Modern Physics, Second Edition

Customer Reviews:

DO NOT BUY.......2007-03-19

This is a horrible book. I am currently using it and the number of typos are not funny. At first you think, that's not right (it isn't)... weird one would have thought they would have caught something that important, oh well. But after 100 pages of wondering why the answers are wrong and the formulas keep changing, you're ready to throw the damned thing out. If you're in a class using this book, buy another one and don't use this one. I have read other books by this guy and their not this bad, someone just let something slip.

Not a Stand-Alone book........2001-09-18

This book introduces all the proper facets of Modern Physics. It only falls short on problem solving concepts. I found the material brought up during the chapters did not prepare me for the problems at the end of the chapters. In addition to that, a fair amount of the answers in the back of the book are wrong. I found I could only manage the course by getting a Schaum's Outline of Modern Physics. The Schaum's Outline gave all the worked out examples that the Ohanian book lacks. So get Ohanian for the concepts, and Schaum's for problem-solving.

a review of Modern Physics by Hans C. OHanian.......2001-07-06

This book is certainly not one that simply assumes a knowledge of classical physics. The text assumes (at the very least) an introductory knowledge of modern physics, as it quite liberally employs terms and concepts unbeknownst to most classical-physics entrepreneurs. As i consider myself to be one of these, this book, prior to my professor's lectures, was utterly useless. While the material contained in any modern physics text may be somewhat convoluded, this one in particular does the amateur classical physicist no service. However, a previously-accredited modern physicist can almost certainly gain a thorough review of many generalized modern physics concepts via this book.

PAPERBACK!!!.......2001-05-24

I recently purchased this book for my modern physics course and it is a well written book. However, for some reason the publisher has sent out very poor copies of the book that are paperback and have the same ISBN number. Normally the paperback and hardcover have different ISBN's along with different prices. The copy that I purchased, along with the ones in the school bookstore and various other resellers are paperback and were printed on poor quality printers (the text is fuzzy and has many ink spots throughout the text). Just a warning to any stuents or professors who may be using this book in a course, please make certain that you are getting what you pay for.

Good intro to serious modern physics.......2000-11-27

This textbook assumes a knowledge in classical physics, and then proceeds to excellently cover topics in modern physics, including, relativity, quantum mechanics, solid state physics, nuclear physics and particle physics. It is a good choice for trying to acquire a knowledge of modern physics for the reader who has a good knowledge of classical physics (advanced high school program or first year University) but wants to move on.

Understanding Molecular Simulation (Computational Science Series, Vol 1)

Average customer rating:

great book for MD basics
Old fashioned fortran, strong bias on Monte Carlo
Excellent text for beginners in simulation
Perfect for New Grad Students
A nice disappointment

Understanding Molecular Simulation (Computational Science Series, Vol 1)
Daan Frenkel , and B. Smit
Manufacturer: Academic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0122673514

Book Description

Understanding Molecular Simulation: From Algorithms to Applications explains the physics behind the "recipes" of molecular simulation for materials science. Computer simulators are continuously confronted with questions concerning the choice of a particular technique for a given application. A wide variety of tools exist, so the choice of technique requires a good understanding of the basic principles. More importantly, such understanding may greatly improve the efficiency of a simulation program. The implementation of simulation methods is illustrated in pseudocodes and their practical use in the case studies used in the text.

Since the first edition only five years ago, the simulation world has changed significantly -- current techniques have matured and new ones have appeared. This new edition deals with these new developments; in particular, there are sections on:

· Transition path sampling and diffusive barrier crossing to simulaterare events
· Dissipative particle dynamic as a course-grained simulation technique
· Novel schemes to compute the long-ranged forces
· Hamiltonian and non-Hamiltonian dynamics in the context constant-temperature and constant-pressure molecular dynamics simulations
· Multiple-time step algorithms as an alternative for constraints
· Defects in solids
· The pruned-enriched Rosenbluth sampling, recoil-growth, and concerted rotations for complex molecules
· Parallel tempering for glassy Hamiltonians

Examples are included that highlight current applications and the codes of case studies are available on the World Wide Web. Several new examples have been added since the first edition to illustrate recent applications. Questions are included in this new edition. No prior knowledge of computer simulation is assumed.

Customer Reviews:

great book for MD basics.......2007-05-07

I was especially delighted about the Monte Carlo methods and the free energy calculation techniques.

