Title search results
Showing 21 - 40 of 9022 items
The State of the Universe: A Primer In Modern Cosmology
By Pedro Ferreira. 2007
A masterly overview of the development of cosmological thinking from the Greeks, via Newton and Einstein, to the present day.It…
is science's last and greatest challenge: fathoming the depths of the night sky. The objective: to crack the cosmic code, to unravel the blueprint for nature's grandest conception, a machine constructed on an unimaginably vast scale - the Universe itself. Today's model of an expanding Universe - the big bang cosmology - is actually built on principles derived from a few simple mathematical equations. Gravity-warped space time, quantum mechanics, the physics of the subatomic, these crucial insights, stemming from Einstein's revolutionary theories of relativity, have led to a simple and elegant framework within which the whole of the Universe, over billions of years, has been described.But recent evidence has begun to make wrinkles in the neat fabric of the big bang cosmology. There is now overwhelming evidence that there is far more stuff in the Universe than we can see. What, and where, is this 'dark matter'? And it now appears that the expansion of the Universe is accelerating: something out there - some exotic 'dark energy' - is acting against gravity to push space and time apart. While offering a critical view of how all the pieces in our current model fit together, Pedro Ferreira argues that Einstein's Universe may be just another stepping stone towards a new, more profound and effective cosmology in the future.An Introduction to the Theory of Elasticity
By R. J. Atkin, N. Fox. 1980
Thanks to intense research activity in the field of continuum mechanics, the teaching of subjects such as elasticity theory has…
attained a high degree of clarity and simplicity. This introductory volume offers upper-level undergraduates a perspective based on modern developments that also takes into account the limited mathematical tools they are likely to have at their disposal. It also places special emphasis on areas that students often find difficult upon first encounter. An Introduction to the Theory of Elasticity provides an accessible guide to the subject in a form that will instill a firm foundation for more advanced study.The topics covered include a general discussion of deformation and stress, the derivation of the equations of finite elasticity with some exact solutions, and the formulation of infinitesimal elasticity with application to some two- and three-dimensional static problems and elastic waves. Answers to examples appear at the end of the book.Storm in a Teacup: The Physics of Everyday Life
By Helen Czerski. 2017
A physicist explains daily phenomena from the mundane to the magisterial. Take a look up at the stars on a…
clear night and you get a sense that the universe is vast and untouchable, full of mysteries beyond comprehension. But did you know that the key to unveiling the secrets of the cosmos is as close as the nearest toaster? Our home here on Earth is messy, mutable, and full of humdrum things that we touch and modify without much thought every day. But these familiar surroundings are just the place to look if you’re interested in what makes the universe tick. In Storm in a Teacup, Helen Czerski provides the tools to alter the way we see everything around us by linking ordinary objects and occurrences, like popcorn popping, coffee stains, and fridge magnets, to big ideas like climate change, the energy crisis, or innovative medical testing. She guides us through the principles of gases (“Explosions in the kitchen are generally considered a bad idea. But just occasionally a small one can produce something delicious”); gravity (drop some raisins in a bottle of carbonated lemonade and watch the whoosh of bubbles and the dancing raisins at the bottom bumping into each other); size (Czerski explains the action of the water molecules that cause the crime-scene stain left by a puddle of dried coffee); and time (why it takes so long for ketchup to come out of a bottle). Along the way, she provides answers to vexing questions: How does water travel from the roots of a redwood tree to its crown? How do ducks keep their feet warm when walking on ice? Why does milk, when added to tea, look like billowing storm clouds? In an engaging voice at once warm and witty, Czerski shares her stunning breadth of knowledge to lift the veil of familiarity from the ordinary. You may never look at your toaster the same way.The Nature of Visual Illusion
By Mark Fineman. 1981
Foundations of Statistical Mechanics: A Deductive Treatment
By Oliver Penrose. 2005
This volume demonstrates the manner in which statistical mechanics can be built up deductively from a small number of well-defined…
