The Geometry of Physics: An Introduction, Second Edition

Book Description

Theodore Frankel explains those parts of exterior differential forms, differential geometry, algebraic and differential topology, Lie groups, vector bundles and Chern forms essential to a better understanding of classical and modern physics and engineering. Key highlights of his new edition are the inclusion of three new appendices that cover symmetries, quarks, and meson masses; representations and hyperelastic bodies; and orbits and Morse-Bott Theory in compact Lie groups. Geometric intuition is developed through a rather extensive introduction to the study of surfaces in ordinary space. First Edition Hb (1997): 0-521-38334-X First Edition Pb (1999): 0-521-38753-1

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic - for the scientist.......2007-07-18

A very good book: buy it. But only if you are a scientist or student of physics/mathematics. This is not popular-science-common-public level.

a book worth keeping.......2007-05-01

This book can be quite confusing if you start without any background on the idea of manifold or knows nothing about general relativity. However, it does have strong points:

1. The notation is very up-to-date, and is entirely coordinate-independant approach.

2. The author explains in great details of formulation of modern differential geometry, and the details are comparatively lacking in other reference books.

3. The author never hesitate to use graphs and diagrams to illustrate points, and stroke nice balance in between mathematics rigor and physical insight.

Although it appears quite verbose at some point, it is mainly because differential geometry is such a heavy subject. Another book nice to have as companion reading is Goldburg's "Tensor analysis on Manifold", a terse, well-written text book.

Phenomenal .......2006-11-13

I just finished reading this book and I found it phenomenal. The physical ideas are made very clear in a natural mathematical framework.

You should buy this, despite its flaws.......2006-03-03

The other reviews on this page give this book anywhere from 1 to 5 stars, and they are all correct in their own way. The book is inspired, deep and full of physics applications and insights. On the other hand, it skims over mathematical rigor to a large degree and focuses more on defining things, getting a feel for them and moving on to application.

My advice: buy the book for its strengths, and read other books in parallel if you need more rigor. But still, buy it.

Also, things can be confusing on the first two or three reads, but keep at it and you will be glad you did.

The perfect first book in differential geometry.......2005-01-28

Differential geometry can be a very intimidating subject due to its heavy formalism. There are complete books (such as Kobayashi& Nomizu) very good as reference books, and there very few books that show the reader the picture behind the formulas.

This is one such book. It tells you the intuition behind each construction and from this point of view it has many things in common with Arnold's famous book on Math. Methods in Classical Mechanics. But where as Arnold does not pay too much attention to formalism, this book achieves this task as well. It shows the reader how to do those impossible computations as well.

This is definitely the first place to look at if you want to really learn differential geometry. If it seems difficult it is only because the subject is so.

Introduction to Computational Science: Modeling and Simulation for the Sciences

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Introduction to Computational Science: Modeling and Simulation for the Sciences
Angela B. Shiflet
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0691125651

Book Description

Computational science is a quickly emerging field at the intersection of the sciences, computer science, and mathematics because much scientific investigation now involves computing as well as theory and experiment. However, limited educational materials exist in this field. Introduction to Computational Science fills this void with a flexible, readable textbook that assumes only a background in high school algebra and enables instructors to follow tailored pathways through the material. It is the first textbook designed specifically for an introductory course in the computational science and engineering curriculum.

The text embraces two major approaches to computational science problems: System dynamics models with their global views of major systems that change with time; and cellular automaton simulations with their local views of how individuals affect individuals. While the text is generic, an extensive author-generated Web-site contains tutorials and files in a variety of software packages to accompany the text.

Generic software approach in the text
Web site with tutorials and files in a variety of software packages
Engaging examples, exercises, and projects that explore science
Additional, substantial projects for students to develop individually or in teams
Consistent application of the modeling process
Quick review questions and answers
Projects for students to develop individually or in teams
Reference sections for most modules, as well as a glossary
Online instructor's manual with a test bank and solutions

Introduction to the Finite Element Method

Average customer rating:

The perfect reference to start with FEM
a very good book
It is one of my best list.
THE BOOK
One of the Best Textbooks in FE

Introduction to the Finite Element Method
J. N. Reddy
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Science/Engineering/Math
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0070513554

Book Description

The second edition is intended for the junior-senior-graduate level course in finite element method. This text includes a step-by-step, systematic approach to the formulation and analysis of differential and integral equations in variational forms for use as finite element methods.