Old fashioned fortran, strong bias on Monte Carlo.......2006-06-19

There is a very strong bias to MC methods in the book. What they have to say about Molecular Dynamics methods is not really new, most of it is virtually copied from the classic by Allan/Tildesley, and many MD techniques which they consider "advanced" (such as cell list methods, verlet tables, etc.) are shifted to one of the many appendices. They do not talk about ghostparticles for instance or give a detailed account of parallelized algorithms which is really state-of-the art today.
The code examples for download for the exercises, contain subtle errors, are not optimized for performance (which is THE most important thing in simulation business) and worst of all, are written in Fortran. The fact that they publish Fortran code must reflect the fact that at the time they learned how to program a computer there was no C, C++, JAVA, etc. and no object orientation in sight. Nowadays, probably no expert in programming would start a scientific and readable code in fortran. Also their definition of an algorithm is simply technically wrong. The authors are very sloppy here, have obviously no training in theoretical computer science and are obviously no experts for writing optimal code.
Scientifically, as far as physics is concerned, the book is sound, they give good arguments pro and against certain methods, but when you have already worked with Allan/Tildesley or Rappaport for many years you have the eery impression that they simply repeat many arguments from these books or from other research articles (They keep citing Allan/Tildesley a lot) Those things that are not more or less copied from other sources seems to reflect their own experience in this field which seems to be strongly limited to MC methods.
Although this book is sometimes praised I cannot really recommend it. Allan/Tildesley, and in particular the book by Rappaport are superior in stlye and in particluar as code examples are concerned. With Rappaport you get working code right away in proper C (albeit in Fortran-Style C -- again, the reason for this being the fact, that all these authors of Simulation books learned programming probably in the late 70's when Fortran was state-of-the-art). I nevertheless would recommend Rappaports book instead. The authors even offer scientific workshops based on their book (and probably make a lot of money with that). One can only hope that those are better than the coding examples of the exercises. Therefore only 2 stars.

Excellent text for beginners in simulation.......2004-11-20

Its an excellent book for those who are just beginners in MC & MD simulations. everything is very clearly explained with lot of examples and some related unsolved problems. the text explores this topic indetails with advanced chapters in later sections. Good for anybody int hsi field be it in materials science, physics or related fields.

Perfect for New Grad Students.......2002-11-24

This book is how I bootstrapped my way into being a molecular simulationist. Anyone who can program in some language can get started writing simple routines for the basic MD and MC simulations.

I do Monte Carlo simulations at Princeton, and found this book to be the most helpful available for getting my research started. It is my most common reference, and is used extensively in writing background information for various research documents.

However, after you have written your first few codes, you will pass the level of this book and need to move on. I use it less now than I did my first year.

Every student in my group (Panagiotopoulos) has this book I think. And like me, they started with it, but moved on.

A nice disappointment.......2001-08-30

The title of the book is overly ambitious and falls short on its promises. The book is a good introduction to Molecular Mechanics (MM), Molecular Dynamics (MD) and Monte Carlo (MC) methods, with detailed descriptions of the methods used and FORTRAN (pseudo)code, covering from the basics to some middle-level and some advanced algorithms.
But it does NOT cover all the fields of Molecular Modelling, just the three mentioned (MM, MD and MC), there's no coverage of quantum mechanics methods, nor QSAR or other technologies. And, while it described the algorithms, I can't think of it going all the way through up to building applications. For this, Rapaport's makes a better job, and for a general intro to Molecular Modelling, Grant & Richards' Computational Chemistry is more comprehensive (albeit at a more superficial level). Nor does it provide much detail on the methods used in modelling biological macromolecules, an increasing application field for the methods discussed in the book.
All in all, this book fails to satisfy its cover title, it won't introduce to the whole field (just the areas of MM, MD and MC) nor does it go up to application level. But it IS a REAL GOOD introduction to the subjects covered and their basic algorithms,
with sample code, detailed descriptions and plenty of references to specialized articles, texts and resources.

Quantum Enigma: Physics Encounters Consciousness

Average customer rating:

Importance of Einstein's inquisitiveness.
Quantum questions at their best
Absolute must-read
A perspective shaking journey
Excellent treatment of the subject

Quantum Enigma: Physics Encounters Consciousness
Bruce Rosenblum , and Fred Kuttner
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 019517559X

Book Description

The most successful theory in all of science--and the basis of one third of our economy--says the strangest things about the world and about us. Can you believe that physical reality is created by our observation of it? Physicists were forced to this conclusion, the quantum enigma, by what they observed in their laboratories. Trying to understand the atom, physicists built quantum mechanics and found, to their embarrassment, that their theory intimately connects consciousness with the physical world. Quantum Enigma explores what that implies and why some founders of the theory became the foremost objectors to it. Schrodinger showed that it "absurdly" allowed a cat to be in a "superposition" simultaneously dead and alive. Einstein derided the theory's "spooky interactions." With Bell's Theorem, we now know Schrodinger's superpositions and Einstein's spooky interactions indeed exist. Authors Bruce Rosenblum and Fred Kuttner explain all of this in non-technical terms with help from some fanciful stories and bits about the theory's developers. They present the quantum mystery honestly, with an emphasis on what is and what is not speculation. Physics' encounter with consciousness is its skeleton in the closet. Because the authors open the closet and examine the skeleton, theirs is a controversial book. Quantum Enigma's description of the experimental quantum facts, and the quantum theory explaining them, is undisputed. Interpreting what it all means, however, is controversial. Every interpretation of quantum physics encounters consciousness. Rosenblum and Kuttner therefore turn to exploring consciousness itself--and encounter quantum physics. Free will and anthropic principles become crucial issues, and the connection of consciousness with the cosmos suggested by some leading quantum cosmologists is mind-blowing. Readers are brought to a boundary where the particular expertise of physicists is no longer a sure guide. They will find, instead, the facts and hints provided by quantum mechanics and the ability to speculate for themselves.

