Written for the general reader, this book provides an overview of modern theoretical physics, focusing on the history and development of theoretical physics over the past century, while providing supplemental mathematical derivations for the more advanced reader.
It tells the ongoing challenges to unify theories for the fundamental forces of nature, and reveals the interplay of the foundations of classical mechanics and Maxwell's equations, special and general relativity theory, quantum mechanics and quantum field theory, the standard model of particle physics, the theoretical framework of string theory, the cosmological theory for the evolution of the universe, and the theory of black holes.
This subject matter brings forth the most interesting and revolutionary ideas in modern theoretical physics, taking the reader through a fascinating journey with a broad overview of the evolving universe that we live in.
Contents:
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction:
- History of Modern Theoretical Physics
- Organization of Book
- Relativity:
- Special Relativity
- General Relativity
- Quantum Theory:
- Quantum Mechanics
- Quantum Field Theory
- Loop Quantum Gravity
- The Standard Model:
- Fundamental Forces of Nature
- Particle Physics
- String Theory:
- Fundamentals of String Theory
- Classification of Strings and Dualities
- Application and Experimental Testing
- Cosmology:
- Historical
- Observational Evidence
- Evolution of the Universe
- Black Holes:
- Historical Developments
- Characteristics of Black Holes
- Epilogue
- Appendices: Supplemental Mathematics:
- Classical Theory
- Theory of Relativity
- Quantum Theory
- The Standard Model
- String Theory
- Cosmology
- Black Holes
- Glossary
- Bibliography
- Index
Readership: General readers, undergraduates, graduates and researchers interested in modern theoretical physics.
Key Features:
- Concise overview of modern theoretical physics and theories of our universe, presented in a non-mathematical format with no equations in the first part of the book
- Provides a separate addendum of supplemental mathematical derivations of the subject material for the more advanced reader
- Of interest to readers with no mathematical background: physicists, engineers and scientists in other disciplines, and researchers in particle physics or cosmology