This is the second edition of a book that has already been well received as a clear and readable introduction to particle physics. It bridges the gap between traditional textbooks on the subject and the popular accounts which assume little or no background in the physical sciences on the part of the reader. The first edition has been carefully revised throughout to provide an up-to-date and comprehensive overview of this fascinating subject. There are also four completely new chapters covering quantum gravity, super-unification, the relationship between particle physics and cosmology, and superstrings. Historical developments are discussed, together with the most important recent experiments, and the theoretical development of the subject is traced from its foundations in relativity and quantum mechanics through to the very latest theories. The book is intended for anyone with a background in the physical sciences who wishes to learn about particle physics. It will also be of value to students of physics wishing to gain an introductory overview of the subject before getting down to the details of the formalism.
I knew one of the authors (Coughlan) when we were undergraduates at the University of Western Australia. So it was with some interest that I went through this book. While I can't tell which was his contribution and which was the other author's, the combined effort is an elegant rendition of particle physics, circa late 1980s. A merit of the book is who it is pitched at. It is not really for a generalist outside physics. Rather, it seems best suited for the physicist (student or not) who is not in particle physics. Non-physicists may be surprised at this, but particle physics can seem strange and forbidding even to physicists. The text gives enough detailed physics to satisfy a physicist; that he is indeed getting enough of the real stuff to gain insight. While the title does say it is for scientists, I wonder a little about how accessible the book might be to a typical chemist or geologist.
The best particle physics book! ever
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
This is such an up to date and accurate book I have never read a book that explains particle physics in such detail yet keeps the information understandable. If your are just starting out in particle physics read this book. It's brilliant!
Clear, concise, explanations accessible to undergrad student
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 28 years ago
Excellent use of figures and pictures in place of equations. Useful for an undergrad survey course, or as a reference for grad courses. Fred Olness, SMU
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