Vectors And Tensors In Engineering And Physics: Second Edition [Hardcover]

D. A. Danielson (Author), Donald Danielson (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0201442108 | ISBN-13: 978-0201442106 | Publication Date: November 19, 1996 | Edition: 2 Sub

Vectors and Tensors in Engineering and Physics, Second Edition develops the calculus of tensor fields and uses this mathematics to model the physical world. This new edition includes expanded derivations and solutions, and new applications, to make this successful text an even more useful and user-friendly book than the first edition. The book provides equations for predicting:the rotations of gyroscopes and other axisymmetric solids, derived from Euler’s equations for the motion of rigid bodiesthe temperature decays in quenched forgings, derived from the heat equationthe deformed shapes of twisted rods and bent beams, derived from the Navier equations of elasticitythe flow fields in cylindrical pipes, derived from the Navier-Stokes equations of fluid mechanicsthe trajectories of celestial objects, derived from both Newton’s and Einstein’s theories of gravitationthe electromagnetic fields of stationary and moving charged particles, derived from Maxwell’s equationsthe stress in the skin when it is stretched, derived from the mechanics of curved membranesthe effects of motion and gravitation upon the times of clocks, derived from the special and general theories of relativity[The book] also featur[es]:over 100 illustrationscomplete solutions to over 400 examples and problemscartesian components, general components, and components-free notationslists of notations used by other authorsboxes to highlight key equationshistorical notes and an extensive bibliography

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

D. A. Danielson received a B.S. degree in mathematics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the M.S./Ph.D. degrees in applied mathematics from Harvard University. He has been a professor at the University of Virginia and the University of California, and is currently at the Naval Postgraduate School. His research interests include buckling/vibration of structures, waves, and orbits of satellites.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Westview Press; 2 Sub edition (November 19, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201442108
• ISBN-13: 978-0201442106
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,825,870 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent introductory book on tensors, December 10, 2000

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"wzz72" (Singapore) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vectors And Tensors In Engineering And Physics: Second Edition (Hardcover)

I've not come across another book that introduces tensors successfully to non-mathematics graduates. It would not be easy to appreciate and comprehend every part of the book as it covers a wide range of physics & engineering applications. (not many of us are experts in all fields) However, the book is an excellent platform to start learning about tensors, after which one can go on to read the classics on tensors. I'd recommend the book to any senior or graduate engineering student (physics and maths students might find the book "less challenging").

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Vectors and tensors in engineering and physics, April 1, 2000

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Gonzalo Torroba (La Pampa, Argentina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vectors And Tensors In Engineering And Physics: Second Edition (Hardcover)

It's a good-level book in tensors' algebra and calculus. Besides, physical examples help you better understand the mathematical concepts. On the other hand, I think it does not have enough applications about vector calculus (Frenet formulas, scalar potentials, Maxwell equations...).I would have also preffered it to contain more about general tensor theory: pseudotensors, curvilineal coordinates, and also about Riemann spaces. Despite this, it's an excellent book where you can see mathematics aplied to science; this is the important thing for physicist and engineers

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Much more detailed than usual introductions for engineers, May 7, 2011

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LeftRightMiddle - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Vectors And Tensors In Engineering And Physics: Second Edition (Paperback)

Compared to the usual introductions to tensors for engineers (normally an appendix at the end of a transport book), this book covers a great deal more, and in excellent detail.

However, I feel this isn't always a good thing. In trying to cover so much, concepts often come out jumbled. Several who recommended this book to me praised the numerous examples, but I often found that they completely skipped explanations of *why* the mathematics applied, a simple fix that could make all examples useful across all disciplines. More importantly, I was often annoyed by how examples skipped several steps, and arrived at conclusions that are not immediately obvious to people outside of the field. As an example, I had no problem following skipped steps in heat transfer examples, but was often left confused by missing explanations in aerospace examples. The result of this is that I was often left staring at the basic tensor equations, without the additional insight I sought when purchasing this book.