Customer Reviews:

The perfect reference to start with FEM.......2007-03-12

Dr. JN Reddy's "An Introduction to the FEM" serves as a stand-alone and all-inclusive reference text. After reading the first two chapters, I felt perfectly comfortable with the logical sequence by which ideas and methodology of FEM are presented. The author has delivered the analysis of 1D problems in an easy-to-follow manner i.e. from bar, truss, beam and frames before proceeding to the time-dependent problems. His FEM1D program proves to be an effective, academically driven tool to apply the fundamentals of finite element analysis to computer.

a very good book.......2003-08-15

I learnt FE from this book. It is clear, coincise, full of well-worked examples. It covers almost all of the aspectes of FE programming. The book contains two educational codes, thought both are FORTRAN77 code, one can easily understand what's going on, so as to rewrite it in C or, say, FORTRAN90.

The first s chapters of the book regard the FEm method in general, the 4th focuses on structural mechanics, 5th is about errors in FE analysis, 6th and 7th about numerical integration and 8th is on 2 and 3 dimension FE problem.

Actually this is an introductory book, so the 2 and 3 D problems are not deeply trated.

The book is never hard to understand, and it's suitable (waw!!) for self study.

It is one of my best list........2002-05-05

Just completing his second and third chapter in FE formulation, you cannot deny Dr.Reddy's ingenius in FE. His solid background in Variational Calculus will enlight you the real nature of Finite Element approximation and bring you understand how can fomulate FE statement from BVP. Don't be bored in his mathematical written styles, because you could not understand FE in other ways. Absolutely, this book is one in my best list of FE textbook. His enlightment could not be found in a plenty of FE textbooks sold in your bookstore. Just read it!!! You may think like me.

THE BOOK.......2002-02-11

This book is a nice starting point for FEM modeling.I have had experience with contol volume and finite difference and am trying to catch on FEM.It helps me where i need help. There is this other
book by Schaums that complements this book. He goes into finite elements from the very basic engineering calculus. This book taught me finite elements. And i have published in FEM since. Quite a few papers as a matter of fact.

I have bought a second book on Finite Elements authored by him. I am in love with the book. The mathematical formulations....the very fact that it looks so abstruse that is the reason i love it..clarity of thought i respect like mad! And he has it all!!!

One of the Best Textbooks in FE.......2000-11-23

Not only was I introduced to the infinite world of Finite Elements through this book, but I have also used it in the FE class I teach at UCSD. I have found the variational formulations approach most helpful as it fits anyone in the various disciplines of engineering and applied mathematics. "Give me the field equation and I shall develop the FE model" is the motto I have used to build a career in FE; and Dr. Reddy's Book was certainly the cornerstone. OK..I am biased...Dr. Reddy was my doctoral advisior; he is the best in the business.

Customer Reviews:

A Breakthrough in Undergraduate Texts.......2007-03-15

A book I really wouldn't have thought could have been written. There are a lot of books on general relativity at the superficial level, call these books 'mathless.' There are monumental tomes aimed at the graduate student level, call these books 'tensor calculus.' Here is a book exquisitely positioned between these others. The student will need to have had differential calculus, and perhaps a bit of basic physics, and with these he will get a pretty good, introductory understanding of General Relativity.

The real key to this book is that it explains a lot, but then it open up a bunch of other questions, questions that we really haven't answered yet -- things like dark matter, dark energy, accelerating expansion of the universe, and more.

The book ends with: 'How can physics live up to its true greatness except by a new revolution in outlook which dwarfs all past revolutions? And when it comes, will we not say to each other, Oh, how beautiful and simple it all is! How could we ever have missed it so long.'

That's just the awe, the vision, that we want new and budding physicists to have.

Good book if you like mathematics!.......2007-01-05

This is the best book about General relativity ( GR ) that I have ever read. Instead of trying to explain GR with words the author is using mathematics to to illustrate some of the consequences of GR. This means that some mathematical knowledge is required ( but not knowledge about tensors and dfferential forms ) and that the reader need to spend some time with paper and pencil to truly understand the text. The examples is concentrated on what is happening around black holes but the advance of Mercury's perihelion and the slowing of light around the Sun is also described. A very good book!

