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Books in Physics

Physics titles offer comprehensive research and advancements across the fundamental and applied areas of physical science. From quantum mechanics and particle physics to astrophysics and materials science, these titles drive innovation and deepen understanding of the principles governing the universe. Essential for researchers, educators, and students, this collection supports scientific progress and practical applications across a diverse range of physics disciplines.

    • Lectures on Theoretical Physics

      Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
      • 1st Edition
      • Arnold Sommerfeld
      • F. Bopp + 2 more
      • English
      Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics deals with the method of thermodynamic potentials, the four Gibbsian potentials, and Boltzmann's statistics. The book reviews the general considerations of thermodynamics, such as the first and second laws of thermodynamics, the van der Waals equation, and Nernst's third law of thermodynamics. The text also discusses the application of thermodynamics to special systems, the theory of phase equilibria, the electromotive force of galvanic cells, and the thermodynamics of near-equilibrium processes. The book explains the equation of state of a perfect gas, the Maxwellian velocity distribution, and the statistical significance of the constants in van der Waal's equation. The text notes that the states of equilibrium can be treated in a simple manner compared to complex methods used in problems connected with irreversible processes. The book explains that the atoms in a molecule are capable of performing small vibrations about their position of equilibrium as they possess both kinetic and potential energy. The text also discusses the quantization of vibrational energy and rotational energy. The book can be helpful for students of physics, thermodynamics, and related subjects. It can also be used by instructors in advanced physics.
    • Radiation and Reentry

      • 1st Edition
      • S Penner
      • English
      Radiation and Reentry is an integrated review of a series of publications dealing with radiative transfer theory, applied spectroscopy, radiation gas dynamics, and ablation phenomena. This book contains seven chapters and begins with a presentation of opacity calculations under conditions for which detailed considerations of spectral line structures and widths are not required. The discussion then shifts to the basic methods involved in the formulation of radiative transfer problems; origin and definition of the Planck and Rosseland mean free paths; the conservation equations for reacting, multicomponent gas mixtures with proper allowance for radiative energy flux; and similarity parameters in radiation gas dynamics. These topics are followed by a summary of data relevant to the optically thick, optically thin, and isothermal cases for air in local thermodynamic equilibrium. A chapter describes the radiative properties of spherical particles and their particle size distributions. Another chapter considers the estimation of radiant-energy transmission through atmosphere. The concluding chapters explore the radiation transfer effects on the flow about a re-entry body and the specific problems of the effect of radiant-energy transfer on acoustic waves, shock wave structure, and shock and boundary layers. These chapters also examine the theoretical and experimental studies on the ablation of re-entry vehicles. This book is of great value to educated nonspecialists who are interested in the application of radiation field to high-speed atmospheric entry.
    • Fluctuation Phenomena

      • 1st Edition
      • E Montroll
      • English
      Studies in Statistical Mechanics, Volume VII: Fluctuation Phenomena Fluctuation explores different aspects of fluctuation behavior and their relation to microscopic processes and other phenomena, including the nucleation of a new phase following the quenching of a system into the coexistence region. It looks at phenomenological fluctuation theories, stochastic processes such as Markoff and momentless processes, and stochastic geometric aspects of amorphous solids. Comprised of five chapters, this volume begins with an overview of fluctuations and the Ehrenfest dog-flea model. It then turns to a discussion of density fluctuations in dilute gases, the Langevin theory of Brownian motion, and classical diffusion and random walks. It also systematically introduces the reader to the statistical mechanical theory of the kinetics of phase transitions, the molecular theory of metastability, and multidimensional continuous time random walks, along with the effect of boundaries and defects onf stochastic processes. In addition, it describes the phenomenological theory of the kinetics of nucleation and its application to nucleation, spinodal decomposition, and condensation. Other chapters focus on a stochastic model for the kinetics of phase transitions, the physical ideas used in theories of metastability, and the importance of dynamics in the study of metastability. The book explains how to estimate the escape rate and describes the statistical mechanics of clusters before concluding with a discussion of slowly-varying ensembles. This book is a valuable resource for students, physicists, and researchers who want to gain more knowledge and learn about statistical mechanics in general and fluctuation phenomena in particular.
    • Physical Acoustics V4A

      Principles and Methods
      • 1st Edition
      • Warren P. Mason
      • English
      Physical Acoustics: Principles and Methods, Volume IV, Part A: Applications to Quantum and Solid State Physics provides an introduction for the various applications of quantum mechanics to acoustics by describing several processes for which such considerations are essential. This book explores the magnetic fields applied to metals in the normal state, which have the effect of localizing the interaction between the acoustic waves and the electrons to specific parts of the Fermi surface. Organized into nine chapters, this volume starts with an overview of the transmission of sound waves in semiconducting crystals that are piezoelectric. This text then examines the reactions of nonpiezoelectric semiconductors with electrons through the deformation potential that changes the shape of the Fermi surface. Other chapters consider the amplification of acoustic waves in semiconductors by the application of an electric field. The final chapter examines how measurements can delineate the Fermi surface of monovalent metals. Physicists and engineers will find this book useful.
    • Direct Current Geoelectric Sounding