physical assumptions. A solid basis for the deductive structure is provided by embodying these assumptions in a system of five postulates that describe an idealized model of real physical systems. These postulates play a theoretical role similar to that of the first and second laws in thermodynamics.The first chapter concerns the primary physical assumptions and their idealization in the form of postulates. The following three chapters examine the consequences of these postulates, culminating in the derivation of the fundamental formulas for calculating probabilities in terms of dynamical quantities. Two concluding chapters are devoted to an analysis of the notion of entropy, illustrating its links between statistical mechanics and thermodynamics and between statistical mechanics and communication theory. Because this book deals mostly with general principles, its only detailed considerations of physical applications are in terms of the system with the simplest possible dynamics: the ideal classical gas, which is discussed both in its equilibrium and its nonequilibrium aspects.Intended for readers with a knowledge of physics at the advanced undergraduate and graduate levels, this volume considers topics of interest not only to physicists, but also to statisticians, communication theorists, chemists, and mathematicians.Nonlinear Adiabatic Evolution of Quantum Systems: Geometric Phase and Virtual Magnetic Monopole
By Jie Liu, Sheng-Chang Li, Li-Bin Fu, Di-Fa Ye. 2018
This book systematically introduces the nonlinear adiabatic evolution theory of quantum many-body systems. The nonlinearity stems from a mean-field treatment…
of the interactions between particles, and the adiabatic dynamics of the system can be accurately described by the nonlinear Schrödinger equation. The key points in this book include the adiabatic condition and adiabatic invariant for nonlinear system; the adiabatic nonlinear Berry phase; and the exotic virtual magnetic field, which gives the geometric meaning of the nonlinear Berry phase. From the quantum-classical correspondence, the linear and nonlinear comparison, and the single particle and interacting many-body difference perspectives, it shows a distinct picture of adiabatic evolution theory. It also demonstrates the applications of the nonlinear adiabatic evolution theory for various physical systems. Using simple models it illustrates the basic points of the theory, which are further employed for the solution of complex problems of quantum theory for many-particle systems. The results obtained are supplemented by numerical calculations, presented as tables and figures.Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics
By P. Mazur, S. R. Groot. 1984
The study of thermodynamics is especially timely today, as its concepts are being applied to problems in biology, biochemistry, electrochemistry,…
and engineering. This book treats irreversible processes and phenomena -- non-equilibrium thermodynamics.S. R. de Groot and P. Mazur, Professors of Theoretical Physics, present a comprehensive and insightful survey of the foundations of the field, providing the only complete discussion of the fluctuating linear theory of irreversible thermodynamics. The application covers a wide range of topics: the theory of diffusion and heat conduction, fluid dynamics, relaxation phenomena, acoustical relaxation, and the behavior of systems in an electromagnetic field.The statistical foundations of non-equilibrium thermodynamics are treated in detail, and there are special sections on fluctuation theory, the theory of stochastic processes, the kinetic theory of gases, and the derivation of the Onsager reciprocal relations. The implications of causality conditions and of dispersion relations are analyzed in depth.Advanced students will find a great number of challenging problems, with hints for their solutions. Chemists will be especially interested in the applications to electrochemistry and the theory of chemical reactions. Physicists, teachers, scholars, biologists, and anyone interested in the principle and modern applications of non-equilibrium thermodynamics will find this classic monograph an invaluable reference.Foundations of Laser Spectroscopy
By Stig Stenholm. 2005
One of the first texts to offer a simple presentation of the theoretical foundations of steady-state laser spectroscopy, this volume…
is geared toward beginning theorists and experimentalists. It assists students in applying theoretical ideas to actual calculations in laser spectroscopy with a systematic series of examples and exercises. Starting at an elementary level, students gradually build up their practical skills with demonstrations of how simplified theoretical models relate to experimentally observable quantities. Detailed derivations offer students the opportunity to work out all results for themselves.The first chapter introduces background material on electrodynamics and quantum mechanics, with an emphasis on the density matrix, its equation of motion, and its interpretation. Chapter 2 derives the response of the medium to strong fields. After mastering these two parts, students can proceed to later chapters in any order they wish. Succeeding chapters cover the physical basis of laser operation, applications central to laser spectroscopy, the inclusion of laser fluctuations into the theory, and field quantization. Numerous references, which appear in separate sections, form a concise history of the field and its most noteworthy developments.Mathematical Methods for Physicists and Engineers: Second Corrected Edition
By Royal Eugene Collins. 1999
This practical, highly readable text provides physics and engineering students with the essential mathematical tools for thorough comprehension of their…
