Intended to follow the usual introductory physics courses, this book has the unique feature of addressing the mathematical needs of sophomores and juniors in physics, engineering and other related fields. Many original, lucid, and relevant examples from the physical sciences, problems at the ends of chapters, and boxes to emphasize important concepts help guide the student through the material.

Beginning with reviews of vector algebra and differential and integral calculus, the book continues with infinite series, vector analysis, complex algebra and analysis, ordinary and partial differential equations. Discussions of numerical analysis, nonlinear dynamics and chaos, and the Dirac delta function provide an introduction to modern topics in mathematical physics.

This new edition has been made more user-friendly through organization into convenient, shorter chapters. Also, it includes an entirely new section on Probability and plenty of new material on tensors and integral transforms.

Special Relativity: A Heuristic Approach provides a qualitative exposition of relativity theory on the basis of the constancy of the speed of light. Using Einstein's signal velocity as the defining idea for the notion of simultaneity and the fact that the speed of light is independent of the motion of its source, chapters delve into a qualitative exposition of the relativity of time and length, discuss the time dilation formula using the standard light clock, explore the Minkowski four-dimensional space-time distance based on how the time dilation formula is derived, and define the components of the two-dimensional space-time velocity, amongst other topics.

From Atoms to Galaxies: A Conceptual Physics Approach to Scientific Awareness teaches heightened scientific acuity as it educates students about the physical world and gives them answers to questions large and small. Written by Sadri Hassani, the author of several mathematical physics textbooks, this work covers the essentials of modern physics, in a way that is as thorough as it is compelling and accessible. Some of you might want to know .... . . How did Galileo come to think about the first law of motion? . . . Did Newton actually discover gravity by way of an apple and an accident? Or maybe you have mulled over.... . . Is it possible for Santa Claus to deliver all his toys? . . . Is it possible to prove that Elvis does not visit Graceland every midnight? Or perhaps you've even wondered ... . . . If ancient Taoism really parallels modern physics? . . . If psychoanalysis can actually be called a science? . . . How it is that some philosophies of science may imply that a 650-year-old woman can give birth to a child? No Advanced Mathematics RequiredA primary textbook for undergraduate students not majoring in physics, From Atoms to Galaxies examines physical laws and their consequences from a conceptual perspective that requires no advanced mathematics. It explains quantum physics, relativity, nuclear and particle physics, gauge theory, quantum field theory, quarks and leptons, and cosmology. Encouraging students to subscribe to proven causation rather than dramatic speculation, the book: Defines the often obscured difference between science and technology, discussing how this confusion taints both common culture and academic rigor Explores the various philosophies of science, demonstrating how errors in our understanding of scientific principles can adversely impact scientific awareness Exposes how pseudoscience and New Age mysticism advance unproven conjectures as dangerous alternatives to proven science Based on courses taught by the author for over 15 years, this textbook has been developed to raise the scientific awareness of the untrained reader who lacks a technical or mathematical background. To accomplish this, the book lays the foundation of the laws that govern our universe in a nontechnical way, emphasizing topics that excite the mind, namely those taken from modern physics, and exposing the abuses made of them by the New Age gurus and other mystagogues. It outlines the methods developed by physicists for the scientific investigation of nature, and contrasts them with those developed by the outsiders who claim to be the owners of scientific methodology. Each chapter includes essays, which use the material developed in that chapter to debunk misconceptions, clarify the nature of science, and explore the history of physics as it relates to the development of ideas. Noting the damage incurred by confusing science and technology, the book strives to help the reader to emphatically demarcate the two, while clearly demonstrating that science is the only element capable of advancing technology.

Intended to follow the usual introductory physics courses, this book has the unique feature of addressing the mathematical needs of sophomores and juniors in physics, engineering and other related fields. Many original, lucid, and relevant examples from the physical sciences, problems at the ends of chapters, and boxes to emphasize important concepts help guide the student through the material. Beginning with reviews of vector algebra and differential and integral calculus, the book continues with infinite series, vector analysis, complex algebra and analysis, ordinary and partial differential equations. Discussions of numerical analysis, nonlinear dynamics and chaos, and the Dirac delta function provide an introduction to modern topics in mathematical physics. This new edition has been made more user-friendly through organization into convenient, shorter chapters. Also, it includes an entirely new section on Probability and plenty of new material on tensors and integral transforms.

Intended as a companion for textbooks in mathematical methods for science and engineering, this book presents a large number of numerical topics and exercises together with discussions of methods for solving such problems using Mathematica(R). The accompanying CD contains Mathematica Notebooks for illustrating most of the topics in the text and for solving problems in mathematical physics. Although it is primarily designed for use with the author's "Mathematical Methods: For Students of Physics and Related Fields," the discussions in the book sufficiently self-contained that the book can be used as a supplement to any of the standard textbooks in mathematical methods for undergraduate students of physical sciences or engineering.

College students in the United States are becoming increasingly incapable of differentiating between proven facts delivered by scientific inquiry and the speculations of pseudoscience. In an effort to help stem this disturbing trend, From Atoms to Galaxies: A Conceptual Physics Approach to Scientific Awareness teaches heightened scientific acuity as it educates students about the physical world and gives them answers to questions large and small. Written by Sadri Hassani, the author of several mathematical physics textbooks, this work covers the essentials of modern physics, in a way that is as thorough as it is compelling and accessible.