Amazing Introduction to a Very Esoteric Subject.......2006-06-11

Einstein's general theory of relativity is perhaps one of the most mathematically intense areas of research any physicist or astronomer could undertake. However this book takes the subject and turns it into a joyous romp through curved spacetime.

By avoiding the field equations and focusing on their solutions the authors impart to the eager student an overview of general relativity and set the stage for a more rigorous approach to be undertaken later. This book is the perfect introduction to the subject.

The book is well suited for advanced undergraduates who have had several hours of physics and mathematics. It is likewise suited to serve as a introductory text for graduate students that are studying astrophysics and astronomy. In the latter case the text serves well as an overview of what general relativity is, many of its findings, its predictions, and its relevance to observational astronomy.

If you have a basic understanding of calculus and have studied the special theory of relativity in some detail then this book is well suited to your needs.

Excellent delivery!.......2005-09-25

This book was delivered in immaculate condition and is exactly how I was hoping it would be. Thank you for your product and i hope to do business with you again!

Sincerely,

Travis

Gives an intuitive understanding of General Relativity.......2005-08-18

This book sidesteps the hard work needed to motivate and develop the Einstein field equations, and goes directly to one of the most important solutions of the equations, the Schwarzschild solution, which gives rise to the concept of a black hole. By exploring what observers in different parts of space-time would experience along their different trajectories (whether falling into a black hole or watching from a safe spot far away), Taylor and Wheeler manage to convey an intuitive understanding for such typical GR "paradoxes" such as the fact that the same "event" (the crossing over of an object through the event horizon) can be seen to take 15 minutes, or forever, depending on who's watching it.

Because of what it omits, this book is not a complete presentation of GR. It does present the most fun part of GR, however, in a way that is mathematically accessible.

Along the way, a few side questions are adddressed, like "How painful would it be to be squished/torn apart as I fall into a black hole?" A lot of time is also spent explaining how the weird trajectories of light within the event horizon will transmogrify what is seen by the observer.

This is a great book and a lot of fun. I am also left with a greater motivation to go back to a more complete presentation, to be convinced that "this is where you have to end up". Although much longer, this book is a worthy successor to the original output of this dynamic duo, "Spacetime Physics".

Average customer rating:

Review of Knapp's "Lie groups: beyond an introduction."

Lie Groups: Beyond an Introduction
Anthony W. Knapp
Manufacturer: Birkhäuser Boston
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Accessories:

ASIN: 0817642595

Book Description

From reviews of the first edition: "The important feature of the present book is that it starts from the beginning (with only a very modest knowledge assumed) and covers all important topics... The book is very carefully organized [and] ends with 20 pages of useful historic comments. Such a comprehensive and carefully written treatment of fundamentals of the theory will certainly be a basic reference and text book in the future." -- Newsletter of the EMS "This is a fundamental book and none, beginner or expert, could afford to ignore it. Some results are really difficult to be found in other monographs, while others are for the first time included in a book." -- Mathematica "Each chapter begins with an excellent summary of the content and ends with an exercise section... This is really an outstanding book, well written and beautifully produced. It is both a graduate text and a monograph, so it can be recommended to graduate students as well as to specialists." -- Publicationes Mathematicae Lie Groups Beyond an Introduction takes the reader from the end of introductory Lie group theory to the threshold of infinite-dimensional group representations. Merging algebra and analysis throughout, the author uses Lie-theoretic methods to develop a beautiful theory having wide applications in mathematics and physics. A feature of the presentation is that it encourages the reader's comprehension of Lie group theory to evolve from beginner to expert: initial insights make use of actual matrices, while later insights come from such structural features as properties of root systems, or relationships among subgroups, or patterns among different subgroups. Topics include a description of all simply connected Lie groups in terms of semisimple Lie groups and semidirect products, the Cartan theory of complex semisimple Lie algebras, the Cartan-Weyl theory of the structure and representations of compact Lie groups and representations of complex semisimple Lie algebras, the classification of real semisimple Lie algebras, the structure theory of noncompact reductive Lie groups as it is now used in research, and integration on reductive groups. Many problems, tables, and bibliographical notes complete this comprehensive work, making the text suitable either for self-study or for courses in the second year of graduate study and beyond.