disciplines. Featuring all the necessary topics in applied mathematics in the form of programmed instruction, the text can be understood by advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students without any assistance from the instructor. Topics include elementary vector calculus, matrix algebra, and linear vector operations; the many and varied methods of solving linear boundary value problems, including the more common special functions of mathematical physics; the calculus of variations, and variational and perturbation approximations applicable to boundary value problems and nonlinear differential equations; curve fitting and numerical approximation methods; the basic elements of probability and their application to physical problems; and integral equations. Rather than aiming at a complete mastery of these complicated subjects, the text focuses on the fundamental applied mathematics the student needs to deal with physics and engineering problems. Instructors in those subjects will particularly appreciate this volume's function as a self-contained study resource, allowing them to devote fewer classroom hours to formal lectures in mathematics.Lasers and Holography
By Winston E. Kock. 1969
As the words holo (complete) and gram (message) connote, the hologram captures the entire message of a scene in all…
its visual properties, including the realism of three dimensions. It involves the simple process of photographically recording the pattern formed by two interfering sets of light waves, one of these sets being a reference wave. With the introduction of lasers to holography in 1963, real advances in the development of holography began to take place.Dr. Kock's lucid introduction to lasers and holography has now been revised and updated for a second edition. It begins with a clear discussion of wave patterns and coherence. Then the development of lasers is summarized, along with the phenomenon of wave diffraction. Finally, the important subjects of zone plates and the properties of holograms are skillfully described. A new, concluding chapter brings the story up to the present, with a survey of recent advances in such areas as viewing holograms, hologram computer memories, liquid surface holography, synthetic-aperture radar and sonar, large new lasers, fiber optics, etc. Using language that can be readily understood by high school and junior high school students, Dr. Kock has written a brief, yet authoritative volume that should satisfy anyone's curiosity about this burgeoning field. The remarkable discoveries that have already occurred are only a prelude to an even more remarkable future. 84 illustrations, including 8 new to this edition. New preface. Suggested (1981) additional reading. Index.Principles of Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
By D. F. Lawden. 1987
A thorough exploration of the universal principles of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics, this volume explains the applications of these essential…
rules to a multitude of situations arising in physics and engineering. It develops their use in a variety of circumstances--including those involving gases, crystals, and magnets--in order to illustrate general methods of analysis and to provide readers with all the necessary background to continue in greater depth with specific topics.Author D. F. Lawden has considerable experience in teaching this subject to university students of varied abilities and backgrounds. Well acquainted with which concepts and arguments sometimes prove problematic, he presents the potentially difficult sections with particular care. Students can supplement their understanding by working through the numerous exercises which appear throughout the text. Mathematical physicists will find this volume of particular value, as will engineers requiring a basic but comprehensive introduction to the principles of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics.Electromagnetism
By John C. Slater, Nathaniel H. Frank. 1947
Clearly developed from first principles, this introductory study supplies basic material on electrostatics and magnetostatics, then concentrates on electromagnetic theory…
-- the authors are both leading men in the field. The book ranges freely over many areas of electromagnetic theory with some concern for electrical engineering. It covers the field theory of electromagnetism, electrostatics and the equations and theorems of Gauss, Poisson, Laplace and Green, solutions of Laplace's equation, dielectrics, magnetic fields of linear and circular currents, electromagnetic induction and Maxwell's equations, electromagnetic waves, electron theory, wave guides and cavity resonators, spherical electromagnetic waves, Huygen's principle and Green's theorem, and Fresnel and Fraunhofer diffraction. Practice problems are supplied at chapter ends.Physicists and engineers will find this presentation particularly useful; but mathematicians have also used the book not only as an introduction to electromagnetism, but also as a means to an increased knowledge of the aims and tools of theoretical physics. The only background required to follow the development is a knowledge of the calculus and differential equations. More advanced mathematics is developed in appendixes.Philosophic Foundations of Quantum Mechanics
By Hans Reichenbach. 1944
Physics concerns direct analysis of the physical world, while philosophy analyzes knowledge about the physical world. This volume combines both…