Customer Reviews:

Importance of Einstein's inquisitiveness........2007-10-03

Remember "Blue Velvet" movie and frequently shouting "don't you f@#$ look at me!!" Frank (played with raving mania by Dennis Hopper)? Maybe Frank knew something we do not. But.. jokes aside - it is again about Einstein mostly, and about his two famous quips: "I like to think that the moon is there even if I am not looking at it" and: "God does not play dice". He related to measurement/observation problem and Nature's randomness. His questions, musings and skepticism spawned further research into "what is going on?" bringing quantum physics and consciousness enigma into the light. As we read the text, we learn that physicists can be divided into two groups: these who does not want to enter the hazy border of physics and philosophy, and much smaller but not less respected cluster of open-minded scientists who are not afraid to investigate and ask dipper questions. Second group consist(ed) among others Schrodinger himself and John Wheeler - dreamer and colleague of Einstein. There is something wrong with the way science is conducted, and authors clearly point at it quoting many names and opinions. For example: reductionism may be soon in retreat and reasoning by induction has logical problems. Mathematics is not always a panacea for theory -says Stephen Hawking: "The usual approach of science of constructing a mathematical model cannot answer the questions of why there should be a universe for the model to describe" (string cosmologists take heed!). Even philosopher and physicist Victor Stenger ("The Unconscious Quantum") - strong believer in empirical facts/observations and total critic of consciousness admits that we do not live in deterministic Newtonian clockwork universe. I mention him here because I read several of his books not without pleasure. In conclusion: "Quantum Enigma" is a fascinating and provocative book. The only small disappointment comes from marginal treatment of Roger Penrose's interpretation of quantum weirdness that goes without any need to invoke observers or parallel universes. For details one may check June 2005 Discover magazine. Soon after this book was published, May 12th 2007 New Scientist magazine printed information about planned experiments at the University of California , Santa Barbara. The researchers believe they will have ruled out one of the most popular explanations for how quantum things turn classical and that decoherence theory cannot be correct. Experiment will offer an inside into the fundamental nature of quantum measurement, and possibility to take a quick peek inside the box, glimpse the cat's state and observe "superposition" marching one step at a time. This could be a very profound discovery..stay alerted.

Quantum questions at their best.......2007-09-12

A good concise format for the most pressing quantum questions.
A very good read. Recomended for anyone needing more input on how our peception of reality, changes as quantum questions arise..

IM

Absolute must-read.......2007-08-24

I just finished reading Quantum Enigma and it has left me stunned.

Although I am sure many folks would not agree, I think the topic of this book examines the most important questions facing us humans -- the fundamental nature of consciousness and "reality", and how the two interact. The authors explain how quantum theory clearly shows that microscopic particles behave in a way that does not "make sense". Not only can those particles exist in two places at once, but the theory shows that they only exist when observed by something or someone. And since our everyday macroscopic objects are theoretically made up of those tiny particles, what does that mean about the chair I am sitting on? Is it there only because I am here? As stated on page 156, "There is no way to interpret quantum theory without in some way addressing consciousness."

This is not a "pop-quantum" book like the Tao of Physics or The Dancing Wu Li Masters. Nor does it present nonsensical extrapolations of quantum theory to spiritual phenomena, as in the "What the Bleep..." movie. But it does explore realms where most physics text books do not go -- the juncture of physics and philosophy. It shines a bright light on physicists' "skeleton in the closet", the enigmatic meaning of quantum theory.

The book is written in a friendly and entertaining manner, without sacrificing depth or seriousness. I enjoyed the photos of the great minds of quantum theory - Bohr, Heisenberg, Einstein, etc - the guys who knew from the start that quantum theory required a different world view.

It may be true, in some sense, that nothing exists unless and until "observed"! How can that possibly be? The authors don't provide an answer, but the beauty of this book for me was the courageous and competent way in which it asks the questions. And they freely admit that "The more deeply you think about quantum mechanics, the more strange it seems." No kidding.

