{"product_id":"a-course-in-theoretical-physics-9781118481349","title":"A Course in Theoretical Physics","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis book is a comprehensive account of five extended modules covering the key branches of twentieth-century theoretical physics, taught by the author over a period of three decades to students on bachelor and master university degree courses in both physics and theoretical physics.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e“The book is self-contained, and should be comprehensible to anyone who completed high-school mathematics.”  (\u003ci\u003eBook News\u003c\/i\u003e, 1 June 2013)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eNotation xiii\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePreface xv\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eI NONRELATIVISTIC QUANTUM MECHANICS 1\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e1 Basic Concepts of Quantum Mechanics 3\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.1 Probability interpretation of the wave function 3\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.2 States of definite energy and states of definite momentum 4\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.3 Observables and operators 5\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.4 Examples of operators 5\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.5 The time-dependent Schr¨odinger equation 6\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.6 Stationary states and the time-independent Schr¨odinger equation 7\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.7 Eigenvalue spectra and the results of measurements 8\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.8 Hermitian operators 8\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.9 Expectation values of observables 10\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.10 Commuting observables and simultaneous observability 10\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.11 Noncommuting observables and the uncertainty principle 11\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.12 Time dependence of expectation values 12\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.13 The probability-current density 12\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.14 The general form of wave functions 12\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.15 Angular momentum 15\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.16 Particle in a three-dimensional spherically symmetric potential 17\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.17 The hydrogen-like atom 18\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e2 Representation Theory 23\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.1 Dirac representation of quantum mechanical states 23\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.2 Completeness and closure 27\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.3 Changes of representation 28\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.4 Representation of operators 29\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.5 Hermitian operators 31\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.6 Products of operators 31\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.7 Formal theory of angular momentum 32\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e3 Approximation Methods 39\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.1 Time-independent perturbation theory for nondegenerate states 39\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.2 Time-independent perturbation theory for degenerate states 44\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.3 The variational method 50\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.4 Time-dependent perturbation theory 54\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4 Scattering Theory 63\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.1 Evolution operators and Møller operators 63\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.2 The scattering operator and scattering matrix 66\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.3 The Green operator and T operator 70\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.4 The stationary scattering states 76\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.5 The optical theorem 83\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.6 The Born series and Born approximation 85\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.7 Spherically symmetric potentials and the method of partial waves 87\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.8 The partial-wave scattering states 92\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eII THERMAL AND STATISTICAL PHYSICS 97\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5 Fundamentals of Thermodynamics 99\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.1 The nature of thermodynamics 99\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.2 Walls and constraints 99\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.3 Energy 100\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.4 Microstates 100\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.5 Thermodynamic observables and thermal fluctuations 100\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.6 Thermodynamic degrees of freedom 102\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.7 Thermal contact and thermal equilibrium 103\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.8 The zeroth law of thermodynamics 104\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.9 Temperature 104\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.10 The International Practical Temperature Scale 107\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.11 Equations of state 107\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.12 Isotherms 108\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.13 Processes 109\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.13.1 Nondissipative work 109\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.13.2 Dissipative work 111\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.13.3 Heat flow 112\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.14 Internal energy and heat 112\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.14.1 Joule’s experiments and internal energy 112\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.14.2 Heat 113\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.15 Partial derivatives 115\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.16 Heat capacity and specific heat 116\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.16.1 Constant-volume heat capacity 117\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.16.2 Constant-pressure heat capacity 117\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.17 Applications of the first law to ideal gases 118\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.18 Difference of constant-pressure and constant-volume heat capacities 119\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.19 Nondissipative-compression\/expansion adiabat of an ideal gas 120\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e6 Quantum States and Temperature 125\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.1 Quantum states 125\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.2 Effects of interactions 128\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.3 Statistical meaning of temperature 130\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.4 The Boltzmann distribution 134\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e7 Microstate