Some of you might want to know
. . . How did Galileo come to think about the first law of motion?
. . . Did Newton actually discover gravity by way of an apple and an accident?
Or maybe you have mulled over
. . . Is it possible for Santa Claus to deliver all his toys?
. . . Is it possible to prove that Elvis does not visit Graceland every midnight?
Or perhaps you ve even wondered
. . . If ancient Taoism really parallels modern physics?
. . . If psychoanalysis can actually be called a science?
. . . How it is that some philosophies of science may imply that a 650-year-old woman can give birth to a child?

No Advanced Mathematics Required
A primary textbook for undergraduate students not majoring in physics, From Atoms to Galaxies examines physical laws and their consequences from a conceptual perspective that requires no advanced mathematics. It explains quantum physics, relativity, nuclear and particle physics, gauge theory, quantum field theory, quarks and leptons, and cosmology. Encouraging students to subscribe to proven causation rather than dramatic speculation, the book:

• Defines the often obscured difference between science and technology, discussing how this confusion taints both common culture and academic rigor
• Explores the various philosophies of science, demonstrating how errors in our understanding of scientific principles can adversely impact scientific awareness
• Exposes how pseudoscience and New Age mysticism advance unproven conjectures as dangerous alternatives to proven science

Based on courses taught by the author for over 15 years, this textbook has been developed to raise the scientific awareness of the untrained reader who lacks a technical or mathematical background. To accomplish this, the book lays the foundation of the laws that govern our universe in a nontechnical way, emphasizing topics that excite the mind, namely those taken from modern physics, and exposing the abuses made of them by the New Age gurus and other mystagogues. It outlines the methods developed by physicists for the scientific investigation of nature, and contrasts them with those developed by the outsiders who claim to be the owners of scientific methodology. Each chapter includes essays, which use the material developed in that chapter to debunk misconceptions, clarify the nature of science, and explore the history of physics as it relates to the development of ideas. Noting the damage incurred by confusing science and technology, the book strives to help the reader to emphatically demarcate the two, while clearly demonstrating that science is the only element capable of advancing technology.

This book is for physics students interested in the mathematics they use and for mathematics students interested in seeing how some of the ideas of their discipline find realization in an applied setting. The presentation tries to strike a balance between formalism and application, between abstract and concrete. The interconnections among the various topics are clarified both by the use of vector spaces as a central unifying theme, recurring throughout the book, and by putting ideas into their historical context. Enough of the essential formalism is included to make the presentation self-contained.

The book is divided into eight parts: The first covers finite- dimensional vector spaces and the linear operators defined on them. The second is devoted to infinite-dimensional vector spaces, and includes discussions of the classical orthogonal polynomials and of Fourier series and transforms. The third part deals with complex analysis, including complex series and their convergence, the calculus of residues, multivalued functions, and analytic continuation. Part IV treats ordinary differential equations, concentrating on second-order equations and discussing both analytical and numerical methods of solution. The next part deals with operator theory, focusing on integral and Sturm--Liouville operators. Part VI is devoted to Green's functions, both for ordinary differential equations and in multidimensional spaces. Parts VII and VIII contain a thorough discussion of differential geometry and Lie groups and their applications, concluding with Noether's theorem on the relationship between symmetries and conservation laws.

Intended for advanced undergraduates or beginning graduate students, this comprehensive guide should also prove useful as a refresher or reference for physicists and applied mathematicians. Over 300 worked-out examples and more than 800 problems provide valuable learning aids.

Numerous enhancements and revision are incorporated into this new edition. For example, fiber bundle techniques are used to introduce differential geometry. This more elegant and intuitive approach naturally connects differential geometry with not only the general theory of relativity, but also gauge theories of fundamental forces.

Some praise for the previous edition:

PAGEOPH Pure and Applied Geophysics]

Review by Daniel Wojcik, University of Maryland

"This volume should be a welcome addition to any collection. The book is well written and explanations are usually clear. Lives of famous mathematicians and physicists are scattered within the book. They are quite extended, often amusing, making nice interludes. Numerous exercises help the student practice the methods introduced. I have recently been using this book for an extended time and acquired a liking for it. Among all the available books treating mathematical methods of physics this one certainly stands out and assuredly it would suit the needs of many physics readers."

ZENTRALBLATT MATH

Review by G.Roepstorff, University of Aachen, Germany

" Unlike most existing texts with the same emphasis and audience, which are merely collections of facts and formulas, the present book is more systematic, self-contained, with a level of presentation that tends to be more formal and abstract. This entails proving a large number of theorems, lemmas, and corollaries, deferring most of the applications that physics students might be interested in to the example sections in small print. Indeed, there are 350 worked-out examples and about 850 problems. A very nice feature is the way the author intertwines the formalism with the life stories and anecdotes of some mathematicians and physicists, leading at their times. As is often the case, the historical view point helps to understand and appreciate the ideas presented in the text. For the physics student in the middle of his training, it will certainly prove to be extremely useful."

THE PHYSICIST

Review by Paul Davies, Orion Productions, Adelaide, Australia

"I am pleased to have so many topics collected in a single volume. All the tricks are there of course, but supported by sufficient rigour and substantiation to make the dedicated mathematical physicist sigh with delight."

EMS EUROPEAN MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY] NEWSLETTER

"This book is a condensed exposition of the mathematics that is met in most parts of physics. The presentation attains a very good balance between the formal introduction of concepts, theorems and proofs on one hand, and the applied approach on the other, with many examples, fully or partially solved problems, and historical remarks. An impressive amount of mathematics is covered. This book can be warmly recommended as a basic source for the study of mathematics for advanced undergraduates or beginning graduate students in physics and applied mathematics, and also as a reference book for all working mathematicians and physicists.""