disciplines for a philosophical interpretation of quantum physics -- an interpretation free from the imprecision of metaphysics, offering a view of the atomic world and its quantum mechanical results as concrete as the visible everyday world.Written by an internationally renowned philosopher who specialized in symbolic logic and the theory of relativity, this approach consists of three parts. The first section, which requires no background in math or physics, reviews the basics of quantum mechanics, outlining their philosophical interpretation and summarizing their results. The second part, which presupposes a knowledge of calculus, outlines the mathematical methods of quantum mechanics; and the third part blends the philosophical ideas of the first part and the mathematical formulations of the second part to develop a variety of interpretations of quantum mechanics. The author presents in-depth discussions of each interpretation, constructing a conclusion in terms of three-valued logic that offers readers a satisfactory logical form of quantum mechanics.Focusing on clarification of concepts rather than developing problem-solving skills, this volume will prove enlightening to students of mathematics, physics, and the other sciences.The Lightning Discharge
By Martin A. Uman. 2001
In this readable, absorbing, up-to-date monograph, one of the nation's foremost experts on lightning sets forth most of what has…
been learned about the subject. To make the material more easily understandable, the author has organized the chapters primarily by lightning process. Following a general introduction and chapters on lightning phenomenology and cloud and lightning charges, he looks into the types and stages of lightning, with chapters on the stepped leader, the attachment process, the return stroke, the dart leader, continuing current, J- and K-processes in discharges to the ground, positive lightning, upward lightning and the artificial initiation of lightning, and cloud discharges. In the final two chapters, Dr. Uman investigates lightning on other planets and examines the phenomenon of thunder.Each chapter contains a reference list, and the book as a whole is augmented with a generous selection of diagrams, charts, and photographs. Appendices on electromagnetics, statistics, and experimental techniques help to clarify some of the concepts covered in the text. A fourth appendix lists relevant books. Of special interest to physicists, meteorologists, and electrical engineers, the newly corrected edition of this detailed study offers a deep understanding of one of nature's most intriguing phenomena. 144 illustrations. Appendices. Index.Variational Principles in Dynamics and Quantum Theory
By Wolfgang Yourgrau, Stanley Mandelstam. 1968
Concentrating upon applications that are most relevant to modern physics, this valuable book surveys variational principles and examines their relationship…
to dynamics and quantum theory. Stressing the history and theory of these mathematical concepts rather than the mechanics, the authors provide many insights into the development of quantum mechanics and present much hard-to-find material in a remarkably lucid, compact form.After summarizing the historical background from Pythagoras to Francis Bacon, Professors Yourgrau and Mandelstram cover Fermat's principle of least time, the principle of least action of Maupertuis, development of this principle by Euler and Lagrange, and the equations of Lagrange and Hamilton. Equipped by this thorough preparation to treat variational principles in general, they proceed to derive Hamilton's principle, the Hamilton-Jacobi equation, and Hamilton's canonical equations.An investigation of electrodynamics in Hamiltonian form covers next, followed by a resume of variational principles in classical dynamics. The authors then launch into an analysis of their most significant topics: the relation between variational principles and wave mechanics, and the principles of Feynman and Schwinger in quantum mechanics. Two concluding chapters extend the discussion to hydrodynamics and natural philosophy.Professional physicists, mathematicians, and advanced students with a strong mathematical background will find this stimulating volume invaluable reading. Extremely popular in its hardcover edition, this volume will find even wider appreciation in its first fine inexpensive paperbound edition.Electromagnetic Fields and Waves
By Vladimir Rojansky. 1971
Intended for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, this well-known and popular textbook provides an introduction to the physical principles, mathematical…
apparatus, and typical applications of classical electromagnetic theory. Beginning with the notion of scalar fields, Professor Rojansky leads the student through vectors and vector fields, the laws of Ohm, Joule, Coulomb, and Faraday, static electricity, and continues all the way to Maxwell's equations for bodies at rest, and to examples of electromagnetic waves. A particularly useful feature of the book is the author's introduction and explanation of the necessary mathematics as he goes along, rather than presuming student understanding. Although an extensive background is not necessary, a general knowledge of physics and calculus is a prerequisite. Throughout the book, the development of each topic is explicit and unhurried, an approach intended to avoid basic misconceptions that lead to major misunderstandings later on. Short exercises help the student test his grasp of the material, and the text is studded with diagrams and illustrations that supplement the content and elucidate many hard-to-visualize concepts. The book ends at a point where the use of Maxwell's equations in several important problems has been illustrated, and students are prepared to proceed to a variety of further topics. Professor Rojansky brings many years of experience both as a teacher and a scientist (including ten years of advanced research at TRW Space Technologies Laboratories) to this lucid discussion of the fundamentals of electromagnetic fields and waves. His extensive pedagogical background enables him to communicate difficult concepts with great clarity.The Theory of Sound, Volume One
