to be the best at the time, but can change.

I also liked the homemade gadgetry he introduces to people which I see lacking in many textbooks on the subject.

The repetitive nature of the concepts introduced along with regular 'review stories' helped to remember important concepts.

Finally, and most important of all, I like the inventive spirit the book seems to have. Kenn Amdahl manages to cultivate your imagination, definitely not something you'd find in other textbooks.

So the negatives of the book. I mentioned one. The stories could be too long at times. The imagery is not 'continuous' first it was green men, then chickens and ducks. The other major problem is that there is no index at the end of the book. There were a few times I wanted to look up a term, but couldn't remember where in the book I read it first.

For those that are impatient and need to learn electron theory fast, I don't recommend this book. It's not detailed enough and the jargon and concepts are not introduced fast enough. But if you are not in this category, this is a great book to start.

(Right now, I am reading as my second book 'electricity: a self teaching guide by Ralph Morrison. It's a good book so far.)

A good, very basic primer
The author goes to a lot of trouble explaining that "there are no electrons," pointing out that the current scientific models we use to explain electricity are flawed and incomplete at best. I appreciate this, but I guess I was hoping for some better theories. Amdahl likes to shout that the emperor has no clothes, but Amdahl has no clothes to give. Instead, the author is forced at times to pause from his comic book rendition of analogies in order to present a traditional basic primer. Actually, Amdahl's zany analogue of "greenies" serves the useful purpose of illustrating just how arbitrary scientific theories can be, and it is good to keep this in mind whether a theory purports to explain electricity or anything else. Think of this as a Dummies book with more text devoted to humor than to hard information.

Stupid, boring, cutesy and confusing
The local library was nice enough to find this book for me. I'm finding the author's style annoying. I'm glad my experience with the book hasn't cost me any dollars. Only my time has been wasted.

The thing that bothers me is that there is so much silly clutter. "Greenies"! (*rolls eyes*)

Scarce useful information drowning in annoying fiction
I like the approach the author takes to introduce a complex subject to the masses. However, the fiction is childish and verbose. The science is overwhelmed. It's true that analogies used to explain scientific theories fail in accuracy and completeness. Do you honestly think analogies using these fictional "greenies" come closer to the truth? This book is nicely marketed as a panacea, which I was sad to discover is not. The truth is this: the study of most scientific subjects demands a lot of time and energy on the part of the student. I'd only recommend this book to those who know nothing of electricity or who enjoy meaningless banter about fictional bugs. I just hope Dave Barry extinguishes any further desire to endorse technical literature.

FANTASTIC TEACHING ABILITY!!!!!!!!!!!!
THIS BOOK (AND ALL OF KENN AMDAHL'S AND JIM LOATS' BOOKS) ARE WITHOUT A DOUBT THE BEST THAT YOU COULD EVER HOPE FOR. THE OTHER REVIEWERS HAVE SAID IT BETTER THAN I. THIS BOOK SHOULD RECEIVE '10' STARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ... Read more

Book Description

This book provides a comprehensive introduction to the physics of the photovoltaic cell. It is suitable for undergraduates, graduate students, and researchers new to the field. It covers: basic physics of semiconductors in photovoltaic devices; physical models of solar cell operation; characteristics and design of common types of solar cell; and approaches to increasing solar cell efficiency. The text explains the terms and concepts of solar cell device physics and shows the reader how to formulate and solve relevant physical problems. Exercises and worked solutions are included. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

An Intuitive Text
This book is incredably clear and well-written. The illustrations are beautiful and the sample problems are illuminating. It's especially good for developing an intuitive understanding of the basic physics equations, without making the kind of committment the Feynman Lectures demand. I thought it was excellent preparation for the MCAT as well.

Weak Text
This is a calc-based physics text.

Quick Reference: the material in this volume covers electic fields, electric potential, electrostatics, current (DC and AC) and circuits, magnetic fields, inductors, Maxwell's Equations/EM Waves, properties of light, mirror/lense optics, and interference/diffraction.

