Book Description

An accessible introduction to string theory, this book provides a detailed and self-contained demonstration of the main concepts involved. The first part deals with basic ideas, reviewing special relativity and electromagnetism while introducing the concept of extra dimensions. D-branes and the classical dynamics of relativistic strings are discussed next, and the quantization of open and closed bosonic strings in the light-cone gauge, along with a brief introduction to superstrings. The second part begins with a detailed study of D-branes followed by string thermodynamics. It discusses possible physical applications, and covers T-duality of open and closed strings, electromagnetic fields on D-branes, Born/Infeld electrodynamics, covariant string quantization and string interactions. Primarily aimed as a textbook for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate courses, it will also be ideal for a wide range of scientists and mathematicians who are curious about string theory. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Strings Everywhere
Highly recommended!
Dr. Zwiebach's book is an excellent resource for individuals with at least an undergraduate education in physics who are interested in pursuing string theory and related topics. Advanced students in other disciplines can also benefit with some hard work. It is very well organized, starting with the necessary mathematics and relativistic formalism/notation later used in calculations. The book is very rewarding, leading the student with great detail through derivations and avoiding the common "it can easily be shown that..." statements found in other books. The most enjoyable thing is that you really can begin grasping the basics of string theory and branes. After going through this book (maybe in a one year course) the reader should be prepared enough to start looking at other books such as Hatfield, Polchinski, and Green et. al. ... Read more

Book Description

An authoritative textbook and up-to-date professional's guide to basic and advanced principles and practices
Nuclear reactors now account for a significant portion of the electrical power generated worldwide. At the same time, the past few decades have seen an ever-increasing number of industrial, medical, military, and research applications for nuclear reactors. Nuclear reactor physics is the core discipline of nuclear engineering, and as the first comprehensive textbook and reference on basic and advanced nuclear reactor physics to appear in a quarter century, this book fills a large gap in the professional literature.
Nuclear Reactor Physics is a textbook for students new to the subject, for others who need a basic understanding of how nuclear reactors work, as well as for those who are, or wish to become, specialists in nuclear reactor physics and reactor physics computations. It is also a valuable resource for engineers responsible for the operation of nuclear reactors. Dr. Weston Stacey begins with clear presentations of the basic physical principles, nuclear data, and computational methodology needed to understand both the static and dynamic behaviors of nuclear reactors. This is followed by in-depth discussions of advanced concepts, including extensive treatment of neutron transport computational methods. As an aid to comprehension and quick mastery of computational skills, he provides numerous examples illustrating step-by-step procedures for performing the calculations described and chapter-end problems.
Nuclear Reactor Physics is a useful textbook and working reference. It is an excellent self-teaching guide for research scientists, engineers, and technicians involved in industrial, research, and military applications of nuclear reactors, as well as government regulators who wish to increase their understanding of nuclear reactors. ... Read more

Book Description

This self-contained, comprehensive book describes the fundamental properties of soft x-rays and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation and discusses their applications in a wide variety of fields, including EUV lithography for semiconductor chip manufacture and soft x-ray biomicroscopy. The author begins by presenting the relevant basic principles such as radiation and scattering, wave propagation, diffraction, and coherence. He then goes on to examine a broad range of phenomena and applications. The topics covered include EUV lithography, biomicroscopy, spectromicroscopy, EUV astronomy, synchrotron radiation, and soft x-ray lasers. He also provides a great deal of useful reference material such as electron binding energies, characteristic emission lines and photo-absorption cross-sections. The book will be of great interest to graduate students and researchers in engineering, physics, chemistry, and the life sciences. It will also appeal to practicing engineers involved in semiconductor fabrication and materials science. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

an excellent book!
I lent this book from the library in our institute, and this book is very suitable to us, who do research with Synchrotron Radiation in the region of soft X-ray. Many directions of research for soft X-ray are included in this book.
I can't afford it because it is very expensive for me, although I like it very much!

Taken from Contemporary Physics (London)
'... excellently written and produced book ... David Attwood is a respected teacher and renowned researcher in all of the topics covered in this book, and is to be congratulated on its timely publication ... there is no doubt in my mind that it will very quickly become a primary source for beginning graduate students (and high level undergraduates) and experienced researchers alike ... Unusually, I cannot think of any way in which the book could be improved. It is comprehensive and enjoyable to read, the figures are illustrative and clearly drawn and the mathematics is at an appropriate level for the intended readership ... it will serve as [an] important reference source as well as a teacher's and researcher's handbook ... I shall certainly be using this book in my future teaching and recommending it to advanced students.' Alan Michette, Contemporary Physics

good book
i found this book to be an excellent educational material on soft x-ray science

p.s. please note that there is a web-site by the author with the actual lectures available for watching absolutely free

[...]

A very good textbook
I took the class taught by the author at UC-Berkeley while he was finishing up this text (I also proofread a couple of the chapters as part of the class - you can find my name and the names of my classmates in the acknowledgements).

The text is very clearly written. An undergraduate physics / engineering level of understanding of electromagnetics and quantum mechanics is sufficient background for most the textbook. Most of the calculations are done semi-classically which helps for people not well versed in quantum mechanics. It also serves nicely as a reference text.

Topics covered include:
- Grazing incidence optics
- Normal incidence multi-layer mirrors
- Synchrotron radiation
- Cyclotrons, wigglers and undulators
- Plasma physics with applications to EUV and X-ray sources
- Fresnel zone plates
- Coherence
- EUV and X-ray lithograpy
- ...