Probabilities and Entropy 141\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.1 Definition of general entropy 141\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.2 Law of increase of entropy 142\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.3 Equilibrium entropy S 144\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.4 Additivity of the entropy 146\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.5 Statistical–mechanical description of the three types of energy transfer 147\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e8 The Ideal Monatomic Gas 151\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.1 Quantum states of a particle in a three-dimensional box 151\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.2 The velocity-component distribution and internal energy 153\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.3 The speed distribution 156\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.4 The equation of state 158\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.5 Mean free path and thermal conductivity 160\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e9 Applications of Classical Thermodynamics 163\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e9.1 Entropy statement of the second law of thermodynamics 163\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e9.2 Temperature statement of the second law of thermodynamics 164\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e9.3 Summary of the basic relations 166\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e9.4 Heat engines and the heat-engine statement of the second law of thermodynamics 167\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e9.5 Refrigerators and heat pumps 169\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e9.6 Example of a Carnot cycle 170\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e9.7 The third law of thermodynamics 172\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e9.8 Entropy-change calculations 174\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e10 Thermodynamic Potentials and Derivatives 177\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e10.1 Thermodynamic potentials 177\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e10.2 The Maxwell relations 179\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e10.3 Calculation of thermodynamic derivatives 180\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e11 Matter Transfer and Phase Diagrams 183\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e11.1 The chemical potential 183\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e11.2 Direction of matter flow 184\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e11.3 Isotherms and phase diagrams 184\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e11.4 The Euler relation 187\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e11.5 The Gibbs–Duhem relation 188\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e11.6 Slopes of coexistence lines in phase diagrams 188\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e12 Fermi–Dirac and Bose–Einstein Statistics 191\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e12.1 The Gibbs grand canonical probability distribution 191\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e12.2 Systems of noninteracting particles 193\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e12.3 Indistinguishability of identical particles 194\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e12.4 The Fermi–Dirac and Bose–Einstein distributions 195\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e12.5 The entropies of noninteracting fermions and bosons 197\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eIII MANY-BODY THEORY 199\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e13 Quantum Mechanics and Low-Temperature Thermodynamics of Many-Particle Systems 201\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e13.1 Introduction 201\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e13.2 Systems of noninteracting particles 201\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e13.2.1 Bose systems 202\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e13.2.2 Fermi systems 204\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e13.3 Systems of interacting particles 209\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e13.4 Systems of interacting fermions (the Fermi liquid) 211\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e13.5 The Landau theory of the normal Fermi liquid 214\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e13.6 Collective excitations of a Fermi liquid 221\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e13.6.1 Zero sound in a neutral Fermi gas with repulsive interactions 221\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e13.6.2 Plasma oscillations in a charged Fermi liquid 221\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e13.7 Phonons and other excitations 223\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e13.7.1 Phonons in crystals 223\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e13.7.2 Phonons in liquid helium-4 232\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e13.7.3 Magnons in solids 233\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e13.7.4 Polarons and excitons 233\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e14 Second Quantization 235\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e14.1 The occupation-number representation 235\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e14.2 Particle-field operators 246\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e15 Gas of Interacting Electrons 251\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e15.1 Hamiltonian of an electron gas 251\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e16 Superconductivity 261\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e16.1 Superconductors 261\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e16.2 The theory of Bardeen, Cooper and Schrieffer 262\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e16.2.1 Cooper pairs 267\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e16.2.2 Calculation of the ground-state energy 269\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e16.2.3 First excited states 277\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e16.2.4 Thermodynamics of superconductors 280\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eIV CLASSICAL FIELD THEORY AND RELATIVITY 287\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e17 The Classical Theory of Fields 289\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.1 Mathematical preliminaries 289\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.1.1 Behavior of fields under coordinate transformations 289\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.1.2 Properties of the rotation matrix 293\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.1.3 Proof that a “dot product” is a scalar 295\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.1.4 A lemma on determinants 297\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.1.5 Proof that the “cross product” of two vectors is a “pseudovector” 298\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.1.6 Useful index relations 299\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.1.7 Use of index relations to prove vector identities 300\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.1.8 General definition of tensors of arbitrary rank 301\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.2 Introduction to Einsteinian relativity 302\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.2.1 Intervals 