Quantum Theory, together with the principles of special and general relativity, constitute a scientific revolution that has profoundly influenced the way in which we think about the universe and the f
Quantum Theory, together with the principles of special and general relativity, constitute a scientific revolution that has profoundly influenced the way in which we think about the universe and the f
Quantum Theory, together with the principles of special and general relativity, constitute a scientific revolution that has profoundly influenced the way in which we think about the universe and the f
Quantum Theory, together with the principles of special and general relativity, constitute a scientific revolution that has profoundly influenced the way in which we think about the universe and the f
Quantum Theory, together with the principles of special and general relativity, constitute a scientific revolution that has profoundly influenced the way in which we think about the universe and the
Quantum Theory, together with the principles of special and general relativity, constitute a scientific revolution that has profoundly influenced the way in which we think about the universe and the f
Quantum Theory, together with the principles of special and general relativity, constitute a scientific revolution that has profoundly influenced the way in which we think about the universe and the f
Quantum Theory, together with the principles of special and general relativity, constitute a scientific revolution that has profoundly influenced the way in which we think about the universe and the f
Originally published in 1972, the twelve articles in this volume discuss various aspects of quantum mechanics that owe their origin to the work of P. A. M. Dirac. Each of the distinguished contributors reviews Dirac's work and discusses its development in some detail. Since Dirac's work ranged widely, the resulting volume constitutes a valuable survey of the state of quantum mechanics. A small part of the book contains personal reminiscences of Dirac in Cambridge and of his early visits to the USA and gives a historical account of the development of quantum mechanics during the decade 1924–1933, aptly termed 'the golden age of theoretical physics'.
This book takes the reader on a historical tour through the key theories of quantum physics, highlighting the main lines of development up to 1925, and pointing out the conceptual difficulties that ha
Available for the first time in paperback, The Quantum Theory of Fields is a self-contained, comprehensive, and up-to-date introduction to quantum field theory from Nobel Laureate Steven Weinberg. Volume I introduces the foundations of quantum field theory. The development is fresh and logical throughout, with each step carefully motivated by what has gone before. After a brief historical outline, the book begins with the principles of relativity and quantum mechanics, and the properties of particles that follow. Quantum field theory emerges from this as a natural consequence. The classic calculations of quantum electrodynamics are presented in a thoroughly modern way, showing the use of path integrals and dimensional regularization. It contains much original material, and is peppered with examples and insights drawn from the author's experience as a leader of elementary particle research. Exercises are included at the end of each chapter.
Written for advanced undergraduates, physicists, and historians and philosophers of physics, this book tells the story of the development of our understanding of quantum phenomena through the extraordinary years of the first three decades of the twentieth century. Rather than following the standard axiomatic approach, this book adopts a historical perspective, explaining clearly and authoritatively how pioneers such as Heisenberg, Schrodinger, Pauli and Dirac developed the fundamentals of quantum mechanics and merged them into a coherent theory, and why the mathematical infrastructure of quantum mechanics has to be as complex as it is. The author creates a compelling narrative, providing a remarkable example of how physics and mathematics work in practice. The book encourages an enhanced appreciation of the interaction between mathematics, theory and experiment, helping the reader gain a deeper understanding of the development and content of quantum mechanics than any other text at thi
This book provides a panoramic view from 1927–1938 of the development of a physical theory that has been on the cutting-edge of theoretical physics ever since P. A. M. Dirac's quantization of the electromagnetic field in 1927: quantum electrodynamics. Like the classic papers chosen for this volume, the introductory Frame-Setting Essay emphasizes conceptual transformations which carried physicists to the threshold of renormalization theory. The published papers and correspondence of Bohr, Heisenberg, Dirac and Pauli provide a fascinating analysis of the meaning and structure of a scientific theory. This book goes beyond the historical and philosophical into current physics. Unavailability of English-language versions of certain key papers, some of which are provided in this book, has prevented their implications from being fully realized. Awareness of research from sixty years ago could well provide insights for future developments.