The textbook stands alone nicely ... you do not need to constantly look up results in other sources and texts.

The textbook also contains a wealth of reference materials (several appendices of atomic data for X-ray transitions, cross sections, mathematical tables, ...) ... Read more

Book Description

This is the first quantitative treatment of elementary particle theory that is accessible to undergraduates. Using a lively, informal writing style, the author strikes a balance between quantitative rigor and intuitive understanding. The first chapter provides a detailed historical introduction to the subject. Subsequent chapters offer a consistent and modern presentation, covering the quark model, Feynman diagrams, quantum electrodynamics, and gauge theories. A clear introduction to the Feynman rules, using a simple model, helps readers learn the calculational techniques without the complications of spin. And an accessible treatment of QED shows how to evaluate tree-level diagrams. Contains an abundance of worked examples and many end-of-chapter problems. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Griffiths defines "Introductory Course"
David Griffiths' texts are indispensable for any beginner, and are used to "translate" more advanced texts. I used his "Quantum Mechanics" to fill in the gaps at the advanced graduate level, and his "Electrodynamics" was essential to understanding Jackson. I'm sorry that I waited so long to purchase his "Elementary Particles".

This book contains all the background that professors expect you to have already been exposed to: particle classification schemes, the November Revolution, relativistic kinematics, and fundamental force overviews. Griffiths then goes on to discuss Feynman rules, QED, QCD, electroweak and gauge theories. Griffiths also works out some essential problems, like muon decay, that you will want to see done, but I think it is done better by Lahiri and Pal (that, however, is a field theory book, which might be more advanced than is necessary to some people in particle physics).

This is a great text for anyone starting out in particle physics and for anyone who needs to review the fundamentals. My only bone with Griffiths is that sometimes more of the work is left to the reader than is appropriate (those problems worked out in gory detail are a godsend when you genuinely aren't getting the point).

Great Intro to Particle Physics
Griffiths' book provides an ideal introduction to particle physics for the undergraduate who is desperate to find a comprehensive treatment that is truly understandable. I was greatly disappointed by Griffiths' books on electrodynamics and quantum mechanics, but he really hit the mark on this one. There is the usual introductory material on the Standard Model, relativistic kinematics, symmetries and bound states, but his presentations of QED, Feynman calculus, decays and interactions are clearly written and geared for the student who has been frustrated by the obtuseness of other so-called introductory texts. His exposition on gauge theories, the Yang-Mills field and the Higgs mechanism is elementary but enlightening and even entertaining.

Griffiths' sly wit is in great evidence in this text, and this is one of the reasons why it is so enjoyable. Although he displays a similar witty vein in his other texts, it just doesn't succeed as it does for this book. If you want to be able to calculate particle decay rates and interaction cross sections and have fun doing it, Griffiths' book is an excellent investment.

A grain of salt...
OK. It seems that I am the one who criticizes all the books that everyone else loves.
The book is very good as far as didactics is concerned. But have you really read it? Let me ask you a few questions:

How many typos can you find in chapter 9?
What do you think - had ANYONE proofread Chapter 11 before the book was published?
What about the exercises -can you do 9.2 without Halzen and Martin at hand (so that you may look up what, say, |7'> really means? (Griffiths mixes notation from the two books and you can never solve the exercise without intoroducing some corrections).

There are many more questions like these to be asked about the Introduction to Elementary Particles.
So, do you like the content or the lively style?

But, of course, five stars!

An outstanding intro to the subject
This textbook makes the somewhat esotoeric subject of particle physics totally accessible to an undergraduate. Griffiths style of writing naturally and using personal pronouns should be adopted by more physics text book authors. This book takes you from having only a vague understanding of the subject to getting into some really hairy calculations that are fundamental to the standard model.

Another masterpiece
Griffiths just can't write a bad book. This book give a very clear introduction to particle physics. It covers the material very well, runs through numerous useful examples, and has problem sets with very good problems at the end of each chapter. This is one of the best physics books I've ever used (his e+m and quantum books are praiseworthy also). This is the place to start if you want to learn particle physics. ... Read more

Book Description

General relativity has become one of the central pillars of theoretical physics, with important applications in both astrophysics and high-energy particle physics, and no modern theoretical physicist's education should be regarded as complete without some study of the subject. This textbook, based on the author's own undergraduate teaching, develops general relativity and its associated mathematics from a minimum of prerequisites, leading to a physical understanding of the theory in some depth. It reinforces this understanding by making a detailed study of the theory's most important applications - neutron stars, black holes, gravitational waves, and cosmology - using the most up-to-date astronomical developments. The book is suitable for a one-year course for beginning graduate students or for undergraduates in physics who have studied special relativity, vector calculus, and electrostatics. Graduate students should be able to use the book selectively for half-year courses. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

An introductory text well suited for independent study.
A fairly complete presentation commencing with special relativity and concluding with gravitational waves and cosmology. Although intended to be used as a classroom text, the mathematically inclined reader with a firm grasp on differential equations and vector calculus can work through the text on one's own. I recommend Steven Wienberg's book GRAVITATION as a companion text for both a different perspective and to help overcome some of the conceptual hurdles.

You don't need to be satisfied with the poetry of lay books when a mathematical understanding is within your grasp!

