Best of
Physics

1978

Advanced Mathematical Methods for Scientists and Engineers I: Asymptotic Methods and Perturbation Theory


Carl M. Bender - 1978
    Our objective is to help young and also establiShed scientists and engineers to build the skills necessary to analyze equations that they encounter in their work. Our presentation is aimed at developing the insights and techniques that are most useful for attacking new problems. We do not emphasize special methods and tricks which work only for the classical transcendental functions; we do not dwell on equations whose exact solutions are known. The mathematical methods discussed in this book are known collectively as- asymptotic and perturbative analysis. These are the most useful and powerful methods for finding approximate solutions to equations, but they are difficult to justify rigorously. Thus, we concentrate on the most fruitful aspect of applied analysis; namely, obtaining the answer. We stress care but not rigor. To explain our approach, we compare our goals with those of a freshman calculus course. A beginning calculus course is considered successful if the students have learned how to solve problems using calculus.

Black-Body Theory and the Quantum Discontinuity, 1894-1912


Thomas S. Kuhn - 1978
    . . . The book not only deals with a topic of importance and interest to all scientists, but is also a polished literary work, described (accurately) by one of its original reviewers as a scientific detective story."—John Gribbin, New Scientist"Every scientist should have this book."—Paul Davies, New Scientist

Collected Papers on Wave Mechanics


Erwin Schrödinger - 1978
    This third, augmented edition of his papers on the topic contains the six original, famous papers in which Schrodinger created and developed the subject of wave mechanics as published in the original edition.

Foundations of Mechanics


Ralph H. Abraham - 1978
    This is a reference on symplectic geometry, analytical mechanics and symplectic methods in mathematical physics.

Physical Processes in the Interstellar Medium


Lyman S. Spitzer Jr. - 1978
    Summarizes the present state of knowledge about the interstellar medium and provides the latest observational data. Physics and chemistry of the interstellar medium are treated, with frequent references to observational results. The overall equilibrium and dynamical state of the interstellar gas are described, with discussions of explosions produced by star birth and star death and the initial phases of cloud collapse leading to star formation.

The Ideas of Physics


Douglas C. Giancoli - 1978
    Introduces fundamental concepts of physics through observation, everyday experiences, and suggested experiments.

Differential Geometry, Gauge Theories and Gravity


Meinulf Göckeler - 1978
    The authors begin with an elementary presentation of differential forms. This formalism is then used to discuss physical examples, followed by a generalization of the mathematics and physics presented to manifolds. The book emphasizes the applications of differential geometry concerned with gauge theories in particle physics and general relativity. Topics discussed include Yang-Mills theories, gravity, fiber bundles, monopoles, instantons, spinors, and anomalies.

The Key to the Universe: A Report on the New Physics


Nigel Calder - 1978
    

Modern Molecular Photochemistry


Nicholas J. Turro - 1978
    In Modern Molecular Photochemistry, the author brings students up to date with the advances in this field - the development of the theory of photoreactions, the utilization of photoreactions in synthetic sequences, and the advancement of powerful laser techniques to study the mechanisms of photoreactions.