The Feynman Lectures on Physics: Commemorative Issue, Volume 2: Mainly Electomagnetism and Matter [Hardcover]

Richard P. Feynman (Author), Robert B. Leighton (Author), Matthew Sands (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0201510049 | ISBN-13: 978-0201510041 | Publication Date: January 1, 1989 | Edition: Commemorative ed

For more than thirty years, Richard P. Feynman’s three-volume Lectures on Physics has been known worldwide as the classic resource for students and professionals alike. Ranging from the most basic principles of Newtonian physics through such formidable theories as Einstein’s general relativity, superconductivity, and quantum mechanics, Feynman’s lectures stand as a monument of clear exposition and deep insight. Responding to the tremendous clamor for the original audio tapes from which the Lectures on Physics were transcribed, Persues Books is releasing Feynman’s original recordings, remastered for modern audio equipment and re-organized for cohesiveness and convenience. Timeless, and collectible, these tapes will serve as a comprehensive library of essential physics by a legend in science.The first two sets of recordings of Feynman’s landmark Lectures on Physics comprise a beginning and an advanced course on quantum mechanics, respectively.Volume 2 makes up a course in Advanced Quantum Mechanics and includes chapters on symmetry in physical laws, identical particles, symmetry and conservation laws, the hydrogen atom and the periodic table, and the Schrödinger equation in a classical context (this chapter also includes a seminar on superconductivity).

--This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Richard P. Feynman was raised in Far Rockaway, New York, and received his Ph.D. from Princeton. He held professorships at both Cornell and the California Institute of Technology. In 1965 he received the Nobel Prize for his work on quantum electrodynamics. He died in 1988.

--This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 592 pages
• Publisher: Addison Wesley; Commemorative ed edition (January 1, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201510049
• ISBN-13: 978-0201510041
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,415,301 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Principia" for our times, March 26, 2000

By 

Larry Goeller (Alexandria, Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Advanced Quantum Mechanics (The Feynman Lectures on Physics: The Complete Audio Collection, Volume 2) (Audio Cassette)

Isaac Newton wrote "Principia" in the 1600's, and it was the definitive book on Physics, although it is basically unreadable. (Now, of course, it is also slightly outdated.) Feynman has done a better and much more complete job than Newton himself.

Having said this, this is NOT a book for the layman. It appears simple: heavily conceptual, few equations, no homework problems at the end of each chapter. But this is deceiving. As an undergraduate physics student, I was completely lost. It was only as a graduate student in physics that I came to not only appreciate them, but love them. It turned out to not be just me: I later read that his undergraduate students at Cal Tech dropped the course in droves when he taught it; it was the graduate students and fellow physics faculty members that filled most of the seats in the lecture hall by the end of the course.

Those of you with a physics background that have never read Feynman should definitely consider it. Those of you who majored in History, Law, or even Biology and want to gain some insight into all this physics stuff you have always heard about should probably look elsewhere. This is heavy stuff.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Feynman's typical excitement and enthusiasm are evident., January 13, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Hudson OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Advanced Quantum Mechanics (The Feynman Lectures on Physics: The Complete Audio Collection, Volume 2) (Audio Cassette)

In this collection of audio lectures on advanced quantum mechanics and related topics, Richard Feynman exhibits his typical excitement and enthusiasm for the subject he knew so well. These lectures are best listened to while viewing the text version of the Feynman Lectures, as the topics are complex and difficult to conceptualize without the printed page. The pages, however, really come to life when you actually hear Feynman give the lectures. A much fuller picture of quantum mechanics is obtained than by employing the text or the tape separately. These publications constitute a wonderful way to acquire an appreciation for and an increased knowledge of physics from one of its best teachers.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is it., September 6, 2011

By 

Herbert J. Ward (Texas) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Lectures on Physics: Commemorative Issue Vol 2 (Paperback)

Want to learn physics the right way? Are you smart and motivated enough to work your way through some difficult material? If so, here's your chance. I dropped out of Caltech in 1972, and now, 40 years later, I'm working my way through these fine books. In about 12 months, I'll have an excellent foundation in physics, suitable for growth in any direction of the physical sciences or engineering.