Excellent First Step in Understanding General Relativity
Highly recommended for anyone interested in learning the basics of one of the most important physical theories of all time.

All the key concepts in the theory are clearly explained. Some important consequences of General Relativity are covered in some detail - gravitational waves and black holes for example.

The mathematical level of detail is moderate; a knowledge of basic differential equations will get you through. The mathematical tools of General Relativity: tensors and one-forms, etc, are covered in early chapters.

Problems are provided at the end of each chapter and range in difficulty from straight mechanical computation to challenging. Solutions to selected problems are provided at the end of the book.

Good, good, good for passing exams!
This is an introductory book for GR. I read this book two years ago for preparing an exam about GR, while I did never learn anything related to GR before but I passed the exam very well after reading this book. This book doesn't describe GR with the most modern math languages, but who cares if you just wanna learn the ideas of GR, actually this makes the understanding easier. No more preliminary knowledge than college physics is needed for reading this book, even the simple differental geometry has been self-contained very well in this small book. I consider this book a model for all good physics books.

Solid start but you'll need Ohanian/wald
This a very readable book that covers a lot of topics nicely. It gives a solid introduction to many of the main topics in the field. The only complaint I have is that it doesn't cover enough material.
My advice if you want a complete understanding of the field is to buy this and the Ohanian text (which is very thorough, pleasantly readable and does covering just about everything you need). Read them side by side and once that is done move on to Wald. Don't bother with MTW, its is a tome of scattered bits and pieces that work as a reference but it is NOT something from which you want to learn the subject.

Eh!
Normally I am fascinated with physics, at least in elementary form since the heavy stuff is way over my head. But in this book my fascination fell asleep. What can say but EH! ... Read more

Amazon.com

In April 1943, a young physicist named Robert Serber stood up before a small group of fellow scientists in a laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico, and, as one attendee later recalled, began to speak in "a hazy, uncertain voice" about the project on which they would all be working. "The object," he said, "is to produce a practical military weapon in the form of a bomb in which the energy is released by a fast neutron chain reaction in one or more of the materials known to show nuclear fission." That mechanism, of course, was the atomic bomb, which a little more than two years later would be used against Japan.

In the following weeks, Serber touched on many themes, racing to an array of chalkboards to scribble complex formulas and equations. Among other things, he addressed how big a bomb would need to be in order to achieve critical mass--between 13.5 centimeters and 9 centimeters, he calculated--and what the probability of premature detonation might be. (It was, he concluded, always a danger.) At the end of the series, his lecture notes, classified as top secret, were gathered and printed for distribution to later cadres of scientists who came to work at Los Alamos. Years after the war they were declassified, and Serber, who died in May of 1997, took the opportunity to reflect on his work and the strange culture of the laboratory, adding postscripts and other commentary reproduced in the present edition.

Serber's book is an important document in the history of science, and remains one of the most accessible introductions to nuclear physics ever written. (On that note, those who worry that it is all too easy to find bomb-building instructions in the library or on the Web should rest assured: these lectures were tough for the greatest theoretical physicists of the time to follow.) It all makes for provocative reading. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Great book on the physics of the bomb
This is a truly exciting book for people with the desire to understand bomb physics. This book consists out of the original lecture notes from a series of seminars given in 1943 to the bomb scientists at the start of the Manhattan Project. These lecture notes are clearly annotated so that a layman can understand the bomb. Although the book discusses mainly the knowledge of 1943, the clear annotations of the author comments also on the advances since 1943.

In this book you will learn to calculate the energy of an atomic bomb after already 5 pages using only one simple physical law (no, not Einstein!). When you are halfway in the book, you will understand the calculations of the critical mass.

However to fully appreciate the book, you need to have a basic understanding of mathematics and physics. (it would be nice if you know what a differential equation is.)

The book also contains several funny anekdotes which make it a truly astonishing reading.

Excellent!
Excellent book, it takes a bit to stick with it, but the modern day excerpts/perspectives threaded into the book give it a good historical perspective. This is a good combo to go together with Richard Rhodes "The Making of the Atomic Bomb" and "Dark Sun".

10 STARS! Essential reading
- for anyone seriously interested in our nuclear heritage, weaponeering, or the NWEPS program. Gives INCREDIBLE insight as to the minds and directions these young physicists were going.

This book is a must-read. Simple, concise, straightforward technically. You gotta read it, 'nuff said.

Fascinating
This is an incredible book. This is originally a compilation of Robert Serber's notes he gave to incoming scientists at Los Alamos in the 1940s, explaining to them the purpose of the Manhattan Project and the expected means by which they would achieve their goal. This particular copy, courtesy of the University of California Press, contains not only an introduction by Mr. Richard Rhodes (author of The Making of the Atomic Bomb - strongly recommended), but notes throughout the Primer itself by Robert Serber. It is fascinating to read comments on a document by the man who wrote it many years afterward. Be warned: This is NOT a how-to book, and does require some basic knowledge of calculus and physics. It is, however, unbelievably interesting, and worth the cost to add it to your collection.

Required reading--if you can handle the math.
If you want to understand the bomb, there's no substitue for this book. I have a degree in physics with a decade of dust on it and found this presentation to be just within my understanding. If you don't know calculus and freshman physics, you're probably not going to understand it very well. If you do, it's fascinating. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

Fifty Years that Transformed Physics
In 1895, I've heard, the director of the patent office resigned saying that there was nothing new to invent.