Review: the chapter on Maxwell's Equations and Electromagnetic Waves was exceptionally bad. It should have tied Electricity and Magnetism together, but just leaves the reader confused. The rest of the text makes everything more complicated than it actually is; Tipler won't give the concepts of the reader, the reader has to discover them on her own. The examples are not a sufficient level for the problems in the book. This book is NOT FOR SELF-STUDY.

Value of Book and a Better Text: the value of this book is minimal. For the price that is being asked (for just a single-volume paperback) is absurd. In place of Tipler's book, I would refer anyone to "Physics for Scientists and Engineers" by Serway; this book is sufficient for self-study, which is a quality you really need in a physics text. This book offers the material of 3 volumes of Tipler's books (the 3rd volume of Tipler's series is modern physics) at half the price. One of my friends has actually completely turned over to Serway, despite that her assigned text is Tipler (she doesn't even open her Tipler text anymore), and is now doing better in her class.

Terrible for Physicists, Great for Engineers
The Tiper physics textbook, while excellent for an engineering student, lacks much of the theoretical rigor desireable in a physics curriculum. A great many of the problems at the end of the chapter prove to be remarkably simple, and boil down to hunting through the book for the right constants and the right equation to plug into to find the answer. Actual problem solving skills are not developed for a physicist. The chapters on circuits, while excellent for electrical engineering majors, are almost a waste of time for a physics major. Even though the textbook is very thorough with what it teaches, it does not teach at a very high level nor does it prepare physics majors for more difficult future classes. Having used the Kleppner and Kolenkow Introduction to Mechanics textbook for Intro. to Classical Mechanics, shifting gears to something as trivial in difficulty as the Tippler for Electrostatics just leads to frustration over spending more time finding the right constant than actually solving the problem.

Tipler's Classical Physics Text is The best
I am a Physics major who finished my classical physics sequence and Tipler's volume of Classical Physics text is fantastic. Volume 2 focuses on Electricity, Magnetism, and Light. The text is clear, the problems are great. The biggest advantage to this text is its format. It has great pictures and amazing examples. Here is what makes Tipler's text in my mind better than Serway or H&R. There are numberous examples reflecting the problems set on the end of the chapter. many of these examples also are "try it yourself" examples, which has suggestions on one column, and the equations on one. Every example Tipler spells out the concept in words and puts the equation next to it. This builds on problem solving techniques, the hardest part of beginning and learning the introductory physics discipline. Other things worthy of note for TIpler is his subtle references to Modern Physics, indicating more is on the way in terms of the way we understand the universe. Overall, Tipler is fantastic. I highly reccomend his textbooks, He even has a Modern Physics text is the best in its class like his classical physics text. (remember a good book is never a substitute for a good teacher)

Good, but--!
Any physics textbook would be a good one in the hands of great teachers. However, without a teacher, Tipler's physics probably will not be the good choice. His way of thinking physics has a very unique personal characteristic: simple sentence contains deep meanings but does not have clue to follow. Yes, it is an introductory text, but an introductory text should, I think, explains concepts in a way that is easy for others to read and understand. It should not confuse the naive physics majors but to help them make the basic ideas more clear and familiar. In an advanced point of view, his texts are excellent because the ideas require a considerable amount of thinking. It might have been a great intro. physics series if the sentenses are more concise and "elementary"! ... Read more

Book Description

Semiconductor quantum dots represent one of the fields of solid state physics that have experienced the greatest progress in the last decade. Recent years have witnessed the discovery of many striking new aspects of the optical response and electronic transport phenomena. This book surveys this progress in the physics, optical spectroscopy and application-oriented research of semiconductor quantum dots. It focuses especially on excitons, multi-excitons, their dynamical relaxation behaviour and their interactions with the surroundings of a semiconductor quantum dot. Recent developments in fabrication techniques are reviewed and potential applications discussed. This book will serve not only as an introductory textbook for graduate students but also as a concise guide for active researchers. ... Read more

