Search results for ""university science books""

This remarkable text by John R. Taylor has been a non-stop best-selling international hit since it was first published forty years ago. However, the two-plus decades since the second edition was released have seen two dramatic developments; the huge rise in popularity of Bayesian statistics, and the continued increase in the power and availability of computers and calculators. In response to the former, Taylor has added a full chapter dedicated to Bayesian thinking, introducing conditional probabilities and Bayes’ theorem. The several examples presented in the new third edition are intentionally very simple, designed to give readers a clear understanding of what Bayesian statistics is all about as their first step on a journey to become practicing Bayesians. In response to the second development, Taylor has added a number of chapter-ending problems that will encourage readers to learn how to solve problems using computers. While many of these can be solved using programs such as Matlab or Mathematica, almost all of them are stated to apply to commonly available spreadsheet programs like Microsoft Excel. These programs provide a convenient way to record and process data and to calculate quantities like standard deviations, correlation coefficients, and normal distributions; they also have the wonderful ability – if students construct their own spreadsheets and avoid the temptation to use built-in functions – to teach the meaning of these concepts.

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As the first modern physical chemistry textbook to cover quantum mechanics before thermodynamics and kinetics, this book provides a contemporary approach to the study of physical chemistry. By beginning with quantum chemistry, students will learn the fundamental principles upon which all modern physical chemistry is built. The text includes a special set of "MathChapters" to review and summarize the mathematical tools required to master the material Thermodynamics is simultaneously taught from a bulk and microscopic viewpoint that enables the student to understand how bulk properties of materials are related to the properties of individual constituent molecules. This new text includes a variety of modern research topics in physical chemistry as well as hundreds of worked problems and examples.

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Using an innovative approach that students find both accessible and exciting, A Modern Approach to Quantum Mechanics, Second Edition lays out the foundations of quantum mechanics through the physics of intrinsic spin. Written to serve as the primary textbook for an upper-division course in quantum mechanics, Townsend's text gives professors and students a refreshing alternative to the old style of teaching, by allowing the basic physics of spin systems to drive the introduction of concepts such as Dirac notation, operators, eigenstates and eigenvalues, time evolution in quantum mechanics, and entanglement. Chapters 6 through 10 cover the more traditional subjects in wave mechanics – the Schrödinger equation in position space, the harmonic oscillator, orbital angular momentum, and central potentials – but they are motivated by the foundations developed in the earlier chapters. Students using this text will perceive wave mechanics as an important aspect of quantum mechanics, but not necessarily the core of the subject. Subsequent chapters are devoted to perturbation theory, identical particles, scattering, and the interaction of atoms with radiation, and an optional chapter on path integrals is also included. This new edition has been revised throughout to include many more worked examples and end-of-chapter problems, further enabling students to gain a complete mastery of quantum mechanics. It also includes new sections on quantum teleportation, the density operator, coherent states, and cavity quantum electrodynamics.

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This brilliant new text by John Straub (Boston University) is designed to bridge the “mathematics knowledge gap” between what is commonly known by students after completing a year of introductory calculus, and what is required for success in the physical sciences and in physical chemistry courses. Key concepts from the introductory calculus sequence are reviewed and carefully selected topics in multivariate calculus, probability and statistics, ordinary differential equations, and linear algebra are explored. Additional chapters cover advanced topics, including partial differential equations, Fourier analysis, and group theory. Engaging narratives, fully worked examples, hundreds of colourful visualizations, and ample end-of-chapter problems with complete answers combine to make this stunning new text an excellent choice for a one-semester course on mathematical methods, as a supplement for courses in physical chemistry, or as a self-study guide. Ancillaries for adopting faculty include in-class worksheets, sample exams, and an answer manual. Key features: Abundant end-of-chapter exercises, including three difficulty levels, with answers at the back of the book Ample worked examples throughout, with clearly explained steps to guide problem solving Reviews of all basic introductory calculus concepts before the introduction of new topics Over 400 original color figures to help visualize problem solving and interpretation of results Margin notes offering historical context and additional mathematical details Key ancillaries including in-class worksheets, sample exams, and an answer guide for adopting instructors

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This sleek and affordable stand-alone “problems” book serves up a broad array of quantitative problems addressing real-world issues in an approachable fashion. Requiring only algebra and a basic understanding of general chemistry, SOLVE is designed for use in traditional Environmental Science courses, as well as in student-centered guided problem-solving courses. Worked problems are followed by practice problems, with brief answers that allow students to check their work. With this text, your students will use their reasoning ability to tackle and solve problems ranging from global warming to GMOs. Endorsements: “Numbers matter. Incorrect ones cause damage, while realistic ones open doorways to finding solutions to many of the problems that afflict humanity. This environmental problem-solving text will help your students be better equipped to recognize and shun misleading numbers and to calculate better ones.” – John Harte, UC Berkeley