Also in 1895 Rontgen discovered X-Rays.

In 1905 a young man no one had heard of published three articles in one issue of the most promient journal of Physics. The first would have gained him an honorable mention in the chemistry texts of today. The second would get him a Nobel prize, and become the foundation of what we now know of as television. The third article was the theory of relativity.

Forty years later Paul Tibbets, piloting the 'Enola Gay' dropped the 'Little Boy' atomic bomb on Hiroshima.

This book is the story of those fifty years. It's a fascinating story of people with genius level minds making new breakthroughs in physics nearly every year. It is also a story of people, of Lise Meitner making a magnificant discovery but having it ignored because she was female.

Those fifty years transformed the world of physics from a backwater of levers and pulleys into the queen of all the sciences. ... Read more

Book Description

A revision of the leading text on experimental physics.The feature of this book that has made it one of the most loved texts on the subject is that it goes far beyond a mere description of key experiments in physics.The author successfully provides the reader with an understanding and appreciation of the 'physics' behind the experiments.The second edition will be an extensive revision introducing many new devices, including the use of computers and software programs, that have come into use since the publication of the first edition.In addition the important areas of condensed matter physics and optical physics will be added, including two entirely new chapters on lasers and optics.

ú Modern analysis and acquisition techniques
ú Integration with matlab for data analysis and display
ú New experiments include fundamentals of lasers ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent experimental reference!!!
I purchased this book with hopes of gaining some insight into the theoretical aspects of the modern physics experiments I was working on in a junior laboratory. I must say that this book has been invaluable. The author masterfully details the most fundamental experiments in modern physics, making the material accessible to beginning undergrad students, yet still theoretically rich enough for advanced experimental practice.

Most modern physics experiments can more than likely be referenced somewhere in this book, which serves as a lab manual complete with data samples and example analysis. For myself, the analysis techniques employed in the experiments contained within this book were the most helpful. Any physics student with experience in an advanced lab would agree that data and error analysis are the most critical part of any lab, making this book ideal as a reference.

I give this book five stars, but I must admit only one disappointment with its binding. I read a review, prior to buying this text, stating that the hardcover binding is somewhat prone to wearing out quickly, and indeed I think I have seen the beginning of this demise. However, I have made extensive use of the book, which has undoubtedly contributed to this problem.

Otherwise, I have gotten every cent's worth out of this book! ... Read more

Book Description

One Nobel Prize-winning physicist called Edward Teller, "A great man of vast imagination...[one of the] most thoughtful statesmen of science." Another called him, "A danger to all that is important...It would have been a better world without [him]." That both opinions about Teller were commonly held and equally true is one of the enduring mysteries about the man dubbed "the father of the H-bomb." In the story of Teller's life and career, told here in greater depth and detail than ever before, Peter Goodchild unravels the complex web of harsh early experiences, character flaws, and personal and professional frustrations that lay behind the paradox of "the real Dr. Strangelove."

Goodchild's biography draws on interviews with more than fifty of Teller's colleagues and friends. Their voices echo through the book, expressing admiration and contempt, affection and hatred, as we observe Teller's involvement in every stage of building the atomic bomb, and his subsequent pursuit of causes that drew the world deeper into the Cold War--alienating many of his scientific colleagues even as he provided the intellectual lead for politicians, the military, and presidents as they shaped Western policy. Goodchild interviewed Teller himself at the end of his life, and what emerges from this interview, as well as from Teller's Memoirs and recently unearthed correspondence, is a clearer view of the contradictions and controversies that riddled the man's life. Most of all, though, this absorbing biography rescues Edward Teller from the caricatures that have served to describe him until now. In their place, Goodchild shows us one of the most powerful scientists of the twentieth century in all his enigmatic humanity.

Book Description

A new edition of the New York Times bestseller—now a three-part Nova special on PBS-TV coming in Fall 2003: a fascinating and thought-provoking journey through the mysteries of space, time, and matter.

Now with a new preface (not in any other edition) that will review the enormous public reception of the relatively obscure string theory—made possible by this book and an increased number of adherents amongst physicists—The Elegant Universe "sets a standard that will be hard to beat" (New York Times Book Review). Brian Greene, one of the world's leading string theorists, peels away the layers of mystery surrounding string theory to reveal a universe that consists of eleven dimensions, where the fabric of space tears and repairs itself, and all matter—from the smallest quarks to the most gargantuan supernovas—is generated by the vibrations of microscopically tiny loops of energy.

Today physicists and mathematicians throughout the world are feverishly working on one of the most ambitious theories ever proposed: superstring theory. String theory, as it is often called, is the key to the Unified Field Theory that eluded Einstein for more than thirty years. Finally, the century-old antagonism between the large and the small-General Relativity and Quantum Theory-is resolved. String theory proclaims that all of the wondrous happenings in the universe, from the frantic dancing of subatomic quarks to the majestic swirling of heavenly galaxies, are reflections of one grand physical principle and manifestations of one single entity: microscopically tiny vibrating loops of energy, a billionth of a billionth the size of an atom. In this brilliantly articulated and refreshingly clear book, Greene relates the scientific story and the human struggle behind twentieth-century physics' search for a theory of everything.