302\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.2.2 Timelike and spacelike intervals 304\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.2.3 The light cone 304\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.2.4 Variational principle for free motion 305\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.2.5 The Lorentz transformation 305\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.2.6 Length contraction and time dilation 307\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.2.7 Transformation of velocities 308\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.2.8 Four-tensors 308\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.2.9 Integration in four-space 314\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.2.10 Integral theorems 316\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.2.11 Four-velocity and four-acceleration 317\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.3 Principle of least action 318\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.3.1 Free particle 318\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.3.2 Three-space formulation 318\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.3.3 Momentum and energy of a free particle 319\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.3.4 Four-space formulation 321\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.4 Motion of a particle in a given electromagnetic field 325\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.4.1 Equations of motion of a charge in an electromagnetic field 326\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.4.2 Gauge invariance 328\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.4.3 Four-space derivation of the equations of motion 329\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.4.4 Lorentz transformation of the electromagnetic field 332\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.4.5 Lorentz invariants constructed from the electromagnetic field 334\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.4.6 The first pair of Maxwell equations 335\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.5 Dynamics of the electromagnetic field 337\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.5.1 The four-current and the second pair of Maxwell equations 338\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.5.2 Energy density and energy flux density of the electromagnetic field 342\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.6 The energy–momentum tensor 345\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.6.1 Energy–momentum tensor of the electromagnetic field 350\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.6.2 Energy–momentum tensor of particles 353\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.6.3 Energy–momentum tensor of continuous media 355\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e18 General Relativity 361\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.1 Introduction 361\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.2 Space–time metrics 362\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.3 Curvilinear coordinates 364\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.4 Products of tensors 365\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.5 Contraction of tensors 366\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.6 The unit tensor 366\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.7 Line element 366\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.8 Tensor inverses 366\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.9 Raising and lowering of indices 367\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.10 Integration in curved space–time 367\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.11 Covariant differentiation 369\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.12 Parallel transport of vectors 370\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.13 Curvature 374\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.14 The Einstein field equations 376\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.15 Equation of motion of a particle in a gravitational field 381\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.16 Newton’s law of gravity 383\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eV RELATIVISTIC QUANTUM MECHANICS AND GAUGE THEORIES 385\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e19 Relativistic Quantum Mechanics 387\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e19.1 The Dirac equation 387\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e19.2 Lorentz and rotational covariance of the Dirac equation 391\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e19.3 The current four-vector 398\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e19.4 Compact form of the Dirac equation 400\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e19.5 Dirac wave function of a free particle 401\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e19.6 Motion of an electron in an electromagnetic field 405\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e19.7 Behavior of spinors under spatial inversion 408\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e19.8 Unitarity properties of the spinor-transformation matrices 409\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e19.9 Proof that the four-current is a four-vector 411\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e19.10 Interpretation of the negative-energy states 412\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e19.11 Charge conjugation 413\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e19.12 Time reversal 414\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e19.13 PCT symmetry 417\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e19.14 Models of the weak interaction 422\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e20 Gauge Theories of Quark and Lepton Interactions 427\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e20.1 Global phase invariance 427\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e20.2 Local phase invariance? 427\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e20.3 Other global phase invariances 429\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e20.4 SU(2) local phase invariance (a non-abelian gauge theory) 433\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e20.5 The “gauging” of color SU(3) (quantum chromodynamics) 436\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e20.6 The weak interaction 436\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e20.7 The Higgs mechanism 439\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e20.8 The fermion masses 448\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAppendices 451\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA.1 Proof that the scattering states |φ+ ≡ Ω+|φ exist for all states |φ in the Hilbert space H 451\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA.2 The scattering matrix in momentum space 452\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA.3 Calculation of the free Green function r|G0(z)|r 454\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSupplementary Reading 457\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIndex 459\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"John Wiley \u0026 Sons Inc","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49406877499735,"sku":"9781118481349","price":125.35,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781118481349.jpg?v=1730497420","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/a-course-in-theoretical-physics-9781118481349","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}