Customer Reviews:

Review of Knapp's "Lie groups: beyond an introduction.".......2002-08-13

The short version: this is a superbly written and conceived book; if I had to learn this material (the basic theory of
structure and representation of Lie algebras and groups,
especially semimsimple ones) from a single book, this is
the one I'd choose, among those I've seen. If you know the
basics of abstract algebra and some very basic concepts from
topology and manifolds, and you want to learn this material,
use this book. It would be a good reference, too, as it is
easy to find things in it, and takes a fairly modern, sophisticated approach (without sacrificing motivation and
intuition).

The long version, if you want more convincing or details:

I have used several books recently in learning the structure and
representation theory of Lie algebras and groups (especially Humphreys' Introduction to Lie algebras and representation theory, Fulton
and Harris' "Representation Theory," Varadarajan's "Lie groups,
Lie algebras, and their representations.") Although I came to Knapp's book with a decent background from the others, I think it's the best pedagogically, for someone with a modicum of mathematical sophistication and some basics like abstract
algebra and an idea of what a smooth manifold is), and a smattering of Lie theory. Some examples of the book's strength:
Elementary but potentially confusing concepts (like complexification, real forms, field extensions)
are explained thoroughly but in a sophisticated way, rather
than viewed as obvious. Carefully chosen examples motivate and
clarify the general theory; consequently even though the book
is completely rigorous, and carefully delineates lemmas, proofs,
remarks, definitions, and the like, it seems less dry then some
others (e.g. Varadarajan, from my point of view). But the point
of the examples, and their relation to the general theory, is
made clear, so they do not provide an overload of detail or b
obscure the main structure. Thought is always given to the
reader's understanding, not just to logical correctness, though
the author also takes the point of view, with which I concur,
that logical clarity and sufficient detail are essential
to understanding. Relations between ideas, alternative
proofs, and the structure of the theory to come are discussed
thoroughly, but such discussion is clearly demarcated from
the main structure of the argument, so that the latter is never
obscured. This is a fantastic book, and exactly what I was
looking for. Whether you are learning the material for the
first time, or want to review it or refer to, it is a superb
source.

Average customer rating:

A good book for introduction

An excellent introduction

A excellent introduction to chaos

fundamental, systematic

Good book!

Chaos and Nonlinear Dynamics: An Introduction for Scientists and Engineers
Robert Hilborn
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos: With Applications to Physics, Biology, Chemistry and Engineering

Chaos and Time-Series Analysis

Nonlinear Time Series Analysis

Dynamical Systems with Applications using MATLAB

Chaos in Dynamical Systems

ASIN: 0198507232

Book Description

Chaos and Nonlinear Dynamics introduces students, scientists, and engineers to the full range of activity in the rapidly growing field on nonlinear dynamics. Using a step-by-step introduction to dynamics and geometry in state space as the central focus of understanding nonlinear dynamics, this book includes a thorough treatment of both differential equation models and iterated map models (including a derivation of the famous Feigenbaum numbers). It is the only book at this level to include the increasingly important field of pattern formation and a survey of the controversial questions of quantum chaos. Important tools such as Lyapunov exponents and fractal dimensions are treated in detail. With over 200 figures and diagrams, and analytic and computer exercises for every chapter, the book can be used as a course-text or for self-instruction. This second edition has been restructured to make the book even more useful as a course text:many of the more complex examples and derivations have been moved to appendices. The extensive collection of annotated references has been updated through January 2000 and now includes listings of World Wide Web sites at many of the major nonlinear dynamics research centers. From reviews on the 1/e: 'What has been lacking is a single book that takes the reader with nothing but a knowledge of elementary calculus and physics all the way to the frontiers of research in chaos and nonlinear dynamics in all its facets. [...] a serious student, teacher, or researcher would be delighted to have this book on the shelf as a reference and as a window to the literature in this exciting and rapidly growing new field of chaos.' J.C. Sprott, American Journal of Physics, September 19944 'I congratulate the author on having managed to write an extremely thorough, comprehensive, and entertaining introduction to the fascinating field of nonlinear dynamics. His book is highly self- explanatory and ideally suited for self-instruction. There is hardly any question that the author does not address in an exceptionally readable manner. [...] I strongly recommend it to those looking for a comprehensive, practical, and not highly mathematical approach to the subject.' E.A. Hunt, IEEE Spectrum, December 1994