Through the masterful use of metaphor and analogy, The Elegant Universe makes some of the most sophisticated concepts ever contemplated viscerally accessible and thoroughly entertaining, bringing us closer than ever to understanding how the universe works. ... Read more

Reviews (371)

Superb and exciting overview of superstring theory
It is fascinating and gratifying to read about the recent progress that young geniuses like Brian Greene (the author) are making in theoretical physics. This book is an exposition on superstring theory, which has the promise of being a "theory of everything", seeking to explain the origin of elementary particles as being different resonant patterns of a string or perhaps a membrane, as well as the unification of the various forces and the evolution of the universe. This subject is extremely difficult mathematically -- it occupies the very highest talent level in physics -- and yet Dr. Greene does an extraordinary job of explaining the essential ideas in non-technical language for the intelligent lay person. The book conveys the excitement about the recent discoveries, and recounts some of Greene's own original work, providing the reader a fascinating glimpse into the creative process. The explanations of relativity and quantum mechanics are among the best non-technical explanations I have read. The need for superstrings (or ultimately M-theory) is well motivated and the basic idea of the theory is well explained. The theory's limitations are discussed forthrightly. I was inspired by the discussions about the future directions of the research and the large questions that remain unanswered. As an experimental physicist who is far removed from these developments, I am admittedly not in a position to judge the true accuracy of the book, but at least it seemed fairly clear. One improvement I could recommend if there is a future edition: Although the author did comment that the experimental confirmation and characterization of supersymmetry would be important, more emphasis of this point may be warranted since the tax paying public will be asked for millions of dollars for a next generation of particle accelerators.

A peek into answers of Life, the Universe, and Everything
This book is absolutley amazing! Dr. Greene is an excellent writer and teacher. This book deals with the cutting-edge field of superstring theory--the idea that little vibrating loops of string are the most basic constituents of our universe, as opposed to "point" particles as presented for decades by the standard theory. Superstring theory may be the answer to Einstein's unrealized quest for a "Theory of Everything."

The book begins with a very lucid explanation of Einstein's Special and General Theories of Relativity, then leads into Quantum Mechanics, and discusses the inconsistencies between these views of physics on a large scale (General Relativity) and physics on a very small scale (Quantum Mechanics). Dr. Greene then goes on to explain superstring theory and how this new framework smooths out many of the contradictions between General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics.

Using this new understanding of superstring theory, Dr. Greene leads the reader through a myriad of otherwise mind-boggling topics such as: the beginning of the Universe, the possible existence of other universes, 11-dimensional existence, time travel, tears in the fabric of space, and black holes. It's written on a level for the layperson (like me) and I think most people will be able to understand and appreciate all the concepts presented.

needed more about the elegant universe
This books is over-rated, but still better than most books on the subjects he covers. I gave it two stars to get your attention. It is actually a 3 or 4 star book.

I was dissappointed because the title suggested I'd read more about the mysteries of the beginning of the universe and some of the philosophical issues pertaining to the nature of existance and ultimate reality. While the author did give me some good mindfood at the end of the book, the coverage was too brief and far too restrained. I think he was aware of his peers reading it and was being too conservative.

I skimmed a lot. I kept an eye out for places where he quit trying to teach me details and made some interesting comments. I'll give him credit--there were plenty of facinating paragraphs---but they were hidden in page after page of boring stuff. Lets face it, this is arcane stuff! But the implications are interesting, at least to me. I think the book should have been about half the length.

I personally don't think it is possible to understand things like relativity without working some problems. When I took physics, I had to work a few problems to think about the stuff deeply enough to "get it." I don't think many readers are looking to work that much--most of us want a stimulating read. And as the author mentions, many believe that no one really understands quantum mechanics. Also, I did not like the analogies as much as some other readers.

I recommend this book to really really smart readers or to readers who know how to skim without losing interest. Some of the insights were worth looking for.

Detailed but biased instroduction to string theory
Toe central problem of physics today revolves around this conundrum: Gravity is governed by Einstein's relativity theory, which requires that space-time is smooth. Gravity has been experimentally verified. Atomic forces are govered by quantum mechanics, which requires that space-time is bumpy, foamy, and irregular. These atomic forces have been experimentally verified.

How can space time be smooth for gravity, and yet be bumpy for quantum machanics? Enter string theory.

This book is a terrific introduction not only to string theory, but to relativity and quantum mechanics as well. The first half of the book reviews the history and development of these theories, since they are a fundamental component of string theory. In particular, Greene's treatment of relativity uses some outstanding analogies to explain time dilation and gravitational warping. I thought I understood the basics of relativity; this book still taught me a few things.

Analogies are this author's strength. He uses them at every step to avoid the need to complex mathematical formulae. There are no formulae in this book (some will think that a minus, but I view it as a plus.) Using analogies, he's able to provide a comprehensible view of what 10-dimensional spacetime would be like, and how expanding one of the other dimensions might affect life in the Universe. These 5 pages alone are probably worth the price of the book.

If you want a glimpse of one of the cutting-edge areas of particle physics research without needing to study math for 10 years, this book can give it to you.

The science of wonder
I have to credit Brian Greene. He did what I thought was the impossible: he got me interested in science. I've been a liberal arts-type since I can remember. The exact rules and laws of science always left me kind of cold, and so I found myself drawn to literature, poetry and music as the more complete descriptors of human experience.

But last Fall, I couldn't sleep one night and ended up staying up until dawn watching THE ELEGANT UNIVERSE. It was amazing and captivating. It got me excited in a way "science" hadn't since I was a kid, fascinated with the imaginative possibilities of space travel.

