Superconductivity: Part 2 (In Two Parts) (Superconductivity)

Book Description

In order to equip hopeful graduate students with the knowledge necessary to pass the qualifying examination, the authors have assembled and solved standard and original problems from major American universities – Boston University, University of Chicago, University of Colorado at Boulder, Columbia, University of Maryland, University of Michigan, Michigan State, Michigan Tech, MIT, Princeton, Rutgers, Stanford, Stony Brook, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, and the University of Wisconsin at Madison – and Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. A wide range of material is covered and comparisons are made between similar problems of different schools to provide the student with enough information to feel comfortable and confident at the exam. Guide to Physics Problems is published in two volumes: this book, Part 2, covers Thermodynamics, Statistical Mechanics and Quantum Mechanics; Part 1, covers Mechanics, Relativity and Electrodynamics.

Praise for A Guide to Physics Problems: Part 2: Thermodynamics, Statistical Physics, and Quantum Mechanics:

"… A Guide to Physics Problems, Part 2 not only serves an important function, but is a pleasure to read. By selecting problems from different universities and even different scientific cultures, the authors have effectively avoided a one-sided approach to physics. All the problems are good, some are very interesting, some positively intriguing, a few are crazy; but all of them stimulate the reader to think about physics, not merely to train you to pass an exam. I personally received considerable pleasure in working the problems, and I would guess that anyone who wants to be a professional physicist would experience similar enjoyment. … This book will be a great help to students and professors, as well as a source of pleasure and enjoyment." (From Foreword by Max Dresden)

"An excellent resource for graduate students in physics and, one expects, also for their teachers." (Daniel Kleppner, Lester Wolfe Professor of Physics Emeritus, MIT)

"A nice selection of problems … Thought-provoking, entertaining, and just plain fun to solve." (Giovanni Vignale, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Missouri at Columbia)

"Interesting indeed and enjoyable. The problems are ingenious and their solutions very informative. I would certainly recommend it to all graduate students and physicists in general … Particularly useful for teachers who would like to think about problems to present in their course." (Joel Lebowitz, Rutgers University)

"A very thoroughly assembled, interesting set of problems that covers the key areas of physics addressed by Ph.D. qualifying exams. … Will prove most useful to both faculty and students. Indeed, I plan to use this material as a source of examples and illustrations that will be worked into my lectures." (Douglas Mills, University of California at Irvine)

Customer Reviews:

Sloppy.......2006-06-16

The idea behind this book is good, and the selection of problems is okay. However, there are flaws that undermine the usefulness of many of the problems. All too often there is not enough information given in a problem to solve it, and the solution will assume values for mass, temperature, etc. (i.e. pull numbers out of nowhere).

Some solutions are wrong. The first problem in the book, for example - "Sure, it's fine to sit in a sealed chamber when an atomic bomb explodes. There's no change in temperature because no molecules are escaping. What is this 'potential energy' of which you speak?"

Also, a number of the problems are not as self-contained a qual questions tend to be, and rely on you having solved other problems first (which makes it difficult to pick and choose the problems you do from this book).

And the pictures... are cute, but they are worse than useless. For example, look at P.4.3 and tell me that you expected them to assume the balloon was less than 2km from the Earth. It looks like it's farther away than the Moon. Combine this picture with the lack of information given in the problem and you have no idea what density to pick. (I used the density of the interstellar medium because of the picture. They assume the density of air at the surface of the Earth!)

It's worth looking at nonetheless, but don't buy it. It's put together in far too sloppy a fashion.

A Good Text, Not Perfect.......2005-08-03

Finding a collected set of problems in thermodynamics and quantum mechanics with their solutions is a challenge. A Guide to Physics Problems Part 2 answers that challenge well, though imperfectly. Here are the book's strengths:

- The problems are varied and cover lots of ground.
- There are not hundreds of problems just for the sake of having hundreds of problems. Problems are selected carefully to make sure that they don't overlap concepts. This means you'll do a few problems on each topic, with each problem requiring different skills and techniques. Repitition is thankfully minimized.
- Problems are written clearly and succintly.
- All problems seem "fair". These are concepts I would expect to see tested on graduate level exams.