--Joel Nisson

A perspective shaking journey.......2007-08-14

The concepts are simple but profound, mind creates matter. This book takes this idea and a few other mind bending, and mind blowing concepts that quantum physics has shown us about ourselves, and our universe and expands on them in a readable format. The astonishing realization for me is the apparent direct correlation between what quantum physics has told us about reality, and what mystics have been saying for thousands of years, especially the Buddha. This book is a must buy for any inquiring minds out there. It will change the way you look at yourself, and the world!!

Excellent treatment of the subject.......2007-08-10

The authors do a great job of presenting the issue. Some of the basic quantum concepts seem a bit dumbed-down, but their focus on the subject of quantum physics vs. consciousness is precise and well-thought-out. Refreshingly free of all the wooly-headedness that plagues other discussions of this type ("The Holographic Universe" comes to mind as a particularly bad example), which hijack science, broadly and clumsily applied, to justify belief in everything from ESP to reincarnation. They stick to the science, and properly so. Quantum mechanics is already so weird, it doesn't need to be conflated into anything else.

Introduction to Radiological Physics and Radiation Dosimetry

Average customer rating:

An essential part of dosimetry
V Good Text

Introduction to Radiological Physics and Radiation Dosimetry
Frank Herbert Attix
Manufacturer: Wiley-Interscience
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0471011460

Book Description

A straightforward presentation of the broad concepts underlying radiological physics and radiation dosimetry for the graduate-level student. Covers photon and neutron attenuation, radiation and charged particle equilibrium, interactions of photons and charged particles with matter, radiotherapy dosimetry, as well as photographic, calorimetric, chemical, and thermoluminescence dosimetry. Includes many new derivations, such as Kramers X-ray spectrum, as well as topics that have not been thoroughly analyzed in other texts, such as broad-beam attenuation and geometrics, and the reciprocity theorem. Subjects are layed out in a logical sequence, making the topics easier for students to follow. Supplemented with numerous diagrams and tables.

Customer Reviews:

An essential part of dosimetry.......2006-11-10

Most of dosimetry in actual practice is looking up constants from tables. This book has every table you need for dosimetry calculations. My professor says this is a must have for a career in radiation therapy.

V Good Text.......2006-04-10

There is a dearth of modern texts that treat this realm with due respect anymore-or possibly it is that other texts are aimed at larger -and so less rogorous-markets. Thank heavens someone is still publishing books like this. Attix has done a commendable job here. He pays attention to detail and accuracy. His inclusions are commendable-especially when he covers the Kramer spectrum-you don't get much of that anywhere except references to Kramers original papers! (or a 'result' quoted) here he actually gives an analysis cum derivation. The whole book is commendable and would sit as possibly 'the' contemporary classic on radiological physics.

If this had extensive 'practice problems' (a la Hasegawas text some may know of) then it would surely be also 'the' book to assign for a decent course on radiological physics/radiation measurement. Unfortunately not so. Still the overall rigour and treatment is worth 5 stars from any constellation.

Thoroughly recommend-a breath of fresh air with real physics.

American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer

Average customer rating:

A Superb Biography
Even the biographers are leftist
The Incredible Life of a Nearly Forgotten Hero
A Splendid Enigma
Complex, but very approachable

American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer
Kai Bird , and Martin J. Sherwin
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0375726268
Release Date: 2006-04-11

Amazon.com

In American Prometheus, Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin delve deep into J. Robert Oppenheimer's life and deliver a thorough and devastatingly sad biography of the man whose very name has come to represent the culmination of 20th century physics and the irrevocable soiling of science by governments eager to exploit its products. Rich in historical detail and personal narratives, the book paints a picture of Oppenheimer as both a controlling force and victim of the mechanisms of power.

By the time the story reaches Oppenheimer's fateful Manhattan Project work, readers have been swept along much as the project's young physicists were by fate and enormous pressure. The authors allow the scientists to speak for themselves about their reactions to the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, avoiding any sort of preacherly tone while revealing the utter, horrible ambiguity of the situation. For instance, Oppenheimer wrote in a letter to a friend, "The thing had to be done," then, "Circumstances are heavy with misgiving."

Many biographies of Oppenheimer end here, with the seeds of his later pacifism sown and the dangers of mixing science with politics clearly outlined. But Bird and Sherwin devote the second half of this hefty book to what happened to Oppenheimer after the bomb. For a short time, he was lionized as the ultimate patriot by a victorious nation, but things soured as the Cold War crept forward and anti-communist witchhunts focused paranoia and anti-Semitism onto Oppenheimer, destroying his career and disillusioning him about his life's work. Devastated by the atom bomb's legacy of fear, he became a vocal and passionate opponent of the Strangelovian madness that gripped the world because of the weapons he helped develop.