I was hooked and had to get the book. The tv program proved to be a great distillation of the book, but if you saw the program and your interest was piqued by the magical dance of superstrings and the mind-bending extra dimensional possibilities, you'll enjoy the full feast of Greene's book even more.

THE ELEGANT UNIVERSE is an enormous feat. It marries the rigor of scientific enquiry with the elegant, at times poetic, presentation of literature. Greene is such an able and down-to-earth explainer of complicated mathematical concepts that he makes even the most dyed-in-the-wool math hater think about signing up for some evening classes at the local college. ... Read more

Book Description

The two volumes that comprise String Theory provide an up-to-date, comprehensive account of string theory. Volume 1 provides a thorough introduction to the bosonic string, based on the Polyakov path integral and conformal field theory.The first four chapters introduce the central ideas of string theory, the tools of conformal field theory, the Polyakov path integral, and the covariant quantization of the string.The book then treats string interactions: the general formalism, and detailed treatments of the tree level and one loop amplitudes.Toroidal compactification and many important aspects of string physics, such as T-duality and D-branes are also covered, as are higher-order amplitudes, including an analysis of their finiteness and unitarity, and various nonperturbative ideas.The volume closes with an appendix giving a short course on path integral methods, followed by annotated references, and a detailed glossary. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Enlightening text on a murky topic
This book succeeds in what seems to be the impossible. It actually presents a clear, up to date, and entertaining version of a field that is still very much in a state of active research and is still, after all these years, on quite uncertain ground. By studying this, the reader who thinks intelligently about the material presented will be able to form his/her own opinions on this still somewhat controversial topic and will be able to converse intelligently with others who have opinions on the topic. I know that for me personally, this text opened up beautiful ideas which, to a large extent, are still unexplored. Before I read this book, my gut feelings about the topic were that it was rather dubious at best, but now that I understand (I think) the basic ideas of the field, I feel quite comfortable in it, indeed almost as if it is completely natural. What I think is one of the best things about this book is that it does not assume the pretense that string theory is on firm ground, that everything is quite certain and that string theory HAS to be the final theory of nature in all its glory. I find this attitude EXTREMELY pretensious and annoying. Instead, it simply covers what we know about string theory, and explains in detail just why it is consistent, and why it offers an explanation for what we see in nature. In short, it leaves just enough room for the imagination of an intelligent reader to philosophize as to the meaning of the theory and as to its ultimate place in nature
As for practical details, it seems to me that the reader should at the very least have a firm understanding of Quantum Field Theory (at least at the level of Weinberg's first volume, see my review on that modern masterpiece), and to a lesser extent of General Relativity, before even attempting to tackle this. I know that I myself, despite the fact that I have read several texts on QFT, had to reread several sizeable chunks of the book to fully digest it.

Good try, but too dense
Lets face it, string theory is a difficult subject. But the only reason this book is the best string theory text is because they are all lousy. What it comes down to is string theory is too new for a good textbook writer to have tackled the task. What has happened, is string theory is currently populated by a small group of elite geniuses. So some of these elite geniuses take to writing a book, which turns out to be clear to other geniuses, but maybe not so clear to others, who are nonetheless capable of learning the theory. This happens in all fields, you will find that modern quantum mechanics books are much more readable than volumes written by the founders of the theory. Polchinski has clear writing, but can you solve the problems? If it seems clear but solving the problems is a mystery, it isn't a good book. Why can't people put in lots of examples? Why can't they include solutions to at least odd numbered problems? If they went to all the trouble to write the book they could at least do that. After all the goal is to teach, not to be mysterious. What needs to happen is some physicist with a talent for writing needs to A)Write an undergraduate level text on field theory, and B)write a more accessible book about string theory aimed at people who aren't at the level of Weinberg intelligence wise.

very thorough and complete
Polochinski presents upto date developments (mostly in 2nd volume) in string theory such as D-branes and dualities that are not discussed in Green, Witten, Schwarz's Superstring theory text. However, I found GWS's arguments easier to follow because they were intuitively and physically motivated. Although Polchinski's books lack physical insights, he more than makes up for them by completeness of the material, mathematical rigor and helpful exercises. However, I highly recommend that you first get Di Francesco's conformal field theory and read chapters 3-7 , 10 and 12 to get a better feel for stuff like state-operator mappings, Virasoro algebra, OPE's, etc. Although Polchinski claims the books are pretty much self-contained, I would say QFT (probably around lvl of 1st vol. of Weinberg) and GR are min prereq and some knowledge of SUSY, rep. theory of Lie alg, alg. toplogy wouldn't hurt. Lastly, the first edition had many many typos but corrections are frequently updated and you can download them through a website whose address is given in the book (the address in the book has a typo and should read "ucsb").

Very thorough and upto date
The two volumes introduce many important recent developments in string theory not covered in Green, Schwarz & Witten's Superstring text such as D-branes, dualities, etc. However, I found GSW's treatment of basic materials easier to follow because the authors try to explain things intuitively. Although many physical insight in Polchinski's book is sacrificed, it makes up for them through completeness and mathematical rigor. However, I highly recommend that you read Di Francesco et al's conformal field theory book (read chapters 3-7, 10 and 12-13) to get a better feel for stuff like operator state mapping, OPE's, Virasoro algebra, vertex operators, etc. Of course a good course in QFT, GR and some basic familiarity with SUSY, Rep. theory, & some algebraic topology are probably a prereq although Polchinski claims the book is pretty much self-contained. Lastly, the book suffers a little from numerous typos (atleast the 1st edition) but corrections are updated frequently on a ucsb website address.