But there are also weaknesses:

- The solutions are not always crystal clear. At times, I found myself wondering where particular equations came from.
- I found certain concepts not covered well. For example, in the quantum mechanics section, I don't recall any problems regarding free particle states.

Overall, this is a solid and useful purchase. While not perfect, it's still one of the better resources out there for learning thermo and QM.

physics qualifying exams.......2004-10-22

I simply did the problems in this book and then passed the Caltech physics phd qualifying exam for quantum and statistical mechanics. The difference between this book and the standard Yung-kuo book for practice problems is brevity. Yung-kuo simply has too many problems, many of which are very similar, teaching no new concepts. Cahn, on the other hand, has picked a smaller but more meaningful subset of problems. There are few enough problems that you can do them all in a reasonable amount of time, but enough that you hit all the major concepts. I highly recommend it for anyone studying for physics quals, or for an undergraduate with a couple weeks of time who is about to do the GRE. I realize that the GRE doesn't have in-depth problems, but by doing in-depth problems you master the concepts that the GRE does test on.

Elegant Physics Problems and Solutions.......2000-01-10

This book provides elegant physics problems (and solutions) from the preliminary doctoral exams of some prestigious universities. Very good for preparing these exams and also gaining problem solving skills in physics (not only for exams).

With these problems, I also understood some concepts which were not clear before. This book can, therefore, be used as a source for applications of the corresponding subjects. I strongly recommend it.

Methods of Theoretical Physics, Parts 1 and 2
Average customer rating:

Should be in the library of every engineer and physicist

Great books. Both content AND binding

Methods of Theoretical Physics, Parts 1 and 2

Manufacturer: Feshbach Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Statistical Physics (Course of Theoretical Physics, Volume 5)

Electrodynamics of Continuous Media, Second Edition: Volume 8 (Course of Theoretical Physics)

ASIN: 0976202107

Product Description

This two volume work is a superb overview of the classical applied mathematics used in solving problems in physics. The viewpoint of the physicist rather than that of the mathematician is taken.

Customer Reviews:

Should be in the library of every engineer and physicist.......2007-10-05

The classic "Methods of Theoretical Physics" by Morse and Feshbach should be featured in the library of every engineer, physicist, and applied mathematician. It is a very worthwhile investment.

Great books. Both content AND binding.......2007-07-24

A great deal has already been said elsewhere about the content in these books. Some of the material on dyadics is a bit dated (no tensors in the book at all), but the amazingly clear and comprehensive exposition on generalized vector spaces, Greens functions and eigenfunction expansions makes them a wonderful resource. The material in these books is very dense.

The republished versions of these books are not just "photocopies" of the original books, as are some of the other reprints of classic books which I own and are similarly expensive (namely Carslaw & Jaeger and Bender & Orszag).

The print is as clean and crisp as it is in the original library copies of this book I have seen, which is especially important with all the detailed mathematical notation. The nifty 3D stereo figures are crystal clear, too. The paper is excellent quality and the books are bound very soundly (not just glued). Definitely a good addition to the library.

Statistical Physics, Part 2: Volume 9 (Pt 2)

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Green's functions, superfluids, superconductors, magnetism
Great Book, the best I've ever seen!
Unrivalled Masterpiece
A UNIQUE BOOK ON MODERN STATISTICAL PHYSICS
THE BEST BOOK ON STATISTICAL PHYSICS

Statistical Physics, Part 2: Volume 9 (Pt 2)
E M Lifshitz , and L P Pitaevskii
Manufacturer: Butterworth-Heinemann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Quantum Mechanics: Non-Relativistic Theory, Volume 3, Third Edition (Quantum Mechanics)
Course of Theoretical Physics : Mechanics (Course of Theoretical Physics)
The Classical Theory of Fields, Fourth Edition: Volume 2 (Course of Theoretical Physics Series)
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Fluid Mechanics, Second Edition: Volume 6 (Course of Theoretical Physics)

ASIN: 0750626364

Book Description

The second part of 'Statistical Physics' deals with the quantum theory of the condensed state of matter. This volume is essentially an entirely new book, based on the large amount of new material which has become available in statistical physics since' Part 1' was published.