Book Description

This book looks at the physics of electronic fluctuations (noise) in solids. The author emphasizes many fundamental experiments that have become classics: physical mechanisms of fluctuations, and the nature and magnitude of noise. He also includes the most comprehensive and complete review of flicker (1/f) noise in the literature. It will be useful to graduate students and researchers in physics and electronic engineering, and especially those carrying out research in the fields of noise phenomena and highly sensitive electronic devices--detectors, electronic devices for low-noise amplifiers, and quantum magnetometers (SQUIDS). ... Read more

Book Description

MRI Physics for Radiologsits: A Visual Approach, Third Edition delineates the principles of magnetic resonance imaging in a format that can be understood by readers who do not have a sophisticated physics or mathematics background. It is organized in three sections: sections one and two present the contrast and spatial characteristics of the image; section three deals with topics such as Half Fourier imaging, motion, aliasing, artifacts, and coils. The third edition has sections on new techniques now in common use, such as rectangular field of view and fast spin-echo (or echo-planar) sequences, a chapter on the effect of MR equipment parameters on image resolution, a chapter with a simplified mathematical discussion of the Fourier transform and an enhanced section on magnetic resonance angiography. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

High Brow Physics Meets Horrible Stick Figures
OK, maybe it's not exactly "high brow physics," but the promise made by the book is that it is easily understood by someone with a basic knowledge of high school algebra. Granted, I'm no math or physics genius, but I did make it through calculus in high school, and while this stuff ain't that, it sure ain't no walk in the park, either. The illustrations are terrible and the book isn't really well written. I'm sure if I took the time to sit down and write the stuff out I could understand it, but this is a book, not a math class. I'm also not sure how much time the average curious radiologist has on his hands for this kind of math excercise. Also, to further complicate things, the author deviates from the standard x-y-z axis assignments and uses y as the depth plane, with z as the vertical plane. Combine this with TERRIBLE drawings that look as if an 8 year old got ahold of Windows Paint for the first time, and you have the makings of a high school physics quiz, administered by my high school physics teacher - the person who argued that sin 90 (degrees) was equal to zero (it should be 1, for those of you not in the know). And so, I give the book 1 star and leave my review at this, while I go off to try to unlock its mysteries with trust pencil and paper.

An excellent primer, and not just for radiologists
Written in a straightforward style, this little book effectively demystifies MRI and provides the best single introduction to the principles of MRI for non-physicists. Should be required reading for anyone interested in neuroimaging. ... Read more

Book Description

This volume comprises of papers which were presented at the Paul Roberts' Anniversary meeting at the University of Exeter and reflect his research contributions which are remarkable in their diversity, depth of contents and international importance. The volume is presented in the following sections covering geomagnetism and dynamos; fluid mechanics and MHD; superfluidity; mixed phase regions. There is a commentary of the papers putting the work of Paul Roberts into historical context and this volume provides a valuable source of reference for graduates and researchers working in this area of geoscience. ... Read more

Book Description

Handbook of Giant Magnetostrictive Materials contains the knowledge that a mechanical or an electrical engineer needs when considering the use of magnetostrictive materials in a construction project. The book covers the physical origin of giant magnetostriction, its manufacturing and metallurgy, and grain related processes under operation.
Comprehensive descriptions of useful models of design methods and tools are given, including the performance of devices and systems comprised of magnetostrictive materials, considering the electrical, magnetic, mechanical, and thermal effects. The book covers all major characterization methods of giant magnetostrictive bulk materials, actuators, and systems. A structured inventory of current and emerging applications of giant magnetostrictive materials is given, covering areas such as sound and vibration sources, vibration control, motional control, material processing, and electromechanical converters. The final chapter offers an up-to-date review of the emerging giant magnetostrictive thin film technologies. The book also contains a market inventory with valuable contact information.

