Special Relativity: (M.I.T. Introductory Physics Series) (Paperback)

~ A. P. French (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

A self-contained introduction to special relativity for students who have completed an introduction to classical mechanics. The book covers the transition from Newtonian to Einsteinian behaviour for electrons, the relativistic expressions for mass, momentum and energy of particles. Later chapters cover the Lorentz transformations, the laws of kinematics and dynamics according to special relativity. The approach taken is traditional in that it does not rest heavily on electromagnetic theory. However, the final chapter deals with some of the insights that relativity can provide with regard to the relationship between electricity and magnetism. "Real" examples are used and there are problems for students to tackle. Answers are given. This book should be of interest to undergraduate courses in introductory physics and physical sciences. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: W.W. Norton & Co.; 1 edition (August 17, 1968)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393097935
• ISBN-13: 978-0393097931
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #98,635 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simple introduction to a very complicated subject, July 16, 2002

By	digikat "digikat" (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

This book was extremely helpful when I was taking a class on special relativity. The author introduces new concepts and rules in a very logical order, and the examples clearly illustrate the material. The book is written very clearly, especially for such a complicated subject. The problems in the back of every chapter allow you to test yourself and make sure you have grasped the material, since some of them have answers in the back of the book. Overall, a great book to either teach special relativity to yourself, or as a companion for a special relativity class.

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars comprehensive treatment and historical perspective, August 21, 2003

By	Samuel Lowenstein (New York, United States) - See all my reviews

If you are looking for the fastest way to learn and use special relativity (this is not about general relativity as the previous reviewer says), this is not the best book to use.

After an introductory chapter 1, which quickly previews much of the later material, French systematically analyzes the many observations and contradictions (the Michelson-Morley experiment just one of them), astronomical and laboratory, about the behavior of light that fitted neither an ether-wave model or a particle model. We are thus lead to a deeper appreciation for Einstein's insight and genius in his creation of the special theory of relativity; it was much more than just an extension of the Lorentz-transformations.

French is a master at his subject, and his systematic elucidation will reward the reader with a deep understanding. His problems are very well designed, and he provides answers which is always very helpful in learning.

If you have some time, and would like also to gain historical perspective about what it was like to struggle for a consistent theory in a mass of contradictory observations from the world view of Newtonian mechanics, I highly recommend this book.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The only book you need to learn special relativity, April 29, 2006

By	Vahit Sametoglu (Pittsburgh, PA, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

"Special relativity" is discussed in many classical mechanics, electromagnetism and quantum / modern physics textbooks. You may learn different aspects of this subject from these books.

This book is specifically designed and written for those who want to learn special relativity comprehensively from one single source.

The book starts with the basics of the theories behind special relativity with simple arguments and plain language. In the first 5 chapters, you learn the mechanical fundamentals of special relativity. The examples and end-of-chapter problems are very useful and instructive. Furthermore, the answers to all problems are given in back of the book as well, which enables you to check your answers. Starting from chapter 6, more advanced topics are introduced, like momentum, energy, basic electromagnetism and so forth. Again, the problems should be solved by students in order to gain a thorough comprehension of the subject matter. The diagrams and pictures in the book are also very helpful to understand the concepts.

The bibliography at the end of the book can be used to consult for further discussions, because special relativity has many applications in various areas of physics.

To sum up, this book, all by itself, can be used to learn and understand special relativity very well in a short period of time, because it is concise, simple, effective, pedagogically well-prepared and very suitable for self-study. You do not need any other fancy, expensive book. A.P. French does an excellent job in laying out the principles of special relativity with illustrative examples and problems. It deserves every penny you paid.