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"This gem of a book provides the student with a clear, concise, and compelling introduction to the deceptively simple but vitally important topic of thermodynamics. It involves the relationships between heat, work, temperature, energy, and states of matter, and touches virtually every field of science." Richard N. Zare, Stanford University "This book introduces students to the Boltzmann factor in an exceptionally clear and concise way. This is a key topic for students studying any branch of modern science. Most importantly, this text adds significantly to our understanding of both the simplicity and the importance of the Boltzmann factor." Graham Hutchings, FRS, Cardiff University This vibrant book takes the reader on an exciting journey through much of physical sciences by explaining the wide ranging influence of a single equation, the Boltzmann factor. This simple relation provides the key to understanding a remarkable variety of phenomena ranging from, for example, the behavior of atmospheric pressure at altitude, the appearance of molecular spectra and the factors that determine chemical equilibrium. Compact and clearly written book, this book, which requires no advanced mathematical skills, will enrich and deepen students' understanding of the molecular sciences. The insight it provides will enable them to appreciate the elegant unity that underlies the subject.

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This textbook is a general introduction to chemical thermodynamics.

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Offering a distinct emphasis on the behavior of matter from the molecular viewpoint, this book is designed for a one-semester undergraduate course on physical chemistry for engineers and materials scientists. After a brief introductory review of the basic thermodynamic foundations, the book covers three core areas of physical chemistry – quantum chemistry, statistical mechanics, and kinetics. A final chapter provides case histories that use molecular modeling to solve engineering problems. The book includes a broad range of exercises throughout, and an Instructor's Manual is available for adopting professors. Ancillaries A detailed Instructors' Manual is available for adopting professors. Art from the book may be downloaded by adopting professors.

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In these days of facile cloning and rapid DNA sequencing, it is not uncommon for investigators to find themselves with a DNA sequence that may or may not code for a known gene product. The sequence is 'open' when read in an appropriate frame, which is to say that there is a long run of amino acid codons before the appearance of a terminator codon. How can we find out if this 'unidentified reading frame' (URF) really codes for a genuine protein, and how can we identify it if it exists? There are two general strategies, both of which can also be applied to the characterization of any 'open reading frame' (ORF), whether or not it has been 'identified'. The first and simplest approach involves computer searching and analysis; the second employs antibodies raised against synthetic peptides patterned on the sequence of the expected gene product. Both methods have been used with great success by many investigators. Each has, nonetheless, its pitfalls and frustrations. This primer is meant to guide the researcher past those obstacles as much as possible. Graduate students and researchers interested in amino acid sequencing; molecular biologists, biochemists, chemists, and biotechnologists.

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Nucleic Acids presents an up-to-date and comprehensive account of the structures and physical chemistry properties of nucleic acids, with special emphasis on biological function. With a targeted audience of 1) molecular biologists, 2) physical biochemists, and 3) physical chemists, the book has been carefully organized to reach three different audiences while requiring only introductory physical chemistry and molecular biology as prerequisites. Nucleic Acids will serve as a textbook in physical biochemistry and biophysical chemistry classes, as well as a supplemental text in courses on nucleic acid biochemistry or molecular biology, and as a personal reference for students and researchers in these fields. Key Features Organized according to a systematic consideration of techniques used in the study of nucleic acid structure and properties. Key topics – such as protein-DNA and protein-drug complexes, conformational transitions, characterization of nucleic acids by gel and solution techniques, and behavior of supercoiled DNA – are covered in great detail as veritable mini-monographs. Heavily illustrated with diagrams, graphs, and molecular structures, including nearly 2 dozen color figures. Includes numerous figures, tables and an extensive bibliography to facilitate use as a reference volume.

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"This is a truly astonishing book, invaluable for anyone with an interest in astronomy and surely the bargain of the year." ---Physics Bulletin "Just the thing for a first year university science course." ---Nature "This is a beautiful book in both concept and execution." ---Sky & Telescope

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This text provides detailed coverage of physical methods used in bioinorganic chemistry. Individual chapters are devoted to electronic absorption spectroscopy, resonance Raman spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, ENDOR and ESEEM, magnetic circular dichroism, Mössbauer spectroscopy, magnetism, NMR spectroscopy as applied to paramagnetic systems, and x-ray absorption spectroscopy. The book aims to provide a fundamental understanding of each method and demonstrate how data obtained from a system of bioinorganic interest can be interpreted. Case studies are presented in the last chapter in which more than one technique has been applied to gain insight into each given bioinorganic problem. By integrating theory with experimentation and providing an orientation that is more biological than that presented in previously published books, Physical Methods in Bioinorganic Chemistry: Spectroscopy and Magnetism will serve as an important new text for students of bioinorganic chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, and their professors.

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