Twenty-five years of research went into creating American Prometheus, and there has never been a more honest and complete biography of this tragic scientific giant. The many great ironies of Oppenheimer's life are revealed through the careful reconstruction of a wealth of records, conversations, and ideas, leaving the clearest picture yet of his life. --Therese Littleton

Book Description

J. Robert Oppenheimer is one of the iconic figures of the twentieth century, a brilliant physicist who led the effort to build the atomic bomb for his country in a time of war, and who later found himself confronting the moral consequences of scientific progress. In this magisterial, acclaimed biography twenty-five years in the making, Kai Bird and Martin Sherwin capture Oppenheimer’s life and times, from his early career to his central role in the Cold War. This is biography and history at its finest, riveting and deeply informative.

Customer Reviews:

A Superb Biography.......2007-09-30

This book merited its Pulitzer Prize: the subject, Oppenheimer and the bomb, is fascinating; the scholarship is thorough; and the writing is so clear that one forgets one is reading--one sees the events of history.

I will never forget the authors' analysis of why we dropped the bombs on those two unlucky Japanese cities. Was it to save the lives of our troops and of those who would defend Japan? No, the Japanese wanted to surrender in July of 1945, and the invasion of Japan was scheduled to occur after 1 November 1945. Truman wanted to end the war before 15 August, the date Stalin had promised to declare war on Japan. Decoded diplomatic cables revealed that the Japanese were willing to surrender in July if the US relaxed its condition of "unconditional surrender." But Secretary of State James F. Byrnes of South Carolina advised Truman that the Democrats would do better in the elections of 1946 and 1948 if Truman insisted on unconditional surrender. So he dropped the two atomic bombs on Japan to win those elections.

The authors' description of Lewis Strauss's hearings was excellent.

Even the biographers are leftist.......2007-09-05

This book was engaging and well written and full of insights about the life of J Robert Oppenheimer. However, it was clear to this reader that the sympathies of the authors are far to the left. Although one could easily agree that the 1954 Oppenheimer security hearing was something of a kangaroo court, the authors treated the issue of Oppenheimer's security status as if it were a primary right (such as the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness) rather than a status granted by the government at its discretion. After all, why would the US Government appoint someone to be intimately associated with the development of the H-bomb who publicly and forcefully disdained the effort--whether or not the man was at the time or had been in the past a fellow-traveler? Also, all of the "nasty" characters who happened to be Republican were repeated and clearly identified as Republican but the "nasty" Democrats were simply identified by their names.

This leftist tendency by the authors is a blemish on what otherwise would have been one of the most enjoyable books I have read in years and certainly one of the best I have read on this remarkable period in American history. But, then, I guess it is difficult for authors not to identify and sympathize with their subject, especially since most who came in contact with Oppenheimer during his life seemed also to have succumbed to his spell.

The Incredible Life of a Nearly Forgotten Hero.......2007-08-31

Before my grandfather handed me this book I had no idea Oppenheimer ever existed. Nothing from school, other books, or TV. Now, I feel as though I've met him. As I read this book I felt his anger, sadness, pain, and joy.

I had no knowledge of this man, and I don't think any is needed before reading this book. It's also about much more than Oppenheimer. Knowing about his life gave me a VERY different view of the American Communists of the thirties, the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, McCarthism, the Cold War, and the US government as a whole.

Within this book America isn't that sparkly clean America I thought it was. America makes mistakes just like all of us and I believe it's incredibly important the citizens are told more than just the nice version of history. When Oppenheimer challenged this nice version, the backlash nearly destroyed him.

Buy this book, borrow it, just read it. This book contains forgotten history every American needs to know.

A Splendid Enigma.......2007-08-09

There was a time when scientists where revered in the same way that athletes, entertainers, and celebrities are today. The first half of the 20th century was a time of great scientific and technological development and achievement. Despite global struggles with depression, war and ideological strife, the promise of a bright future delivered by brilliant men in universities and laboratories, offered a vision of a brave new world. The dark side of this lay in man's own capacity for self-destruction if ethics and morals failed to keep pace with scientific advancement. Would the new frontiers of science create a new Eden, or would it destroy the fruits of civilization? Specifically, would the unleashed power of the atom bring peace and abundance, or would it foster terror among the nations of the world?

AMERICAN PROMOTHEUS: THE TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY OF J. ROBERT OPPENHEIMER chronicles the life and times of the splendid enigma - Oppie - the brilliant physicist who became a shepherd of geniuses. These were the members of the team at Los Alamos who created the atomic bomb - the weapon that ended World War II and brought "peace" to the world in a blinding flash of radioactivity.

