Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring Until the middle of the nineteenth century entropy and energy were confused with one another. The intellectual fog slowly cleared and now these words name subtle and powerful concepts. Most people think they know what energy is, but few could define entropy. This Very Short Introduction traces the emergence of entropy and energy as distinct concepts, and explains how entropy spread from thermodynamics into sta...

Astrophysics is the physics of the stars, and more widely the physics of the Universe. It enables us to understand the structure and evolution of planetary systems, stars, galaxies, interstellar gas, and the cosmos as a whole. In this Very Short Introduction, the leading astrophysicist James Binney shows how the field of astrophysics has expanded rapidly in the past century, with vast quantities of data gathered by telescopes exploiting all parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, c...

Astrophysics is the physics of the stars, and more widely the physics of the Universe. It enables us to understand the structure and evolution of planetary systems, stars, galaxies, interstellar gas, and the cosmos as a whole. In this Very Short Introduction, the leading astrophysicist James Binney shows how the field of astrophysics has expanded rapidly in the past century, with vast quantities of data gathered by telescopes exploiting all parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, c...

Since it was first published in 1987, Galactic Dynamics has become the most widely used advanced textbook on the structure and dynamics of galaxies and one of the most cited references in astrophysics. Now, in this extensively revised and updated edition, James Binney and Scott Tremaine describe the dramatic recent advances in this subject, making Galactic Dynamics the most authoritative introduction to galactic astrophysics available to advanced undergraduate students, g...

Until the middle of the nineteenth century entropy and energy were confused with one another. The intellectual fog slowly cleared and now these words name subtle and powerful concepts. Most people think they know what energy is, but few could define entropy.This Very Short Introduction traces the emergence of entropy and energy as distinct concepts, and explains how entropy spread from thermodynamics into statistical mechanics, probability theory and data science. It expla...

This new text surveys a series of fundamental problems in astrophysics, both analytically and computationally, for advanced students in physics and astrophysics. The contents are supported by more than 110 class-tested Mathematica® notebooks, allowing rigorous solutions to be explored in a visually engaging way. Topics covered include many classical and historically interesting problems, enabling students to appreciate the mathematical and scientific challenges that have been overcome in t...

Learn quantum field theory relatively easilyTrying to comprehend quantum field theory but don't have infinite time or the IQ of Einstein? No problem! This easy-to-follow guide helps you understand this complex subject matter without spending a lot of energy.Quantum Field Theory Demystified covers essential principles such as particle physics and special relativity. You'll learn about Lagrangian field theory, group theory, and electroweak theory. Th...

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHORSThe science classic made more accessible• More concise • IllustratedFROM ONE OF THE MOST BRILLIANT MINDS OF OUR TIME COMES A BOOK THAT CLARIFIES HIS MOST IMPORTANT IDEASStephen Hawking’s worldwide bestseller A Brief History of Time remains a landmark volume in scientific writing. But for years readers have asked for a more accessible formulation of its key concepts—the nature of space and time, the role o...

A series of seminal technological revolutions has led to a new generation of electronic devices miniaturized to such tiny scales where the strange laws of quantum physics come into play. There is no doubt that, unlike scientists and engineers of the past, technology leaders of the future will have to rely on quantum mechanics in their everyday work. This makes teaching and learning the subject of paramount importance for further progress. Mastering quantum physics is a very non-trivial tas...

'A primer for the magical, near inexplicable world of quantum mechanics... Mind-blowing' Dara Ó BriainQuantum theory is so shocking that Einstein could not bring himself to accept it. It is so important that it underpins all modern sciences. Without it, we'd have no molecular biology, no understanding of DNA, no genetic engineering, no computers.A century after the development of quantum mechanics, In Search of Schrödin...

Physics is the science that deals with the properties and interrelationship of matter and energy. It studies mechanics, heat, light, sound, electricity, magnetism, radiation, and atomic structure. This tale stretches from 2000 BCE to 1945 and introduces the reader to the brilliant men and women from Thales of Miletos to Albert Einstein who working alone or collaboratively made it all possible.

Learn about Einstein's theory of relativity from a physics Nobel laureate and "one of the greatest minds of the twentieth century" (New York Review of Books) in six memorable lessonsIt was Richard Feynman's outrageous and scintillating method of teaching that earned him legendary status among students and professors of physics. From 1961 to 1963, Feynman delivered a series of lectures at the California Institute of Technology that revolutionized the teachi...