By J. W. Rayleigh. 1945
The Nobel Laureate's classic sums up all research in the field prior to 1877, then presents Rayleigh's own original contributions.Volume…
One covers harmonic vibrations, systems with one degree of freedom, vibrating systems in general, transverse vibrations of strings, longitudinal and torsional vibrations of bars, vibrations of membranes and plates, curved shells and plates, and electrical vibrations.Theory of Electromagnetic Wave Propagation
By Charles Herach Papas. 1988
While there are so many books on general electromagnetic theory for graduate-level students, there are significantly fewer that concentrate on…
the radiation aspects as does this well-known work. Interfacing physics and electrical engineering, Dr. Papas's clearly written text discusses highly important topics in the theory of electromagnetic wave propagation and antennas in a way that reveals the inherent simplicity of the basic ideas and their logical development from the Maxwell field equation.Chapter 1: Maxwell's field equations and those parts of electromagnetic field theory necessary for understanding the remainder of the book.Chapter 2: How the dyadic Green's function can be used to compute radiation from monochromatic sources.Chapter 3: Problems of radiation emitted by wire antennas and antenna arrays from the viewpoint of analysis and synthesis.Chapter 4: Two methods of expanding a radiation field in multiples -- one based on the Taylor expansion of the Helmholtz integrals and the other, on all expansion in spherical waves.Chapter 5: Wave aspects of radio-astronomical antenna theory.Chapter 6: Theory of electromagnetic wave propagation in a plasma medium describing the behavior of an antenna immersed in such a medium.Chapter 7: Covariance of Maxwell's equations in material media and its application to phenomena such as the Doppler effect.By unifying various topics under the single mantle of electromagnetic theory, Professor Papas has made the contents of this book easy to learn and convenient to teach. In addition, the book assembles much data previously available only in scattered research literature. The result is a superb graduate-level text that can also lend itself to self-instruction by researchers.Elementary Wave Optics
By Robert H. Webb. 1997
This undergraduate textbook presents thorough coverage of the standard topics of classical optics and optical instrument design; it also offers…
significant details regarding the concepts of modern optics. Its survey of the mathematical tools of optics grants students insights into the physical principles of quantum mechanics.Two principal concepts occur throughout: a treatment of scattering from real scatterers (leading to Huygens' principles, diffraction theory, the index of refraction, and related topics); and the difference between coherent and noncoherent wave phenomena. Examinations of superimposition of field amplitudes and detection of intensities recur throughout the book.This highly physical approach is augmented by extensive appendixes of mathematical details. Two sets of problems appear at the end of each chapter and form a crucial part of the exposition. One set consists of well-tested problems with detailed solutions, paired with similar problems without supplied solutions. The other set contains short, easier exercises, filling the more conventional role of end-of-chapter problems.Strain Gradient Plasticity-Based Modeling of Damage and Fracture
By Emilio Martínez Pañeda. 2018
This book provides a comprehensive introduction to numerical modeling of size effects in metal plasticity. The main classes of strain…
gradient plasticity formulations are described and efficiently implemented in the context of the finite element method. A robust numerical framework is presented and employed to investigate the role of strain gradients on structural integrity assessment. The results obtained reveal the need of incorporating the influence on geometrically necessary dislocations in the modeling of various damage mechanisms. Large gradients of plastic strain increase dislocation density, promoting strain hardening and elevating crack tip stresses. This stress elevation is quantified under both infinitesimal and finite deformation theories, rationalizing the experimental observation of cleavage fracture in the presence of significant plastic flow. Gradient-enhanced modeling of crack growth resistance, hydrogen diffusion and environmentally assisted cracking highlighted the relevance of an appropriate characterization of the mechanical response at the small scales involved in crack tip deformation. Particularly promising predictions are attained in the field of hydrogen embrittlement. The research has been conducted at the Universities of Cambridge, Oviedo, Luxembourg, and the Technical University of Denmark, in a collaborative effort to understand, model and optimize the mechanical response of engineering materials.