The authors, Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin have collaborated in this Pulitzer Prize winning exploration of "Oppie" in a level of detail not previously seen in previous biographies. From Oppenheimer's early life to his years as a student and prodigy, internationally renowned academic to the Los Alamos Atomic Bomb Project and its cold war aftermath, the authors provide a telling multi-textural portrait of a man both loved and hated by fellow scientists, politicians, and ethicists. The consequences of his intellectual curiosity and affinity of communistic ideals in the early years of the Cold War amidst the shameful paranoia of McCarthyism provide an insight into the man's human frailties as well as his intellectual strengths. The revocation of Oppenheimer's security clearance amidst such political turmoil sheds light on a controversial period in American history.

The book is well researched and documented. The narrative flows well, despite some repetition in chapters devoted to Oppenheimer's 1930s political activities. It is a compelling and comprehensive biography of one of the most elusive personalities in American and World History.

Complex, but very approachable.......2007-06-30

This is an extremely well-written, engaging, and engrossing tale of an equally complex and brilliant man. The degree of his humanness -- unapologetically raw; the degree of his metal abilities -- virtually unmatched. A great read for any fan of science, mathematics, or the history of science. You won't be able to put it down once you start it.

Average customer rating:

Book is hard to read, even for a nuclear engineering student

Nuclear Reactor Physics
Weston M. Stacey
Manufacturer: Wiley-Interscience
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0471391271

Book Description

An authoritative textbook and up-to-date professional's guide to basic and advanced principles and practices
Nuclear reactors now account for a significant portion of the electrical power generated worldwide. At the same time, the past few decades have seen an ever-increasing number of industrial, medical, military, and research applications for nuclear reactors. Nuclear reactor physics is the core discipline of nuclear engineering, and as the first comprehensive textbook and reference on basic and advanced nuclear reactor physics to appear in a quarter century, this book fills a large gap in the professional literature.
Nuclear Reactor Physics is a textbook for students new to the subject, for others who need a basic understanding of how nuclear reactors work, as well as for those who are, or wish to become, specialists in nuclear reactor physics and reactor physics computations. It is also a valuable resource for engineers responsible for the operation of nuclear reactors. Dr. Weston Stacey begins with clear presentations of the basic physical principles, nuclear data, and computational methodology needed to understand both the static and dynamic behaviors of nuclear reactors. This is followed by in-depth discussions of advanced concepts, including extensive treatment of neutron transport computational methods. As an aid to comprehension and quick mastery of computational skills, he provides numerous examples illustrating step-by-step procedures for performing the calculations described and chapter-end problems.
Nuclear Reactor Physics is a useful textbook and working reference. It is an excellent self-teaching guide for research scientists, engineers, and technicians involved in industrial, research, and military applications of nuclear reactors, as well as government regulators who wish to increase their understanding of nuclear reactors.

Customer Reviews:

Book is hard to read, even for a nuclear engineering student.......2007-10-06

My professor was so excited when this new book came out. As we started reading it, we realized that the doctor who wrote this book was aiming it at an audience who would already know all of this, never really introducing any new terms or reviewing in any way the new materials to allow the student (who is supposed to be learning it for the first time) to really learn the subject. We ended up switching back to the old book for the remainder of the class. Over all, don't buy unless you already know what you are talking about.

Average customer rating:

Excellent book for beginning graduate students
The former review is for the wrong book.
Challenging but well worth the effort for motivated students

Classical Electromagnetic Radiation
Mark A. Heald , and Jerry B. Marion
Manufacturer: Brooks Cole
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Classical Dynamics of Particles and Systems
Introduction to Electrodynamics (3rd Edition)
$Introduction to Diffraction in Materials Science and Engineering$ Introduction to Diffraction in Materials Science and Engineering
Fundamentals of Statistical and Thermal Physics (McGraw-Hill Series in Fundamentals of Physics)
Spacetime Physics

ASIN: 0030972779

Book Description

The revision of this highly acclaimed text is designed for use in advanced physics courses--intermediate level juniors or first year graduates. Basic knowledge of vector calculus and Fourier analysis is assumed. In this edition, a very accessible macroscopic view of classical electromagnetics is presented with emphasis on integrating electromagnetic theory with physical optics. The presentation follows the historical development of physics, culminating in the final chapter, which uses four-vector relativity to fully integrate electricity with magnetism.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent book for beginning graduate students.......2003-12-20

This book covers many important topics in electromagnetic theory including many areas in Optics, like diffraction,..etc. It fills a gap between the undergrad text books and the more advance graduate EM texts (like Jackson's,.. etc). The materials are easy to follow and understand with no lack of mathematical rigors.
Execllent text for beginning graduate students.

The former review is for the wrong book........2001-06-19

Hi folks I just wrote this to caution you that the former reviewer is inadverently reviewing the MECHANICS book by the same author. To be short I would give this book four stars. It does a little bit of static phenomena and boundary value problems and jumps to radiation justifying the title. The level of the book is in between a grad course and an undergrad course. I think it is ideal for self study for grad students.