Customer Reviews:

Green's functions, superfluids, superconductors, magnetism.......2004-12-12

This review is for Volume 9 of the Landau Course of Theoretical Physics.

The whole Course is clear and concise, so it makes sense for anyone who wants to do theoretical physics to go through all ten volumes.

We start off with normal Fermi liquids and gases, including a nice discussion of Zero Sound (which is distinguished from normal sound mostly by a slight increase in the sound velocity as one gets colder than a transition temperature, and by increased absorption of sound near the transition temperature). Then we learn about Green's functions in a Fermi system at T = 0 and Feynman diagram representations of them.

After that, we study Bose liquids and gases. That means the properties of superfluids, including quasi-particles (phonons and rotons) and quantized vortex filaments. And the book shows how to apply Green's functions to Bose liquids. There's an interesting section on the disintegration of quasi-particles. Next, we're introduced to Green's functions for T > 0, using the Matsubara operators to reduce the complexity of the diagrams.

And then we're ready to learn about superconductors. That means learning about Cooper pairing and superfluid Fermi gases, and learning how to apply Green's functions to them. And, not surprisingly, we learn the Ginzburg-Landau equations, so that we can determine the behavior of superconductors in magnetic fields in temperature ranges near the transition point.

There's also a chapter on electrons in the crystal lattice, including the de Hass-van Alphen effect (which refers to a metal's magnetic susceptibility oscillating as the strength of a strong magnetic field changes - due to the quantization of the energy levels of the electrons) and electron-phonon interactions. And there's a nice chapter on magnetism.

In the preface, the authors state "we must again stress that this book is part of a course of theoretical physics and in no way attempts to be a textbook of solid state theory." Are they kidding? This course is an excellent way to learn solid state physics.

Great Book, the best I've ever seen!.......2001-08-24

no words can describe the richness and clarity of this book.the description of Maxwell's distribution, Gibbs formalism,etc...all with marvelous clarity and rigour. Everyone who wants to learn statistical Mechanics (under and graduates) MUST read this book.

Unrivalled Masterpiece.......2001-05-06

This book is a classic, especially in the sense it is somewhat old fashioned in its basic approaches when compared with newer books. For example it examines statistics and entropy from the ergodic as opposed to the ensemble approach. Information Theory and role of symmetry and symmetry breaking is not treated in detail. However I can't hold these omissions against the book since these developments happend mostly in the late 70s.

What Landau does here, and which in explicably very few Statistical Mechanics books do nowadays, is the full Gibbs Formalism. Not only is the Gibbs Formalism more compatible with Quantum Mechanics, it can also fits in beautifully with Ensemble Statistics and Inofrmation Theory. More over, it is at once clear Maxwell and Boltzmann statistics are only special cases of the Gibbs formalism, and can be easily shown in a few lines.

What Landau does, is to gave an elegant and cohesive view the trully fundamental features of Statistical Mechanics. Chapters 1-6 of this book alone displays a deeper level of understanding than whole books that have been written. If you are interested in Statistical Mechanics at all, this must be a centerpiece of your library.

A UNIQUE BOOK ON MODERN STATISTICAL PHYSICS.......1998-07-24

This is the Volume 9 of the famous Course of Theoretical Physics by L. D. Landau and E. M. Lifshitz. All serious students of theoretical physics must possess the ten volumes of this excellente Course, which cover in detail and rigour practically all the branches of theoretical physics. The Volume 9 treats important specialized topics of modern statistical physics. These topics include the theory of quantum liquids(Fermi and Bose types), the theory of superfluidity, created by Landau to account for the phenomena ocurring in liquid helium at approximately 2 kelvin, the microscopic theory of superconductivity, the general method of Green's functions, so important to modern statistical physics, and some other topics, such as the quantum mechanics of a electron in a crystal lattice. The book still contains the general theory of electromagnetic and hydrodynamic fluctuations, treated in the spirit of the Green's functions. These topics are treated with rigour, efficiency and c! larity of language. For this reason, all readers with some aqquaintance with basic statistical physics can read and understand much of this book without major problems. Certainly there is not other book comparable with the Volume 9, a unique and valuable addition to the literature on modern statistical physics!