Key Features
* Offers all necessary information for the reader to decide on the applicability of giant magnetostrictive material in a construction
* Allows readers to create their own computational design tools based on the model algorithms given in the book; specific programs are also proposed
* Gives the reader numerous pieces of advice and hints regarding the further details of construction design, pre-and detail engineering
* Provides the reader with information necessary to perform the needed experimental evaluation of materials and actuators in specific applications
* Guides the reader through current and potential areas of successful applications of giant magnetostrive materials
* Supplies the reader with the necessary contact information to act in the field of giant magnetostrictive materials applications ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Practical comprehensive review of magnetostrictive design
The best review yet of the emerging field of giant magnetostrictive (TERFENOL-D) materials. This book covers everything from theory, to design, to successful examples of magnetostrictive devices. Good technical discssions, but clear and readable.

Several of the top scientiests and engineers in the field have contributed chapters, which the author has successfully woven into a book that brings the reader up to state of the art in the field.

Perhaps the best part of the book are the comprehesive references and bibliographies. ... Read more

Book Description

This comprehensive revision begins with a review of static electric and magnetic fields, providing a wealth of results useful for static and time-dependent fields problems in which the size of the device is small compared with a wavelength. Some of the static results such as inductance of transmission lines calculations can be used for microwave frequencies. Familiarity with vector operations, including divergence and curl, are developed in context in the chapters on statics. Packed with useful derivations and applications. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Classic for a Reason!!!
This book may have some perplexing early chapters on basic electricity and magnetism, but no more so than any other intermediate-level physics or engineering text on E&M. That's the nature of the beast - it's a highly mathematical subject. If you want a "cookbook" for the practicing radar/antenna/comm. technician who never wanted/had to learn the theory, look elsewhere. Where this text really shines is not in the "Fields and Waves", but in the "in Communication Electronics." I have not seen a clearer presentation of transmission lines, period, and I own a number of other popular (and widely-taught and cited) E&M books at this level, as well as a rather muddy book on the specific subject of transmission lines. You will not find another similar book with this thorough coverage of real-life applications, simultaneously general enough that it's useful in a broad range of specialty fields. The figures are in general both very clear and very useful.

Entry Level
It is a good book but not for undergraduates. That is to say, different books are for different people at different entry level. It always refers back to previous chapters hence the reader is not lost when it mentioned things that are mentioned in previous chapters.

Woa, that's a really intense book
Having graduated as an Electromagnetics Engineer (I hear my lecturers coughing loudly) I found that book hell on paper. It starts off easily enough, but right from the word go you have to think hard about the ideas being put across. If you're good at putting ideas into maths, this book will be a doddle. Unfortunately, there's not many people like that.

Don't waste your money
Here's another classic example of a reason so many people dislike science. How can we expect people to put up with the bad language and lack of motivation and application? Textbooks ought to set an example of good writing. The authors do not pay attention to the reader. They just bundle a few points together and call it a book. There's no desire to rise above the median. ... Read more

Book Description

This book is a comprehensive design text on permanent magnets and their applications. The author begins with a brief overview of the theory of magnetism and explains the behavior of the different classes of permanent magnets and the various production processes that lead to quite diverse material characteristics. The core of the book is a detailed treatment of the methods used to design permanent magnets, including assessments of the changes they experience under practical operating conditions.The volume also describes modern analytical techniques including the finite element method, with reference to the accurate simulation of permanent magnetic materials. Electrical engineers, condensed matter physicists and materials scientists will find this book useful. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An Excellent Overview of Theory adn Modelling Using Magnets
Dr. Campbell has written a thorough guide for understanding permanent magnetic materials, and how to use them in designing circuits. This book begins with a review of the mathematics behind the theory of permanent magnets. It then discusses various permanent magent materials. The remainder of the book covers modelling and analysis of circuits using permanent magnets.