Challenging but well worth the effort for motivated students.......1999-06-20

An excellent textbook on classical dynamics for the 'grown-up' student who wants mathematical rigor along with physical insights. Working through this book requires considerable effort and thought on the student's part, but is well worth the time spent. Highly recommended for the serious student who is not afraid of hard work.

Atom-Photon Interactions: Basic Processes and Applications (Wiley Science Paperback Series)

Average customer rating:

Very useful

Atom-Photon Interactions: Basic Processes and Applications (Wiley Science Paperback Series)
Claude Cohen-Tannoudji , Jacques Dupont-Roc , and Gilbert Grynberg
Manufacturer: Wiley-Interscience
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0471293369

Book Description

Atom-Photon Interactions: Basic Processes and Applications allows the reader to master various aspects of the physics of the interaction between light and matter. It is devoted to the study of the interactions between photons and atoms in atomic and molecular physics, quantum optics, and laser physics. The elementary processes in which photons are emitted, absorbed, scattered, or exchanged between atoms are treated in detail and described using diagrammatic representation. The book presents different theoretical approaches, including:
* Perturbative methods
* The resolvent method
* Use of the master equation
* The Langevin equation
* The optical Bloch equations
* The dressed-atom approach

Each method is presented in a self-contained manner so that it may be studied independently. Many applications of these approaches to simple and important physical phenomena are given to illustrate the potential and limitations of each method.

Customer Reviews:

Very useful.......2000-06-26

Atom Photon Interactions is an excellent text for atomic and optical physics. I refer back to the review material---transition amplitudes, quantum electrodynamic fundamentals, etc--- over and over again. Naturally, these sections are very brief, and the book works best along side Cohen-Tannoudji's more elementary texts Quantum Mechanics and Photons and Atoms, or their equivalents.

The later chapters are rich in techniques and intuition applicable to atom-trapping, spectroscopy, laser theory, etc. Cohen-Tannoudji covers a lot of material, and manages to link it all to a few basic fundamental principles. The book is extremely well-organized, with bite-sized sections and appendices to each chapter. An excellent collection of exercises with solutions is included in the back. Unfortunately, the text does not prompt the reader to try working these problems at appropriate times (sadly, I didn't realize the exercises were there until I'd been using the book for some time). Like Photons and Atoms, this is primarily a book for theorists; its one weakness, I feel, is that the principles, however clear, never seem connected to the actual numbers that an experimentalist or system designer can relate to.

Average customer rating:

Is this the best non-fiction book ever written?

From soup to nuts

How do you define "Making"?

atomic bomb

interesting, thorough history

The Making of the Atomic Bomb
Richard Rhodes
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Dark Sun: The Making of the Hydrogen Bomb

American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer

Now It Can Be Told: The Story of the Manhattan Project (Quality Paperbacks Series)

109 East Palace: Robert Oppenheimer and the Secret City of Los Alamos

The Day After Trinity

ASIN: 0684813785

Amazon.com

If the first 270 pages of this book had been published separately, they would have made up a lively, insightful, beautifully written history of theoretical physics and the men and women who plumbed the mysteries of the atom. Along with the following 600 pages, they become a sweeping epic, filled with terror and pity, of the ultimate scientific quest: the development of the ultimate weapon. Rhodes is a peerless explainer of difficult concepts; he is even better at chronicling the personalities who made the discoveries that led to the Bomb. Niels Bohr dominates the first half of the book as J. Robert Oppenheimer does the second; both men were gifted philosophers of science as well as brilliant physicists. The central irony of this book, which won a National Book Critics Circle Award, is that the greatest minds of the century contributed to the greatest destructive force in history.

Book Description

Here for the first time, in rich, human, political, and scientific detail, is the complete story of how the bomb was developed, from the turn-of-the-century discovery of the vast energy locked inside the atom to the dropping of the first bombs on Japan.

Few great discoveries have evolved so swiftly -- or have been so misunderstood. From the theoretical discussions of nuclear energy to the bright glare of Trinity there was a span of hardly more than twenty-five years. What began as merely an interesting speculative problem in physics grew into the Manhattan Project, and then into the Bomb with frightening rapidity, while scientists known only to their peers -- Szilard, Teller, Oppenheimer, Bohr, Meitner, Fermi, Lawrence, and yon Neumann -- stepped from their ivory towers into the limelight.

Richard Rhodes takes us on that journey step by step, minute by minute, and gives us the definitive story of man's most awesome discovery and invention. The Making of the Atomic Bomb has been compared in its sweep and importance to William L. Shirer's The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. It is at once a narrative tour de force and a document as powerful as its subject.