Customer Reviews:

A good book for introduction.......2007-05-22

I have recently bought this book. I have been studying on evolution of the test particles in a particular planewave spacetimes, and I have realized that the system admits a non-integrable structure. I should investigate whether the particle motion emerges chaos or not. But, my knowledge on chaos was almost zero, before buying this book. Now, I am going to complete the full analysis of the book, and I am much more familiar to the concept of chaos. However, this book can be used for just begining. To proceed to the advanced problems you should look for other materials, especially to the articles about chaos. I advise this book as a first book to start chaos.
Dr. Izzet Sakalli

An excellent introduction.......2007-03-09

Covers the basics in an in-depth manner, and exposes the reader to a wide range of exciting problems in dynamical systems theory. THE book to start with if one is interested in chaos.

A excellent introduction to chaos.......2003-11-25

This is an accessible and readable introductory textbook on chaos and nonlinear dynamics. It focuses on the ideas behind the theory of chaos, rather than on the details of the mathematics which can sometimes hinder rather than help the reader gain real insight into the mechanisms of nonlinear systems.

By this I do not mean that the author skips over the required mathematics. The text is intended for people with a solid background in differential equations, and some familiarity with classical dynamical systems is also helpful if not completely necessary. I would say it is targeted for advanced undergraduate or beginning graduate students in the mathematical sciences, as well as scientists/engineers with no background in chaos theory. However he does not get bogged down in mathematics at the expense of physical insight. I have been studying the book on my own and have run into few problems in understanding the explanations.

The first chapter goes over 3 chaotic systems as a practical way of introducing the reader to various features of such systems. This provides a basis of practical experience to draw upon for the rest of the book, where the principles of chaos are examined in greater detail. The extensive references given in the book are a valuable addition that can be used to further explore the scientific literature. The references include journal papers as well as books, articles, and software for dynamical systems.

If you have the requisite mathematical background and want to learn the basics of chaos and nonlinear dynamics, I highly recommend this book.

fundamental, systematic.......2001-11-07

If you are looking for a textbook or reference on chaos theory, I recommend you to buy this book.

If you read other books, you will eventually comment,'chaos is something related to mathematics, very abstract, has nothing to do with my messy bedroom...'

But if you read this book, you will scream,'Great! I have figured out the richness of the nonlinear world. I understand the different dynamical routes to chaos. I know different quantifying methods with their pros and cons. Most fascinating is that chaos is related to pattern formation and self organization, which I consider them as another field of knowledge before. Also chaos may provide a new approach to quantum mechanics, a good news for those including me who do not believe in the parallel universe interpretation. By the way, I learnt a lot from this book!'

Good book!.......2000-08-05

If you want to get on into chaos, just read this book. I especially like the very wide scope of the subjects considered and the insight provided by the author in pattern formation or quantum chaos.

Introduction to Mechanics and Symmetry: A Basic Exposition of Classical Mechanical Systems (Texts in Applied Mathematics)

Average customer rating:

Style and Grace
certainly not for self-study
whatch the index

Introduction to Mechanics and Symmetry: A Basic Exposition of Classical Mechanical Systems (Texts in Applied Mathematics)
Jerrold E. Marsden , and Tudor S. Ratiu
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 038798643X

Book Description

Symmetry has always played an important role in mechanics, from fundamental formulations of basic principles to concrete applications. The theme of the book is to develop the basic theory and applications of mechanics with an emphasis on the role of symmetry. In recent times, the interest in mechanics, and in symmetry techniques in particular, has accelerated because of developments in dynamical systems, the use of geometric methods and new applications to integrable and chaotic systems, control systems, stability and bifurcation, and the study of specific rigid, fluid, plasma and elastic systems. Introduction to Mechanics and Symmetry lays the basic foundation for these topics and includes numerous specific applications, making it beneficial to physicists and engineers. This text has specific examples and applications showing how the theory works, and up-to-date techniques, all of which makes it accessible to a wide variety of readers, expecially senior undergraduate and graduate students in mathematics, physics and engineering. For this second edition, the text has been rewritten and updated for clarity throughout, with a major revamping and expansion of the exercises. Internet supplements containing additional material are also available on-line.