This is the bible for the beginning designer and a good review for those experienced in the use of mangetic materials. The book can be supplemented by attending a course run annually by Dr. Campbell.... ... Read more

Book Description

This book is a classic and has been one of the traditional market leaders since its first publication in 1953.In this revision, the authors have made some drastic changes to keep pace with the transformation that has been going on in the curriculum over the past few years.In many schools this course has gone from a two-semester course to a one-semester course.In the fifth edition, transmission lines and other practical applications are addressed early in the text and the coverage of electrostatics is reduced to make this book suitable for a one-semester course. This text provides flexibility in that the core material is provided in the first five chapters with supplementary material that may be used as desired in the remaining chapters.

This text is unique in having hundreds of real-world examples accompanied by problems of varying difficulty.Additionally, this book covers numerical techniques and contains useful computer programs and projects to afford students the opportunity to gain direct experience in the use of electromagnetic software and hardware.This text is accompanied by a website containing projects, recent developments in the field, and demonstrations of electromagnetic principles. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

The previous edition was better
If you are looking for an in-depth textbook on ELECTROMAGNETICS, then choose the 4th edition of this text. That book made me say, "Show me a better textbook if you can."

Not this one. This book, after giving you a brief introduction to electric and magnetic fields, goes to the applications of electromagnetics - transmission lines, waveguides etc. If these things interest you, choose this edition.

Otherwise, I recommend the 4th edition because it is simply the BIBLE of Electromagnetics.

Good for Applications
Electromagnetism is a hard subject for many people, including myself. The best approach is to get a few good books on the subject rather than rely on one book. After doing a survey, I finally bought the following books suitable for my level: (i) Introductory Electromagnetics by Popovic and Popovic; (ii) Field and Wave Electromagnetics by Cheng; (iii) Electromagnetics with Applications by Kraus; (iv) Schaums Outline of Electromagnetics by Edminister. I give five stars to all these books. (There is another book which I will not review or identify, because it turned out to be unsatisfactory.)

I am reviewing these four books in one go because they are interrelated. Each of these book is strong in its own unique area.

Introductory Electromagnetics by Popovic and Popovic is the best of these book for gaining an intuitive understanding of the difficult subject of electromagnetism. Its clarity and elegance reminds me of Feynman's Lectures in Physics. Every chapter is a work of inspiration. The carefully chosen examples are designed to impart understanding of electromagnetic principles rather than calculation skills. The book is excellent for those who are new to the subject. It is also excellent for those who have already learned some electromagnetics, but who feel that their understanding is still shaky.

Field and Wave Electromagnetics by Cheng is the best of these books in terms of the mathematical development of electromagnetics. Although this approach may seem difficult at first glance, ironically the mathematical rigour makes the subject much easier to grasp. That is because mathematical precision goes a long way towards illuminating subtle principles of electromagnetism. As a result, this book, more so than any other book, has given me the confidence to handle the difficult subject of electromagnetism.

Electromagnetics With Application by Kraus is the least systematic of these books, with some of the discussions being disjoint and abrupt. It is, however, valuable for its interesting and practical examples. It is a must-have book for anyone who is serious about electromagnetism.

Schaums Outline of Electromagnetics, by Edminister, is an outstanding collection of problems and solutions, as well as summaries. It mirrors the excellence of Edminister's other Schaums Outline, namely, Electric Circuits.

In summary, these four books have different strengths, respectively the following: (i) intuitive development; (ii) systematic development; (iii) practical application; and (iv) problem solving. These books form an awesome quartet, covering all the bases, and will provide you with a good foundation for advanced studies. A useful supplement for these books is Schaums Mathematical Handbook of Formulas and Tables.

Comprehensive and thourough intro to E&M!
I consider this book to be one of the best books about E&M I've ever seen... it's quite technical but not cumbersome at all! Actually, I think it makes quite a pleasant reading! I've read other books on E&M and electrodynamics and I consider this book to be a very good intro to engineering electromagnetics. However, if you want a more theoretical insight, I recommend that you choose a good book on electrodynamics. This book is definitely worth buying!!

A lot of good, usuable information
I found this to be informative from the beginning. The author does a very thorough job in explaining the nuances of electromagnetics.

Excellent
The best introduction to engineering physics I've ever read ... Read more