      Principles And Interpretation
      • 1st Edition
      • Volume 9
      • P Bhattacharya
      • English
      Direct Current Geoelectric Sounding: Principles and Interpretation provides a comprehensive review of the Schlumberger method of geoelectric sounding, as well as current methods of interpretation. It explores the theoretical foundations of geoelectric sounding, the relative advantages and limitations of the two symmetrical arrangements for vertical electrical sounding, the techniques of interpretation for Wenner sounding curves, and dipole sounding. This volume is based on educational materials used in the study of geoelectric sounding. It begins with an overview of the theory of current flow in a horizontally stratified Earth, followed by a discussion of how the resistivity of the ground is measured. The book explains the current flow in a homogeneous anisotropic and horizontally stratified Earth, the principle of equivalence, and vertical electrical sounding. Moreover, it presents the basic principles and procedures for the construction of theoretical master curves. Asymptotic values of Schlumberger curves, the principle of reduction of two layers and of a three-layer Earth, and Tagg's method of interpretation are also discussed. The book explains the interpretation by curve-matching, characteristics of dipole electric sounding, and geological applications of electrical resistivity sounding. Engineering problems and application examples with self-explanatory diagrams are provided at the end of the chapters. This book will benefit undergraduate and postgraduate students who want to broaden their understanding of exploration geophysics, as well as professional exploration geologists and geophysicists, civil engineers, agricultural scientists, and researchers.
    • Operator Methods in Quantum Mechanics

      • 1st Edition
      • Martin Schechter
      • English
      Operator Methods in Quantum Mechanics demonstrates the power of operator theory as a tool in the study of quantum mechanics. More specifically, it shows how to use algebraic, representation-indep... methods to solve one- and three-dimensional problems, including certain relativistic problems. It explains the applications of commutation relations, shift operators, and the virial, hypervirial, and Hellman-Feyman theorems to the calculation of eigenvalues, matrix elements, and wave functions. Organized into 16 chapters, this book begins by presenting a few simple postulates describing quantum theory and looking at a single particle moving along a straight line. Then, it introduces mathematical techniques that answer questions about the particle. It also discusses the use of spectral theorem in answering various questions concerning observables, along with negative eigenvalues and methods of determining parts of the spectrum or estimating lower bounds. Moreover, it explains the time-independent or stationary-state scattering theory and states, long-range potentials, and completeness and strong completeness. Oscillating potentials, eigenfunction expansions, restricted particles, hard-core potentials, the invariance principle, and the use of trace class operators to treat scattering theory are also described in this book. This volume is a valuable resource for physicists, as well as students of intermediate quantum mechanics and postgraduate students who want to be acquainted with the algebraic method of solving quantum mechanical problems.
    • Relaxation in Magnetic Resonance

      Dielectric and Mossbauer Applications
      • 1st Edition
      • Charles P. Jr. Poole
      • English
      Relaxation in Magnetic Resonance contains a series of lecture notes for a special topics course at the University of South Carolina in 1967. This book contains 21 chapters that summarize the main theoretical formulations and experimental results of magnetic resonance relaxation phenomena in several physical systems. This text deals first with the various methods in determining the relaxation behavior of the macroscopic spin system, such as Bloch equations, saturation methods, and transient resonant absorption. The subsequent chapters discuss the homogeneous and inhomogeneous resonant lines in solids and liquids and the significance of the Kubo-Tomita and Redfield theories in magnetic resonance. This book then considers the background research on electron spin resonance and relaxation in ionic solids. The concluding chapters explore the acoustic absorption coefficient and dielectric constant calculation; the relaxation processes in paramagnetic substance; and the characteristics of Mössbauer spectra and their application in magnetic relaxation. This book will be useful to both graduate students embarking upon thesis problems in relaxation and more advanced workers who seek an overall summary of the status of the field, as well as to physicists and chemists.
    • Methods of Modern Mathematical Physics

      Functional Analysis
      • 1st Edition
      • Michael Reed
      • English
      Methods of Modern Mathematical Physics, Volume I: Functional Analysis discusses the fundamental principles of functional analysis in modern mathematical physics. This book also analyzes the influence of mathematics on physics, such as the Newtonian mechanics used to interpret all physical phenomena. Organized into eight chapters, this volume starts with an overview of the functional analysis in the study of several concrete models. This book then discusses how to generalize the Lebesgue integral to work with functions on the real line and with Borel sets. This text also explores the properties of finite-dimensional vector spaces. Other chapters discuss the normed linear spaces, which have the property of being complete. This monograph further examines the general class of topologized vector spaces and the spaces of distributions that arise in a wide variety of physical problems and functional situations. This book is a valuable resource for mathematicians and physicists. Students and researchers in the field of geometry will also find this book extremely useful.
    • Optics of Charged Particles

      • 1st Edition
      • Hermann Wollnik
      • English
      Optics of Charged Particles describes how charged particles move in the main and fringing fields of magnetic or electrostatic dipoles, quadrupoles, and hexapoles using the same type of formulation and consistent nomenclature throughout. This book not only describes the particle trajectories and beam shapes, but also provides guidelines for designing particle optical instruments. The topics discussed include Gaussian optics and transfer matrices, general relations for the motion of charged particles in electromagnetic fields, and quadrupole lenses. The sector field lenses, charged particle beams and phase space, and particle beams in periodic structures are also elaborated. This text likewise considers the fringing fields, image aberrations, and design of particle spectrometers and beam guide lines. This publication is suitable for undergraduate students in physics and mathematics.
    • Light Scattering Near Phase Transitions

      • 1st Edition
      • H.Z. Cummins + 1 more
      • English
      Since the development of the laser in the early 1960's, light scattering has played an increasingly crucial role in the investigation of many types of phase transitions and the published work in this field is now widely dispersed in a large number of books and journals.A comprehensive overview of contemporary theoretical and experimental research in this field is presented here. The reviews are written by authors who have actively contributed to the developments that have taken place in both Eastern and Western countries.