Customer Reviews

Atomic Spectra And Atomic Structure

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Updated classic paperback text that covers a broad area from Balmer series to Nuclear Spin. Written without alot of complex mathematics, this is a good introduction to Atomic Spectra for specialists in other fields. I loved the coverage on quantum numbers and alkaline-earth elements.

Unfortunately, unless you can get ahold of an older, unmarked copy, you may be disappointed by the "new" book sold through Amazon. Spectra are cut off, along with the legends. The pages look like they were photocopied, poorly, in some cases and the text on several pages is blackened by photocopied handwriting within the book. Strange, as Dover is typically very conscientious. I found another older copy and must say, I really do enjoy this book. It reads well and Herzberg describes many aspects of atomic spectroscopy and how structure is related quite brilliantly. I can highly recommend the book, but not this particular printing.

It is a very good book but the pages are not so good because are copies, anyway is not difficult to read.

I used this extensively for some calculations I did during my research, and a number of my colleagues have borrowed this one to do their own calculations as well. I have an older copy which I used during my undergrad years, as it was recommended reading for my undergrad research work.

Please note that this review is based upon the paperback Dover edition of this book (the second edition published in 1944) that I have had for many years, not the photocopied version listed here. As such, there was no problem with the clarity of the text or other features that may be deficient in the photocopied version. Thus, a prospective reader is advised, if possible, to seek out a used Dover edition.

An immediate question comes to mind when considering this book - why should one spend time with a physics book that was written in 1933? I like this book because I think that it still holds up because the structure data that it explains is still valid. When this book was written the problem of explaining spectra lines was at the cutting edge of physics and the solution to this problem lay in the newly developed field of quantum mechanics. Today, the problem of spectra lines has largely been superceded by other quantum mechanics problems and the analysis of spectra lines is relegated to a few introductory lines in textbooks or to specialist literature. This book treats the subject as it was in 1933 - the vehicle to understanding how quantum mechanics explains the nature or the electronic structure of an atom. The book is based upon the Bohr atom and explains the origin of the Balmer lines and gives a clear description and explanation of the Zeeman and Stark effects (at least in terms of 1933 QM). The discussions are clear and provide a somewhat more physical interpretation of electronic energy levels than those of more abstract modern theories. It provides a great introduction to atomic spectra and is a great adjunct to more modern approaches.

I recommend this book to those who want to understand the origins of quantum mechanics and the origin of spectra lines. While the Bohr atom is largely obsolete, it does provide a physical picture that I find helpful in understanding the nature of the electron energy levels.