The best introduction to strings.
I think there is no other book with so clear and precise explanations of string theory. All equations are carefully derived, all non-trivial conclusions are reached by a sequence of trivial thoughts. It exhibits the author's great pedagogical talent. ... Read more

Book Description

Soft X-rays have great potential for use in a wide variety of applications, including the semiconductor industry and the life sciences. X-Rays from Laser Plasmas: Generation and Applications focuses exclusively and in detail on the science and technology of soft X-rays produced with non-synchrotron sources. Using a minimum of mathematical formulae, it discusses how such X-rays can be efficiently and economically generated from plasmas produced by lasers, and how they interact with matter. Authored by Dr Edmond Turcu, one of the pioneers in this field, X-Rays from Laser Plasmas: Generation and Applications will be of great interest to a wide variety of readers, including all those working in X-ray lithography, microscopy, and radiobiology. ... Read more

Book Description

A Classic Text on Radiation Detection and Measurement Now Updated and Expanded Building on the proven success of this widely-used text, the Third Edition will provide you with a clear understanding of the methods and instrumentation used in the detection and measurement of ionizing radiation. It provides in-depth coverage of the basic principles of radiation detection as well as illustrating their application in a full set of modern instruments. In addition to a complete description of well-established detection and spectroscopic methods, many recently developed approaches are also explored. These include extensive new discussions of semiconductor detectors with unique properties, recently developed scintillation materials and photomultiplier tubes, and several gas-filled detectors of new design. Many other updates and additions have been made throughout the text and two appendices have been added. Over 100 new figures and tables have been included. Key Features of the Third Edition
* Every chapter has been updated with extensive addition of new references to relevant articles in the scientific literature.
* A number of new detection techniques have been added, strengthening the status of the text as the most comprehensive coverage of the topic to be found in any single book.
* The writing style has maintained the readability that has attracted favorable response from readers and reviewers of the earlier editions.
* The author uses his extensive research experience in radiation measurements, nuclear instrumentation, and radiation imaging to provide you with an invaluable resource. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Good overview of the field.
This book is a must for anyone working in the field of
radiation detection, and contains a clear, readable description
of the working principles of quite a lot of detector types.
The weaker point is the description of the associated front
end (analogue) electronics that goes with those detectors: it
is a bit concise.

A good point for starting and for continuing
I have used this book for my studies and for working, and it's really beautiful: it starts with basic principles and after few pages you are deep inside the detector, and you start feeling it. The next step is to take an article of Nucl. Instr. Methods and read it.

Question - solutions manual?
I believe that there is an accompanying solutions manual for those individuals who will be self-studying. Nothing shows up on the search. How do I obtain the solutions manual?

Excellent book, detailed on the subject matter and readable
This is an excellent text and considered the prime source for an detailed overview of it's field.

A must-have for any high energy experimental physicist!
This Tome contains so much useful information on the art and science of radiation detection that I hardly can believe I got along without it. Don't let the steep price discourage you. This book is a must-have for any high energy experimental physics graduate student or even undergraduate. It fills many of the gaps between traditional course books and real-world experience and has a series of encyclopedic bibliographies to boot ... Read more

Book Description

A useful scientific theory, claimed Einstein, must be explicable to any intelligent person. In Deep Down Things, experimental particle physicist Bruce Schumm has taken this dictum to heart, providing in clear, straightforward prose an elucidation of the Standard Model of particle physics—a theory that stands as one of the crowning achievements of twentieth-century science. In this one-of-a-kind book, the work of many of the past century's most notable physicists, including Einstein, Schrodinger, Heisenberg, Dirac, Feynman, Gell-Mann, and Weinberg, is knit together in a thorough and accessible exposition of the revolutionary notions that underlie our current view of the fundamental nature of the physical world. Schumm, who has spent much of his lifeemmersed in the subatomic world, goes far beyond a mere presentation of the "building blocks" of matter, bringing to life the remarkable connection between the ivory tower world of the abstract mathematician and the day-to-day, life-enabling properties of the natural world. Schumm leaves us with an insight into the profound open questions of particle physics, setting the stage for understanding the progress the field is poised to make over the next decade or two.

Introducing readers to the world of particle physics, Deep Down Things opens new realms within which are many clues to unraveling the mysteries of the universe.

"Bruce Schumm's new book on elementary particle physics, Deep Down Things, is an ambitious and very successful non-mathematical description of the nature and significance of the world of elementary particles and forces. The book is for the non-mathematician, the non-scientist interested in elementary particle physics, and the young student who has not yet begun to study physics. The subjects discussed range from the wave-particle duality and basic quantum mechanical ideas, through description of the four fundamental forces, to the inner theoretical world of particle physics—symmetries and gauge theory. The book ends with an exciting discussion of what we don't know including the recently discovered mystery of neutrino oscillations." Martin Perl, Winner of the 1995 Nobel Prize in Physics

"The Standard Model is one of the greatest intellectual achievements of the twentieth century. Everything around us is made of particles called quarks and leptons influencing one another by exchanging bosons. Readers who want more than a surface treatment of this modern paradigm of particle physics should turn to Bruce Schumm's fine book on the topic."