Customer Reviews:

Is this the best non-fiction book ever written?.......2007-08-03

Read this one. It has that wonderful and rare convergence of a fantastic story, great science, and distinguished writing and storytelling. Richard Rhodes learned a lot for this, then distilled it down, synthesized the information, and made it fascinating. I don't have a single complaint, it's just great. Just read it again for the first time in twenty years. Only "tickling the dragon's tail" came back, which is dropping a slug of U235 thru a hole in another similar mass, an early experiment.

From soup to nuts.......2007-04-21

I had been looking for a complete history of the making of the atomic bomb for many years. Imagine my pleasure at discovering this Pulitzer Prize winning tome on the budget rack at my local book store. Most books on this subject focus on only one aspect, the scientists, the science, Groves but this book brilliantly covers all aspects of the making of the bomb. Even more fascinating was the development of the theories and discoveries which led the leading scientists of the day to the understanding that the splitting of the atom and the awesome release of power that this would engender, was even possible. At over 900 pages you might think that this read would be tedious, but it is impossible to put this book down.

How do you define "Making"?.......2007-03-21

It's not what I thought it would be but I'm struggling to come up with a suitable title. "Fusion - Epiphany to Actuality - The Lead-Up to the Atomic Bomb" is about the best I can do. It should have stopped at the first critical mass.

The actual 'Making' happened after the theory/experimentation, which is this book's primary focus. The actual 'making' was what I was primarily interested in learning about - Los Alamos, Oak Ridge, etc., where the gadget was actually 'made'. Incredibly very short-shrift is given to this despite the length of the book.

"The Making of the Atomic Bomb" is remarkable in it's own right. But while we're not supposed to judge a book by its cover I thought we might at least have a reasonable chance at judging the topic by its title. Apparently not.

atomic bomb.......2007-01-17

The Atomic Bomb
By Dakota Moxon

Why did Japan surrender? If you guessed that it was when the United States dropped the atomic bombs on Japan you are right. Do you know why we decided to drop the atomic bombs on Japan? I chose the atomic bomb because it brought the biggest war to an end.
I think World War 2 was the biggest war in the world. I thought this was the scariest war when the United States dropped the atomic bombs. World War 2 had claimed many lives on both sides before Germany surrendered. President Truman now wanted to end the war in Japan. Before the start of World War 2 Albert Einstein contacted President Franklin D. Roosevelt and made him aware that a great bomb could be made. After much thought and prayer, President Truman made the decision to use an atomic bomb instead of invading. President Truman knew that many more Americans and Japanese would die if we invaded. American war planners thought that about one million Japanese soldiers and people would be killed and about 500,000 Americans would be killed.
President Truman had airplanes drop little pieces of paper warning the people to get out of the city. He contacted the Japanese and asked them to surrender so we would not have to drop the atomic bomb. They did not surrender. On August 2nd, 1945 the first atomic bomb named "Little Boy" was dropped on Hiroshima. The Japanese would still not surrender so we dropped the second atomic bomb named "Fat Man" on Nagasaki on August 9th. Finally, on August 14th, Japan announced its surrender.
I think it was sad because many people died when we dropped the atomic bombs. Even though many people died, many people were saved because we did not invade. Many more people would have died if we did. I hope we do not have to drop another atomic bomb again. If I had to be in war I would hope that it would be the last war in history.

interesting, thorough history.......2007-01-12

awesome read! though it is many pages long, it is pretty easy to read, and it is very detailed. the pictures in the book do an excellent job showing the damage. the personal accounts of the survivors of the bombs are so moving and really make you think.

An Introduction to the Physics of High Energy Accelerators (Wiley Series in Beam Physics and Accelerator Technology)

Average customer rating:

An excellent introduction

An Introduction to the Physics of High Energy Accelerators (Wiley Series in Beam Physics and Accelerator Technology)
D. A. Edwards , and M. J. Syphers
Manufacturer: Wiley-Interscience
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0471551635

Book Description

The first half deals with the motion of a single particle under the influence of electronic and magnetic fields. The basic language of linear and circular accelerators is developed. The principle of phase stability is introduced along with phase oscillations in linear accelerators and synchrotrons. Presents a treatment of betatron oscillations followed by an excursion into nonlinear dynamics and its application to accelerators. The second half discusses intensity dependent effects, particularly space charge and coherent instabilities. Includes tables of parameters for a selection of accelerators which are used in the numerous problems provided at the end of each chapter.

Customer Reviews:

An excellent introduction.......2000-05-18

This book is a superb introduction to the field of acclereator physics. Starting with a basic knowledge of relativity and E&M is all that is necessary. Edwards and Syphers do a great job of "building" an accelerator in their book and using operating parameters of real world accelerators (mostly the Tevatron) for their numerical examples.

My only complaint is that some of the problems could be worded more clearly and concisely

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