This is the only book to chart the history and development of modern probability theory. It shows how in the first thirty years of this century probability theory became a mathematical science. The author also traces the development of probabilistic concepts and theories in statistical and quantum physics. There are chapters dealing with chance phenomena, as well as the main mathematical theories of today, together with their foundational and philosophical problems. Among the theorists whose work is treated at some length are Kolmogorov, von Mises and de Finetti. The principal audience for the book comprises philosophers and historians of science, mathematicians concerned with probability and statistics, and physicists. The book will also interest anyone fascinated by twentieth-century scientific developments because the birth of modern probability is closely tied to the change from a determinist to an indeterminist world-view.
This is the only book to chart the history and development of modern probability theory. It shows how in the first thirty years of this century probability theory became a mathematical science. The author also traces the development of probabilistic concepts and theories in statistical and quantum physics. There are chapters dealing with chance phenomena, as well as the main mathematical theories of today, together with their foundational and philosophical problems. Among the theorists whose work is treated at some length are Kolmogorov, von Mises and de Finetti. The principal audience for the book comprises philosophers and historians of science, mathematicians concerned with probability and statistics, and physicists. The book will also interest anyone fascinated by twentieth-century scientific developments because the birth of modern probability is closely tied to the change from a determinist to an indeterminist world-view.
This book provides a pedagogical introduction to the perturbative and non-perturbative aspects of quantum chromodynamics (QCD). Introducing the basic theory and recent advances in QCD, it also reviews the historical development of the subject, covering pre-QCD ideas of strong interactions such as the quark and parton models, the notion of colours and the S-matrix approach. The author then discusses gauge theory, techniques of dimensional regularization and renormalization, deep inelastic scattering and hard processes in hadron collisions, hadron jets and e+e– annihilations. Other topics include power corrections and the technologies of the Shifman-Vainshtein-Zakharov operating product expansion. The final parts of the book are devoted to modern non-perturbative approaches to QCD and the phenomenological aspects of QCD spectral sum rules. The book will be a valuable reference for graduate students and researchers in high-energy particle and nuclear physics, both theoretical and experime
This book provides a pedagogical introduction to the perturbative and non-perturbative aspects of quantum chromodynamics (QCD). Introducing the basic theory and recent advances in QCD, it also reviews the historical development of the subject, covering pre-QCD ideas of strong interactions such as the quark and parton models, the notion of colours and the S-matrix approach. The author then discusses gauge theory, techniques of dimensional regularization and renormalization, deep inelastic scattering and hard processes in hadron collisions, hadron jets and e+e– annihilations. Other topics include power corrections and the technologies of the Shifman-Vainshtein-Zakharov operating product expansion. The final parts of the book are devoted to modern non-perturbative approaches to QCD and the phenomenological aspects of QCD spectral sum rules. The book will be a valuable reference for graduate students and researchers in high-energy particle and nuclear physics, both theoretical and experime
This new edition of Conceptual Developments of 20th Century Field Theories explores the conceptual foundations and historical roots of fundamental field theories. It also uncovers the underlying issues, logic and dynamics in fundamental physics. In response to new advances in the field over the past twenty years, the sections on gauge theory and quantum field theory have been thoroughly revised and elaborated. The chapter on ontological synthesis and scientific realism has also been reconsidered, now suggesting a new approach that goes beyond structuralism and historicism. Providing an integrated picture of the physical world, it is a valuable resource for theoretical physicists and philosophers of science with an interest in the development of twentieth century mathematical physics. It also provides professional historians and sociologists of science with a basis for further historical, cultural and sociological analysis of the theories discussed.
Quantum Theory, together with the principles of special and general relativity, constitute a scientific revolution that has profoundly influenced the way in which we think about the universe and the f
The study of mechanics is presented as the fundamental basis of the electromagnetic theory, quantum mechanics, and all theoretical physics. Mathematical difficulty and order of historical development
