The new experiments underway at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in Switzerland may significantly change our understanding of elementary particle physics and, indeed, the universe. Suitable for first-year graduate students and advanced undergraduates, this textbook provides an introduction to the field

Nuclear Physics in a Nutshell provides a clear, concise, and up-to-date overview of the atomic nucleus and the theories that seek to explain it. Bringing together a systematic explanation of hadrons, nuclei, and stars for the first time in one volume, Carlos A. Bertulani provides the core material needed by graduate and advanced undergraduate students of physics to acquire a solid understanding of nuclear and particle science. Nuclear Physics in a Nutshell is the definitive new resource for anyone considering a career in this dynamic field. The book opens by setting nuclear physics in the context of elementary particle physics and then shows how simple models can provide an understanding of the properties of nuclei, both in their ground states and excited states, and also of the nature of nuclear reactions. It then describes: nuclear constituents and their characteristics; nuclear interactions; nuclear structure, including the liquid-drop model approach, and the nuclear shell model; and recent developments such as the nuclear mean-field and the nuclear physics of very light nuclei, nuclear reactions with unstable nuclear beams, and the role of nuclear physics in energy production and nucleosynthesis in stars. Throughout, discussions of theory are reinforced with examples that provide applications, thus aiding students in their reading and analysis of current literature. Each chapter closes with problems, and appendixes address supporting technical topics.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of modern particle physics accessible to anyone with a true passion for wanting to know how the universe works. We are introduced to the known particles of the world we live in. An elegant explanation of quantum mechanics and relativity paves the way for an understanding of the laws that govern particle physics. These laws are put into action in the world of accelerators, colliders and detectors found at institutions such as CERN and Fermilab that are in the forefront of technical innovation. Real world and theory meet using Feynman diagrams to solve the problems of infinities and deduce the need for the Higgs boson.Facts and Mysteries in Elementary Particle Physics offers an incredible insight from an eyewitness and participant in some of the greatest discoveries in 20th century science. From Einstein's theory of relativity to the spectacular discovery of the Higgs particle, this book will fascinate and educate anyone interested in the world of quarks, leptons and gauge theories.This book also contains many thumbnail sketches of particle physics personalities, including contemporaries as seen through the eyes of the author. Illustrated with pictures, these candid sketches present rare, perceptive views of the characters that populate the field.The Chapter on Particle Theory, in a pre-publication, was termed 'superbly lucid' by David Miller in Nature (Vol. 396, 17 Dec. 1998, p. 642).

This is an introductory account of the physics of elementary particles and their interactions, with a minimum of formal apparatus and an ease of reading which, at present, is found in few other books in physics. It is designed for graduate students and for physicists not specializing in the field. The various phenomena are interpreted and correlated largely by means of elementary theoretical arguments needing little background beyond a first course in quantum mechanics. Numerous references to the original literature will allow the reader to probe more deeply into the topics discussed. Selected topics include scattering, photoproduction, K-mesons and hyperons, theoretical models, weak decay processes, and analysis of recent experiments on nonconservation of parity. Originally published in 1958. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

A concise and authoritative introduction to one of the central theories of modern physics For a theory as genuinely elegant as the Standard Model—the current framework describing elementary particles and their forces—it can sometimes appear to students to be little more than a complicated collection of particles and ranked list of interactions. The Standard Model in a Nutshell provides a comprehensive and uncommonly accessible introduction to one of the most important subjects in modern physics, revealing why, despite initial appearances, the entire framework really is as elegant as physicists say. Dave Goldberg uses a "just-in-time" approach to instruction that enables students to gradually develop a deep understanding of the Standard Model even if this is their first exposure to it. He covers everything from relativity, group theory, and relativistic quantum mechanics to the Higgs boson, unification schemes, and physics beyond the Standard Model. The book also looks at new avenues of research that could answer still-unresolved questions and features numerous worked examples, helpful illustrations, and more than 120 exercises. Provides an essential introduction to the Standard Model for graduate students and advanced undergraduates across the physical sciences Requires no more than an undergraduate-level exposure to quantum mechanics, classical mechanics, and electromagnetism Uses a "just-in-time" approach to topics such as group theory, relativity, classical fields, Feynman diagrams, and quantum field theory Couched in a conversational tone to make reading and learning easier Ideal for a one-semester course or independent study Includes a wealth of examples, illustrations, and exercises Solutions manual (available only to professors)

The essential introduction to modern statistical mechanics—now completely updated and expanded Statistical mechanics is one of the most exciting areas of physics today and has applications to subjects ranging from economics and social behavior to algorithmic theory and evolutionary biology. Statistical Mechanics in a Nutshell provides a self-contained introduction to this rapidly developing field. Starting with the basics of kinetic theory and requiring only a background in elementary calculus and mechanics, this concise book discusses the most important developments of recent decades and guides readers to the very threshold of today’s cutting-edge research. Features a new chapter on stochastic thermodynamics with an introduction to the thermodynamics of information—the first treatment of its kind in an introductory textbook Offers a more detailed account of numerical simulations, including simulated annealing and other accelerated Monte Carlo methods The chapter on complex systems now features an accessible introduction to the replica theory of spin glasses and the Hopfield theory of neural networks, with an emphasis on applications Provides a new discussion of defect-mediated transitions and their implications for two-dimensional melting An invaluable resource for graduate students and advanced undergraduates seeking a compact primer on the core ideas of statistical mechanics Solutions manual (available only to instructors)

An exciting new edition of a classic text

J. J. Sakurai's treatment of various elementary particle phenomena, is written for those not completely familiar with field theory who wish to gain insight into theoretical problems. Since the manuscript for his book was completed, a very important development has taken place in particle physics-the discovery of the p, w, and n mesons: in view of this development, the author has added a new section devoted exclusively to these new mesons and resonances. Originally published in 1964. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

Covering the fundamentals as well as many special topics of current interest, this is the most concise, up-to-date, and accessible graduate-level textbook on quantum mechanics available. Written by Gerald Mahan, a distinguished research physicist and author of an acclaimed textbook on many-particle physics, Quantum Mechanics in a Nutshell is the distillation of many years' teaching experience. Emphasizing the use of quantum mechanics to describe actual quantum systems such as atoms and solids, and rich with interesting applications, the book proceeds from solving for the properties of a single particle in potential; to solving for two particles (the helium atom); to addressing many-particle systems. Applications include electron gas, magnetism, and Bose-Einstein Condensation; examples are carefully chosen and worked; and each chapter has numerous homework problems, many of them original. Quantum Mechanics in a Nutshell expertly addresses traditional and modern topics, including perturbation theory, WKBJ, variational methods, angular momentum, the Dirac equation, many-particle wave functions, Casimir Force, and Bell's Theorem. And it treats many topics--such as the interactions between photons and electrons, scattering theory, and density functional theory--in exceptional depth. A valuable addition to the teaching literature, Quantum Mechanics in a Nutshell is ideally suited for a two-semester course. The most concise, up-to-date, and accessible graduate textbook on the subject Contains the ideal amount of material for a two-semester course Focuses on the description of actual quantum systems, including a range of applications Covers traditional topics, as well as those at the frontiers of research Treats in unprecedented detail topics such as photon-electron interaction, scattering theory, and density functional theory Includes numerous homework problems at the end of each chapter