Customer Reviews:

Style and Grace.......2006-04-27

As mathematically sophisticated as Arnold but, unlike Arnold, Marsden has the good grace to properly define fundamentals such as the various spaces and transformations used. The introductory exposition of similarities and differences of Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics is most helpful and refreshing.

certainly not for self-study.......2005-04-14

This review is for Engineers. The back cover of the book says that it is accessible to advanced undergrads... to engineers etc. I am doing PhD in engineering and I have taken many classes in Math (including differential geometry, topology, analysis, PDEs, abstract algebra) and Mechanics. With great difficulty
I read this book (about 50% of the book). It is not well-organized.

The theory is not carefully developed. For example, the first
chapter is one of the difficult chapters to understand all the
things as it tries to give the summary of the book. The Chapter
9 (on Lie groups) says that the definition on Lie Algebra is
in the Introduction (it is not clear whether it is in the Introduction of the chapter or in the Introduction of the
book). After seeing in the index, one can find that it is in the Introduction of the text. If a person is encountering this
kind of stuff for the first time, how will he remember what is given in the Chapter 1 (given the fact that Chapter 1 is the
one of the difficult chapters to read in this book). Do n't you think it is logical to give this important definition in Chapter 9 as the previous chapters does not require this definition.

The book may be suited for a class as the professor will guide
the students. But for self-study, I do not recommend this book.
Instead I recommend the book by Arnold. Though the book by
Arnold is not as sophisticated as Marsden, it gives nice
picture for an engineer.

whatch the index.......2000-06-09

I truely liked the book, but in the edition I have got, the whole index is messed up, i.e. you find the keyword a few pages below the page given in the index. Probably this blunder will not be repeated in coming up editions...I hope so, because the book is worth being used.

A Mathematical Introduction to Fluid Mechanics (Texts in Applied Mathematics)

Average customer rating:

Stay away from this
A clean and fast presenation of fluid mechanics.

A Mathematical Introduction to Fluid Mechanics (Texts in Applied Mathematics)
Alexandre J. Chorin , and Jerrold E. Marsden
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0387979182

Book Description

The goal of this text is to present some of the basic ideas of fluid mechanics in a mathematically attractive manner, to present the physical background and motivation for some constructions that have been used in recent mathematical and numerical work on the Navier-Stokes equations and on hyperbolic systems, and to interest some of the students in this beautiful and difficult subject. The third edition has incorporated a number of updates and revisions, but the spirit and scope of the original book are unaltered.

Customer Reviews:

Stay away from this.......2002-01-18

I've taken a 3rd year undergraduate fluid mechanics course and we've used this as our textbook. It was a complete disaster. Let me start by saying this book pays absolutely no respect to its readers - it's filled not only with typos (and lots of them!) but also with very flimsy arguments. Now, whenever I do not understand an argument I usually think that I did not get it, or perhaps I do not understand the material enough, or that I simply have to fill in the gaps - but in this book, there are no gaps, the arguments are just lousy. Some steps even seem to be wrong, and I say that after debating them for a long while with my friends. I strongly recommend you eye this book with great suspicion.

A clean and fast presenation of fluid mechanics........1998-01-25

An ideal book for the applied mathematician and mathematical physicist. This little text is deceptive in scope, covering the constitutive equations of motion, vorticity, and up through problems in gas dynamics. The book is also quite appropriate for self study, even more beneficial if studied in conjunction with G.K. Batchelor's classic text "An Introduction to Fluid Dynamics" for additional physical insight. Overall Marsden and Chorin have developed a classic introductory text.

Molecular Symmetry and Group Theory : A Programmed Introduction to Chemical Applications, 2nd Edition

Average customer rating:

Best in its field
Pretty good reference and quick read
Great for beginners
Exam tomorrow, and still in confusion with group theory...?

Molecular Symmetry and Group Theory : A Programmed Introduction to Chemical Applications, 2nd Edition
Alan Vincent
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0471489395

Book Description

This substantially revised and expanded new edition of the bestselling textbook, addresses the difficulties that can arise with the mathematics that underpins the study of symmetry, and acknowledges that group theory can be a complex concept for students to grasp.

Written in a clear, concise manner, the author introduces a series of programmes that help students learn at their own pace and enable to them understand the subject fully. Readers are taken through a series of carefully constructed exercises, designed to simplify the mathematics and give them a full understanding of how this relates to the chemistry.

