Introduction to High Energy Physics [Hardcover]

Donald H. Perkins (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521621968 | ISBN-13: 978-0521621960 | Publication Date: April 24, 2000 | Edition: 4

This highly regarded textbook for advanced undergraduates provides a comprehensive introduction to modern particle physics. Coverage emphasizes the balance between experiment and theory. It places stress on the phenomenological approach and basic theoretical concepts rather than rigorous mathematical detail. Donald Perkins also details recent developments in elementary particle physics, as well as its connections with cosmology and astrophysics. A number of key experiments are also identified along with a description of how they have influenced the field. Perkins presents most of the material in the context of the Standard Model of quarks and leptons. He also fully explores the shortcomings of this model and new physics beyond its compass (such as supersymmetry, neutrino mass and oscillations, GUTs and superstrings). The text includes many problems and a detailed and annotated further reading list. The volume will also provide a solid foundation for graduate study.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"It holds a unique place in the literature. It is for graduates and undergraduates, and it describes in detail experiment, theory, particle physics, and cosmology. That's a lot of material in one book. Perkins will thus continue to be a 'must-have' for practicing experimentalists." Physics Today

"Comprehensive and at about the right level and length for an introductory course." Professor Vassili Papavassiliou, New Mexico State University

Book Description

The 4th edition of a textbook that has dominated advanced undergraduate and graduate particle physics teaching for the last 25 years. The author is a senior figure of modern day particle physics and brings a unique authority and depth of understanding to the subject. The new edition has been extensively rewritten and completely updated. Completely new chapters have been added to cover the burgeoning field connecting particle physics with cosmology, and another new chapter introduces exciting new topics such as supersymmetry, superstrings, neutrino masses and grand unified theories.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 440 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 4 edition (April 24, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521621968
• ISBN-13: 978-0521621960
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #105,375 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #13 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Physics > Nuclear Physics > Atomic & Nuclear Physics
  • #18 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Physics > Nuclear Physics > Particle Physics

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Introduction to Experimental Methods, April 11, 2005

By 

Eugene (San Diego, US, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Introduction to High Energy Physics (Hardcover)

As many previous reviewers have already pointed out, this book is not nearly as good an introduction to theoretical high energy physics as Griffiths' "Introduction to Elementary Particles". The primary reason for this is that Perkins' book was never meant to be read as a theoretical course in the first place. This is why Griffiths introduces Feynman rules and gamma matrices near the middle of the book and uses them extensively throughout the rest; Perkins mentions them in passing in the first chapter and then completely forgets them. In Perkins you will find little rigorous math, but a lot of experimental physics. If you want to understand the theory behind T violation, use Griffiths. If you want to know how physicists measured the electric dipole momentum of the neutron ( thus putting an upper limit on the magnitude of T violation ), Perkins will explain it in detail, together with the schematics of the apparatus they used.
Overall, this book does not fit its title well - it is not a good introduction to high energy physics ( unless you are so totally averse to math that you can't manage Griffiths or Peskin/Shroeder ). However, it has its own purpose - that is, to teach experimental methods in high energy physics. It probably should be studied after Griffiths by those who are interested in experimental side of particle physics.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Introduction to High Energy Physics, December 5, 2000

By 

Patrick Mitchell (Boston, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Introduction to High Energy Physics (Hardcover)

Speaking as a graduate student in physics who is condemned to sort through this abominable text, I strongly discourage anyone from engaging in this book if they are given the choice. It's presentation is extremely fragmented, and explanations obscure - survey unlucky students who are condemned to this text and they will tell you that learning particle physics has been a matter of finding other strong treatments. Not at all recommended. I am disturbed by the five star marks awarded by Amazon.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not horrible for what it is, but you can do better, April 14, 2005

By 

A. Potter - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Introduction to High Energy Physics (Hardcover)

Basically, If you want theoretical approach stop reading this and buy griffiths' book, it's a lot better.
I'm using Perkins for a course mainly made up of senior undergraduates. First of all, a lot of the other reviewers have ripped the book to shreds, and most of their complaints are valid. I'd like to point out that this book actually attempts a fairly difficult task of introducing relatively advanced concepts which require qft, to students without any background in field theory.
The long and the short of it is... Perkins' book is geared for learning with a phenomonological, experimental approach. This results in a lot of hand waving, and not many mathematical or theoretical insights. If you're expecting these things, the book will be dissapointing.
All of this aside, there are some major flaws in the book. First of all, it kind of lacks on organization. There are a lot of charts, tables and graphs thrown about at random, and with little reasoning or thought. This makes Perkins' fairly useless as a reference, since you might have to look at four or more different charts to find out the relevant properties of a given particle.
My other major complaint, is that Perkins uses a lot of jargon without sufficiently introducing the terminology. While, this is fine for people who already know particle physics, I'm guessing that if you're reading this book, you don't already know particle physics.
Finally, despite being a fourth addition, there are still a bunch of misprints/omissions. For example, there's a question (which i conveniently had for a homework assignment) totally based on a concept not mentioned anywhere within the book. Google searches on the topic led only to obscure and inaccessible papers.
Basically, if you have to use this book for a course be prepared to read and re-read each section of it, and to suppliment with other books. I'd suggest buying griffiths along with it, event if you're not into the whole theory thing.