Description
Book SynopsisComprehensive, up-to-date textbook, integrating recent experimental results, including discovery of the Higgs boson, to convey the excitement of the field to undergraduate and graduate students. Physical theory is made accessible with coverage of underlying principles, full mathematical derivations, worked examples of experimental applications, and end-of-chapter problems.
Trade Review'This advanced undergraduate textbook provides an excellent introduction to one of the most exciting areas of modern physics. It combines a pedagogical 'from first principles' approach with a comprehensive survey of the latest developments in particle physics, including the recent discovery of the Higgs boson. Thoroughly recommended for both students and teachers alike.' James Stirling, Imperial College London
'Professor Thomson has written a great textbook on modern particle physics (including a masterful exposition of the discovery of the Higgs boson) that provides a professional introduction to the field, suitable for upper-division undergraduate as well as graduate courses. His distinctive presentation style combines clarity with [an] admirable level of rigor. The book is richly illustrated with helpful diagrams and tables, and is destined to be a favorite of both students and instructors alike.' Dmitry Budker, University of California, Berkeley
'Mark Thomson has written a wonderful new introductory textbook on particle physics … [it] is well written … easy to read, with clear pedagogical lines of reasoning, and the layout is pleasing … as I am teaching an introduction to theory this autumn, I will definitely be using this book.' CERN Courier
'… gem of a book … excellent and highly readable … well structured with useful chapter summaries and many good student exercises with on-line solutions. It is thoroughly recommended.' The Observatory
'… this book has my highest recommendation. In its effective, clear and comprehensive treatment of so much detailed material, it represents a remarkable achievement on the part of its author, and is likely to become a standard work to put into the hands of new graduate students in particle physics. Their supervisors will do well to buy it too!' Peter J. Bussey, Contemporary Physics
Table of Contents1. Introduction; 2. Underlying concepts; 3. Decay rates and cross sections; 4. The Dirac equation; 5. Interaction by particle exchange; 6. Electron-positron annihilation; 7. Electron-proton elastic scattering; 8. Deep inelastic scattering; 9. Symmetries and the quark model; 10. Quantum chromodynamics; 11. The weak interaction; 12. The weak interactions of leptons; 13. Neutrinos and neutrino oscillations; 14. CP violation and weak hadronic interactions; 15. Electroweak unification; 16. Tests of the Standard Model; 17. The Higgs boson; 18. The Standard Model and beyond; Appendixes; References; Further reading; Index.