This second edition contains a new chapter on the projection operator method. This is used to calculate the form of the normal modes of vibration of a molecule and the normalised wave functions of hybrid orbitals or molecular orbitals.

The features of this book include:

A concise, gentle introduction to symmetry and group theory
Takes a programmed learning approach
New material on projection operators, and the calcultaion of normal modes of vibration and normalised wave functions of orbitals

This book is suitable for all students of chemistry taking a first course in symmetry and group theory.

Customer Reviews:

Best in its field.......2007-02-13

I bought this book because it is advised from one of my classmates of Transition metal chemistry.
If you need to learn molecular symmetry, this book is very good. It teachs in a logical order. The only not good part may be its size. I prefer bigger books so you can easily bend. So you should be polite to this book when reading.
It is also expensive for its size but if you need to learn the molecular symmetry and/or group theory, this book is strongly recommended :)
I hope this review helps.
Happy wishes

Pretty good reference and quick read.......2006-03-28

The text does a good job of covering the subject material. It is not so advanced as to be difficult to master symmetry, matrices, and applications to vibrational spectra. The book is designed as a programme. The reader follows along and is interrupted to test his/her ability. After successful mastering of topics, the reader goes on, but if the reader does not answer the practice questions well enough, there is a guide to do more review. This is a great intro text for undergraduates, or as a reference for graduate students studying in the Inorganic field.
The text also uses great examples and has good step by step instructions. The reader can get up to speed on most of the subject material within one weekend. It is also not necessary to read the book cover to cover to get useful learning out of the text. It has a good ability to modulate the different aspects of the different subjects. Overall, worth the money.

Great for beginners.......2000-05-25

If you don't have the math background it often takes to penetrate Cotton, this book could be the answer. For learning the quick and dirty basics of the use of group theory for molecules, this is the book. The only problems are its sparseness and the high price for a 156 page book. Excellent for self-teaching, though.

Exam tomorrow, and still in confusion with group theory...?.......1999-09-26

Cotton's(or Bishop's or like that...) book on group theory is too wonderful for me to grade. But, you may agree with me, in that it really takes times! You must read those books to understand the internal structure of group theory, but if you have exam tomorrow, Vincent's will be an emergency measure. Just follow him about 5 hours. Then you can solve some crucial spectroscopy problems, make MO's, and so third. But don't forget to check the books of details. This book is just for an emergency measure. But truly great enough for that.

An Introduction to the Mechanics of Fluids (Modeling and Simulation in Science, Engineering and Technology)

Average customer rating:

Excellent
remarkable book
Disappointing

An Introduction to the Mechanics of Fluids (Modeling and Simulation in Science, Engineering and Technology)
C. Truesdell , and K.R. Rajagopal
Manufacturer: Birkhäuser Boston
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Non-Linear Field Theories of Mechanics

ASIN: 0817640142

Customer Reviews:

Excellent.......2002-09-06

This book is unique. It is the most comprehensive treatment of the basic theory of Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids that I know of.
It contains a lot of interesting material that is not treated in elementary texts and is dispersed in the research literature, and the authors present it in a rigorous but engaging manner. What I value most of the book are the insightful comments and discussions throughout; it gives one a proper perspective and a deepened understanding of the subject. The book is not suitable for a first course in fluid mechanics, but it should be an excellent text for beginning graduate students -- both engineering students who want to learn the mathematics and mathematics students who want to understand the physics.

remarkable book.......2001-05-23

There is no other introduction to fluid mechanics that even comes close to this book. I hope it becomes the standard introduction to the subject. It is unique, clear, and perceptive. The best think I can say for it is this: A student could spend decades trying reach the level of understanding they would get from reading this elegant book.

Disappointing.......2001-02-22

Because I am a big fan of previous works from one of the authors, it came as surprise to me how disappointing this new book is. The book contains a lot of material and discussions that are irrelevant to the science of Fluid Mechanics. In many occasions, the clarity of the theoretical expositions is overshadow by lateral discussions that cannot be justified on a book of such basic level. The reader is left wondering if there was agreement and understanding among the authors on the content selected for the book. I read the book and got the feeling that the book contains parts that are original and interesting. The problem is that they never coincide: when they are interesting they are not original - when they are original they are not interesting. As a whole the book did not add to my collection.

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