Surprises in Theoretical Physics (eBook)

Rudolf Peierls (Autor)

eBook Download: PDF

2020
176 Seiten
Princeton University Press (Verlag)
978-0-691-21788-8 (ISBN)

Infos

Problems in theoretical physics often lead to paradoxical answers; yet closer reasoning and a more complete analysis invariably lead to the resolution of the paradox and to a deeper understanding of the physics involved. Drawing primarily from his own experience and that of his collaborators, Sir Rudolf Peierls selects examples of such "e;surprises"e; from a wide range of physical theory, from quantum mechanical scattering theory to the theory of relativity, from irreversibility in statistical mechanics to the behavior of electrons in solids. By studying such surprises and learning what kind of possibilities to look for, he suggests, scientists may be able to avoid errors in future problems. In some cases the surprise is that the outcome of a calculation is contrary to what physical intuition seems to demand. In other instances an approximation that looks convincing turns out to be unjustified, or one that looks unreasonable turns out to be adequate. Professor Peierls does not suggest, however, that theoretical physics is a hazardous game in which one can never foresee the surprises a detailed calculation might reveal. Rather, he contends, all the surprises discussed have rational explanations, most of which are very simple, at least in principle. This book is based on the author's lectures at the University of Washington in the spring of 1977 and at the Institut de Physique Nucleaire, University de Paris-Sud, Orsay, during the winter of 1977-1978.

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 1.9.2020
• Reihe/Serie: Princeton Series in Physics
• Reihe/Serie: Princeton Series in Physics
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Physik / Astronomie ► Angewandte Physik
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Physik / Astronomie ► Hochenergiephysik / Teilchenphysik
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Physik / Astronomie ► Thermodynamik
• Schlagworte: adiabatic theorem • Angle Operator • Angular momentum • Approximation • astrophysics • Atom • Atomic Nucleus • Atomic physics • Bethe-Goldstone potential • Bohr magneton • Boltzmann equation • Bose–Einstein statistics • Calculation • classical electromagnetism • Classical physics • Condensed matter physics • Constructive Quantum Field Theory • Creation and annihilation operators • Cross section (physics) • Debye's argument • Degenerate matter • Diamagnetism • Dimension • Dirac equation • Effective mass (solid-state physics) • Eigenfunction • Electron magnetic moment • Expectation value (quantum mechanics) • Experimental Physics • Fermi–Dirac statistics • Fermi energy • Fermi Gas • Fermion • Fermi surface • ferromagnetism • Gauge Theory • ground state • harmonic approximation" • Harmonic oscillator • Hartree–Fock method • Hartree-Fock Method • inelastic scattering • Interpretations of quantum mechanics • Ionization • Irreversibility • Irreversible process • Lagrange variables • laws of thermodynamics • magnetic dipole transition • Magnetic field • Magnetic moment • magnetic susceptibility • Mathematical formulation of quantum mechanics • Mathematical Physics • Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution • Measurement in quantum mechanics • Modern Physics • Molecule • Neutrino • Neutron • Neutron temperature • non-equilibrium thermodynamics • nonlinear system • nuclear physics • Nuclear Shell Model • Nucleon • ordinary perturbation theory • Particle physics • Partition function (statistical mechanics) • Pauli Exclusion Principle • Pauli Principle in Metals • perturbation theory • Perturbation theory (quantum mechanics) • Phonon • Photon • physical cosmology • physicist • Physics • Physics Letters • positron • Positronium • Probability • Pseudomomentum • Pseudovector • Quantity • quantum field theory • Quantum Gravity • quantum mechanics • quantum state • quantum superposition • quantum system • Radiation damping • Radiation in Hyperbolic Motion • Relativistic wave equations • renormalization • scattering • scattering amplitude • Scattering processes • Schrödinger equation • second law of thermodynamics • "Shadow Scattering • Slater determinant • Special relativity • Spin Magnetic Moment • Statistical Mechanics • Statistical Physics • Stem-Gerlach experiment • Supersymmetry • Surface energy • theoretical physics • theory • The Shell Model • Uncertainty Principle • Unitarity (physics) • wave function • Wave–particle duality • Waves and Particles • Wave vector
• ISBN-10: 0-691-21788-2 / 0691217882
• ISBN-13: 978-0-691-21788-8 / 9780691217888