By Nicholas Manton and Nicholas Mee
Oxford University Press
Ranging from classical to quantum mechanics, from nuclear to particle physics and cosmology, this book aims to provide an overview of various branches of physics in both a comprehensive and concise fashion. As the authors state, their objective is to offer an inspirational tour of fundamental physics that is accessible to readers with a high-school background in physics and mathematics, and to motivate them to delve deeper into the topics covered.
Key equations are presented and their solutions derived, ensuring that each step is clear. Emphasis is also placed on the use of variational principles in physics.
After introducing some basic ideas and tools in the first chapter, the book presents Newtonian dynamics and the application of Newton’s law of gravitation to the motion of bodies in the solar system. Chapter 3 deals with the electromagnetic field and Maxwell’s equations. From classical physics, the authors jump to Einstein’s revolutionary theory of special relativity and the concept of space–time. Chapters 5 and 6 are devoted to curved space, general relativity and its consequences, including the existence of black holes. The other revolutionary idea of the 20th century, quantum mechanics, is discussed in chapters 7 and 8, while chapter 9 applies this theory to the structure and properties of materials, and explains the fundamental principles of chemistry and solid-state physics. Chapter 10 covers thermodynamics, built on the concepts of temperature and entropy, and gives special attention to the analysis of black-body radiation. After an overview of nuclear physics (chapter 11), chapter 12 presents particle physics, including a short description of quantum field theory, the Standard Model with the Higgs mechanism and the recent discovery of its related boson. Chapters 13 and 14 are about astrophysics and cosmology, while the final chapter discusses some of the fundamental problems that remain open.
