An Introduction to the Standard Model of Particle Physics for the Non-specialist

Marsh takes readers from some elementary ideas about groups to the essence of the Standard Model of particle physics along a relatively straight and intuitive path. Groups are usually introduced relatively late in physics education, he admits, but he begins with them in order to arrive at a semblance of the Dirac equation. Then he introduces the very essence of elementary quantum theory to obtain the actual Dirac equation, which governs the motions of the quarks and leptons of the Standard Model. The gauge principle then appears and leads--via the groups introduced in the beginning--to the Standard Model itself. This path leaves out many technical details and much of the physics, he says, so they do not impede the Olympian view of the Standard Model that he wants readers to see. Annotation ©2018 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)