Michael Riordan, author, The Hunting of the Quark ... Read more

Book Description

This is an introduction to statistical mechanics, intended to be used either in an undergraduate physical chemistry course or by beginning graduate students with little undergraduate background in the subject. It assumes familiarity with thermodynamics, chemical kinetics, the kinetic theory of gases, quantum mechanics and spectroscopy, at the level at which these subjects are normally treated in undergraduate physical chemistry. Highly illustrated with numerous exercises and worked solutions, it provides a concise, up-to-date treatise of statistical mechanics and is ideally suited to use in one semester courses. ... Read more

Book Description

Multi-phase flows are part of our natural environment, including tornadoes, typhoons, air and water pollution and volcanic activity as well as of industrial technology such as power plants, combustion engines, propulsion systems, or chemical and biological industry. The industrial use of multi-phase systems requires analytical and numerical strategies for predicting their behavior. This book contains theory, methods and practical experience for describing complex transient multi-phase processes in arbitrary geometrical configurations. This book provides a systematic presentation of the theory and practice of numerical multi-phase fluid dynamics. In the present second volume the mechanical and thermal interactions in multiphase dynamics are provided. ... Read more

Book Description

This book focuses on the technology of D-branes in Superstring and M-theory, presenting the main ideas and recent discoveries in a pedagogical manner. It will serve as an introduction to welcome and guide newcomers to this exciting field, and an indispensible reference for seasoned practitioners. The book starts by introducing the key features of string theory and the theoretical tools needed to get to grips with D-branes. It then builds up the subject in a logical way, discussing further aspects of string theory and advanced applications as the text progresses. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great book... once all the errors are corrected.
While it provides a (in some sense) self-contained introduction to string theory, it is no secret that this was not the intended focus of this text (as indicated even by its title), so prior knowledge of string theory would be highly beneficial. It does however provide a novel viewpoint from which it introduces string theory, and it is so far the best/only text on D-Branes, which is a subject that has become vitally entangled with string theory, so it is worth reading for anyone in the field.

Unfortunately, the deal-breaker is that there are many non-trivial errors throughout the text, which makes it difficult to be sure you understand what you think you are learning. A positive outlook comes from the fact that the author has an errata webpage where errors are being collected, so maybe there will be a future printing with most errors corrected that would deserve 4 or 5 stars.

A very good introduction
I haven't read this book in any great detail, but I have read certain sections of it, and leafed through the entire content. I think this is a very good introduction to certain aspects of string theory with an emphasis on D-branes. There is no way that any single textbook can cover the entire theory, starting from the oscillator formalism, and all the way to the most recent developments. The subject is simply too enormous for that.

This book is a highly commendable effort by the author. We need more such books.

Really Useful!
This is the book I was waiting for. I know some string theory before, and this got me back into it fast, and then on to D-branes and supergravity and things like that. String duality and D-brane black holes is what I wanted to know more about and it is introduce and explained just great! And there is lots of discussion and other explanation of many other topics. The book is good at connecting many topics together in a useful way.

An great introduction to the subject
...If you want an intoduction to string theory, sure you should start with G,S & W or Polchinski. However, D-branes are hardly covered in these texts and I found this book a great entry point for this subject. How are you going to learn about AdS/CFT, black holes, F-theory etc by sticking to those other books?

Superficial
Stick to Polchinski, and Green, Schwarz, Witten. Books written by authors that actually have a grasp of the subject. ... Read more

Book Description

This comprehensive text provides an introduction to basic nuclear physics, including nuclear decays and reactions and nuclear structure, while covering the essential areas of basic research and practical applications. Its emphasis on phenomonology and the results of real experiments distinguish this from all other texts available. Discussions of theory are reinforced with examples which illustrate and apply the theoretical formulism, thus aiding students in their reading and analysis of current literature. The text is designed to provide a core of material for students with minimal background in mathematics or quantum theory and offers more sophisticated material in separate sections. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Handsome book.
I liked this book. The material was fairly well-organized, and very clearly presented. Many topics were covered including Quantum Mechanics, Nuclear Astrophysics, Nuclear Medicine, and more. Anyone who has had an introduction to modern physics can handle this book. It is very readable and presents much of the history as it covers the theoretical ideas. Also I thought it had a very good looking cover, and the apendices are very useful for reference.

This is the best
I used this book for my Int. to Nuc. Phys. course in my undergraduate studies. I had a bad professor, you couldn't understand anything from him, and then I found this book.
This book is an EXCELLENT introduction to nuclear physics. It covers all major topics, and the explenations are clear and readable, and INTERESTING to read. You should have a grasp of undergraduate Quantum Mechanics for this book, however.
The book starts with a quick overview of all relevant QM results so you can consult the first few chapters if you forgot something.
A great book.
BTW there is a little typo in the shell model scheme of energy levels, but I don't remember exactly as it was over a year ago. However, be advised that one of the levels is wrong. But you can easily find it out - I did.

fluent, clear, not frightening, amazing
I graduated from Hacettepe University, Nuclear Engineering Department in Turkiye. In the 2nd class, we studied Nuclear Physics and read Krane's text book. However, though it was a text book, i used it as a referance guide many times and have still been using. Want to thank for presenting such a worthy book into the life of education. ... Read more