Lie Algebras in Particle Physics (Frontiers in Physics) [Hardcover]

Howard Georgi (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0805331530 | ISBN-13: 978-0805331530 | Publication Date: March 1982

Howard Georgi is the co-inventor (with Sheldon Glashow) of the SU(5) theory. This extensively revised and updated edition of his classic text makes the theory of Lie groups accessible to graduate students, while offering a perspective on the way in which knowledge of such groups can provide an insight into the development of unified theories of strong, weak, and electromagnetic interactions.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Howard Georgi is professor of physics at Harvard University.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 255 pages
• Publisher: Perseus Books (Sd) (March 1982)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805331530
• ISBN-13: 978-0805331530
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,975,957 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good book, occasionally difficult to follow., May 12, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Lie Algebras In Particle Physics: from Isospin To Unified Theories (Frontiers in Physics) (Paperback)

Prof. Georgi's books is one of those books where, when you read it the first time it is terse and hard to learn from, and then every time you re-read it it seems better and better. I have to say, though, that no matter how many times you read the book, there are some things that you just might never understand. It is not that the math is complicated, but rather that Georgi explains lots of things in words, and his words are often difficult to follow. For example, I still don't understand how he constructed the baryon octet wavefunctions, because the entire procedure was described in one cryptic sentence.

I took Prof. Georgi's class and found it quite frustrating occasionally, and I found that there was no other book that you could turn to for help. All the other books either cover group theory purely mathematically or seem to be very advanced particle physics texts. By the way, I disagree with the previous reviewer's comments that you need to know any particle physics before reading this book; I didn't know any and I did fine.

The problems at the end of the chapter are very good in terms of testing your understanding. I don't think there is a single problem that involves tedious algebra, and yet many of them are quite tricky and I remember pulling all-nighters to do a problem that, once we figured it out, took three lines.

Anyway, Georgi's book is good in the sense of being very original, very complete, challenging, and fascinating. However, the drawback is that it is occasionally quite confusing. Overall, it can be a very good textbook, if you have a clear professor to decipher it for you and fill in the gaps.

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good *first* start, August 14, 2003

By 

Javier Reynaldo "Javi" (Milano, Italy) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lie Algebras In Particle Physics: from Isospin To Unified Theories (Frontiers in Physics) (Paperback)

This book is good for what it is, namely, something to get your feet wet. When learning the basics of particle physics, e.g. as an undergrad or a beginning experimentalist, this is the quickest way to get a feel for the standard model gauge group.
However, this is *not* a complete text on group theory in particle physics (and therefore, little of what you need for supersymmetric field theories and string theories). So in addition to this book, you'd need something else with an introduction to the other things you need for your particular interest. Try Gilmore's "Applications of Lie algebras...", which I believe is out of print (in libraries). Also, Cornwell's abridged "Group theory in physics" is good (though if you can find the older set of three volumes, that may be more suited to your desires).
I don't suggest many of the other books on group theory for particles/fields/strings. There are tidbits of group theory you can pick up in the particular text you are working with, e.g. "Quantum theory of Fields" by Weinberg if you are learning quantum field theory.
For mathematical physics in general, I strongly suggest "Gauge fields, knots, and gravity" (John Baez), "Differential Geometry for physicists" (Chris Isham), and "Mathematical Physics" (Geroch).

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars good supplement, March 8, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Lie Algebras In Particle Physics: from Isospin To Unified Theories (Frontiers in Physics) (Paperback)

good supplement of introductory quantum field theory. particle physics books often have aggressiveness but this is in a relaxed mood, apt for reading in fine sunday mornings. 27 chapters in 300 pages, short chapters, without one for manifold and topology. from this book you can't get a mathematically deep understanding of Lie algebra nor exotic viewpoint for particle/string, but that's not this is for. i hope someday this will be included in Dover classics.

1.finite groups 2.Lie groups 3.SU(2) 4.tensor operators 5.isospin 6.roots and weights 7.SU(3) 8.simple roots 9.more SU(3) 10.tensor methods 11.hypercharge and strangeness 12.Young tableaux 13.SU(n) 14.3-d harmonic oscillator 15.SU(6) and the quark model 16.color 17.constituent quarks 18.unified theories and SU(5) 19.classical groups 20.classification theorem 21.SO(2n+1)and spinors 22.SO(2n+2)spinors 23.SU(n)<SO(2n) 24.SO(10) 25.automorphisms 26.Sp(2n) 27.odds and ends - E6