THE BEST BOOK ON STATISTICAL PHYSICS.......1998-07-23

This is the Volume 5 of the famous Course of Theoretical Physics by L. D. Landau and E. M. Lifshitz. All serious students of theoretical physics must possess the ten volumes of this excellent Course, which cover in detail and rigour practically all the branches of theoretical physics. The Volume 5 treats the subject of classical and quantum statistics. It contains an unusual approach of these subjects, based on the general Gibbs method, avoiding the introduction of ergodic hypotheses and, in the case of the ideal gas, of "a priori" probabilities, which are difficult to justify and serves only to obscure the exposition. The book is complete and contains chapters not usually found in other similar books, such as the chapter on second-order phase transitions. The clarity of exposition and rigour is notorious in this book. A magnific book!

Cryocoolers: Part 2: Applications (International Cryogenics Monograph Series)

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Cryocoolers: Part 2: Applications (International Cryogenics Monograph Series)
Graham Walker
Manufacturer: Springer
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Binding: Hardcover

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Fundamentals of Physics, Part 2 (Chapters 1220)

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Still alive and well

Fundamentals of Physics, Part 2 (Chapters 1220)
David Halliday , Robert Resnick , and Jearl Walker
Manufacturer: Wiley
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ASIN: 0471429627

Customer Reviews:

Still alive and well.......2006-03-27

More than thirty years ago, when I was an engineering student, my physics "Bible" was Halliday & Resnick, Physics for Students of Science and Engineering, 1st Edition. This is a book that has aged gracefully. While the basic physics concepts were retained, the examples have been updated in each revision to keep up with the technology advances. Now in its seventh edition since Walker started to collaborate with the previous authors, it is still one of the most enjoyable readings in elementary physics. I recommend it without reservation.

American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer Part 2

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American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer Part 2
Kai Bird , and Martin J. Sherwin
Manufacturer: Blackstone Audio Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
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ASIN: 1433200139
Release Date: 2007-02-01

Product 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. When he proposed international controls over atomic materials, opposed the development of the hydrogen bomb, and criticized plans for a nuclear war, his ideas were anathema to powerful advocates of a massive nuclear buildup during the anti-Communist hysteria of the early 1950s. They declared that Oppenheimer could not be trusted with America's nuclear secrets. In this magisterial biography twenty-five years in the making, the authors capture Oppenheimer's life and times, from his early career to his central role in the Cold War.

Astronomy of the Milky Way: Part 2: Observer's Guide to the Southern Sky (Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series)

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Astronomy of the Milky Way: Part 2: Observer's Guide to the Southern Sky (Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series)
Mike Inglis
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One of the wonders of the universe we live in is the Milky Way. It spans the entire sky and can be seen every night of the year from anywhere on Earth. This is the first book that deals specifically with what can be seen within the Milky Way from a practical observer's point of view. Astronomy of the Milky Way covers every constellation that the Milky Way passes through, and describes in detail the many objects that can be found therein, including stars, double and multiple stars, emission nebulae, planetary nebulae, dark nebulae and supernovae remnants, open and galactic clusters, and galaxies. It also describes the one thing that is often left out of observing guides - the amazing star clouds of the Milky Way itself. It is one of a two-volume set that deal with the entire Milky Way - this second volume looks at what can be seen predominantly from the Southern skies In addition to the descriptive text there are many star charts and maps, as well as the latest up-to-date images made by observatories around the world and in space, as well as images taken by amateur astronomers. Equipped with this book, an amateur astronomer can go out on any clear night of the year and observe the galaxy we live in - The Milky Way.

Methods of Qualitative Theory in Nonlinear Dynamics Part 2

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Methods of Qualitative Theory in Nonlinear Dynamics Part 2
Andrey L. Shilnikov , Dmitry V. Turaev , and Leon O. Chua
Manufacturer: World Scientific Publishing Company
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