Analytical Mechanics for Relativity and Quantum Mechanics (Oxford Graduate Texts) 2nd Edition

by Oliver Johns (Author)

13 ratings

ISBN-13: 978-0198567264

ISBN-10: 019856726X

Why is ISBN important?

Other Sellers

from

Other Sellers

See all 7 versions

Used: Very Good | Details

Sold by Great Time Books

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.

FREE delivery July 12 - 15. Details

Select delivery location

Analytical Mechanics for Relativity and Quantum Mechanics is an innovative and mathematically sound treatment of the foundations of analytical mechanics and the relation of classical mechanics to relativity and quantum theory. It is intended for use at the introductory graduate level. A
distinguishing feature of the book is its integration of special relativity into teaching of classical mechanics. After a thorough review of the traditional theory, Part II of the book introduces extended Lagrangian and Hamiltonian methods that treat time as a transformable coordinate rather than
the fixed parameter of Newtonian physics. Advanced topics such as covariant Langrangians and Hamiltonians, canonical transformations, and Hamilton-Jacobi methods are simplified by the use of this extended theory. And the definition of canonical transformation no longer excludes the Lorenz
transformation of special relativity.

This is also a book for those who study analytical mechanics to prepare for a critical exploration of quantum mechanics. Comparisons to quantum mechanics appear throughout the text. The extended Hamiltonian theory with time as a coordinate is compared to Dirac's formalism of primary phase space
constraints. The chapter on relativistic mechanics shows how to use covariant Hamiltonian theory to write the Klein-Gordon and Dirac equations. The chapter on Hamilton-Jacobi theory includes a discussion of the closely related Bohm hidden variable model of quantum mechanics. Classical mechanics
itself is presented with an emphasis on methods, such as linear vector operators and dyadics, that will familiarize the student with similar techniques in quantum theory. Several of the current fundamental problems in theoretical physics - the development of quantum information technology, and the
problem of quantizing the gravitational field, to name two - require a rethinking of the quantum-classical connection.

Graduate students preparing for research careers will find a graduate mechanics course based on this book to be an essential bridge between their undergraduate training and advanced study in analytical mechanics, relativity, and quantum mechanics.

Products related to this item
Sponsored Hide feedback

Page 1 of 1Start overPage 1 of 1

Antonio Fasano
9
Paperback
$39.99 List: $63.00 (37% off)
Get it as soon as Monday, Jul 11
FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon
Jorge V. José
35
Paperback
$84.31 List: $93.99 (10% off)
Get it Jul 18 - 22
FREE Shipping

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

For the past 30 years, Professor Johns has taught graduate classical and quantum mechanics courses at San Francisco State University. This teaching experience has given him a sensitivity to the intellectual needs of physics graduate students. For the past fifteen years, he has had an association
with the Department of Theoretical Physics at Oxford, making yearly visits. He does research in the foundations of physics: Hidden variable models, foundations of relativity, foundations of quantum mechanics. He has also done research work in theoretical Nuclear Physics and Nuclear Astrophysics, at
the Niels Bohr Institute, Orsay, and the CEA laboratories in Paris.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press; 2nd edition (September 1, 2005)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 626 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 019856726X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0198567264
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.59 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.5 x 1.3 x 6.6 inches

Customer Reviews:
13 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Oliver Davis Johns

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Products related to this item
Sponsored Hide feedback

Page 1 of 1Start overPage 1 of 1

Feedback

Michael Rutherford

The most extensive "Quantum Physics for Beginners" book you will find. With real physics and famous experiments explained.

122

Paperback

$15.99
Feedback

Steven Holzner

446

Kindle Edition

$6.00
Feedback

Consumer Dummies

68

Kindle Edition

$14.00
Feedback

Steven Holzner

594

Paperback

$12.29
Feedback

Adele Foster

9

Paperback

$14.95
Feedback

Gage Dotson

35

Paperback

$12.97
Feedback

Steven Holzner

314

Paperback

$13.59
Feedback

X. Y. Scientist

46

Kindle Edition

$0.99
Feedback

8

Hardcover

$33.01
Feedback

Steven Holzner

919

Paperback

$17.99

Customer reviews

5 star		88%
4 star		12%
3 star 0% (0%)		0%
2 star 0% (0%)		0%
1 star 0% (0%)		0%

How customer reviews and ratings work

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

moratati

Best there is?

Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2012

Verified Purchase

My classmates & I hated this book when we took graduate mechanics. But three years later after struggling through Sakurai and Peskin & Schroeder I must admit this book gave me a solid grasp of Lagrangians and Hamiltonians. I would have often been lost without having studied this text first.In fact, Dr. Johns purposely designed this text on mechanics as a bridge to graduate quantum mechanics.

(After all, what other point is there to studying this subject at this level? The approach fails when things like friction come into play and if you want practical mechanics your time is better spent doing the computer problems in books like Fowler & Cassidy which are more realistic.)

Compared to Goldstein or Landau & Lifschitz it's a model of clarity and providing an appropriate level of support for first year grad students. The subject matter is hard, the problems are hard. They have to be if you want to learn physics at the graduate level. Five stars since there is nothing better for this level.

My only real complaint with the book is that the vast majority of my time solving the problems was spent doing very complicated algebra. Ten minutes of physics, hours of manipulating equations with page after page of algebra. Is it truly not possible to make difficult grad problems without spending most of your time on algebra? It makes impossible to use the answers in the back of the book because they take too long to see to completion.

26 people found this helpful

Helpful

Russael

Pretty good book so far

Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2012

It's odd no one else has reviewed this book yet. I'm into the first few chapters, and I was looking up reviews to see if anyone had reviewed it yet. I've looked at a number of analytical mechanics books so far, including Lanczos * The Variational Principles of Mechanics, Fowles & Cassiday * Analytical Mechanics, and Landau, Lifshitz * Mechanics. The Landau is dense and starts right out on the first page with Lagrangians with no derivation or preparation. Lanczos has a slant toward variation, as the title suggests. I'm enjoying the Lanczos and will finish it. However, I wanted a more extensive treatment of analytical mechanics, and the Landau was daunting and isn't focused only on analytical mechanics. The Fowles and Cassiday is an undergraduate treatment that seemed too elementary. And so I settled on this fine Oxford hardback with the curious cover of an ancient king, which is very clear and easy to understand, with sufficient derivations, a number of exercises at the end of the chapter, and a mathematical appendix, which it must be admitted isn't very robust. But there are plenty of places to fill in your mathematics. Every fourth answer is in the back of the book. If you have a solid first couple of years of undergraduate physics and calculus, I think this is a fine place to learn your analytical mechanics. I also like the trajectory of the book: as the title suggests, the mechanics is pointed toward relativity and quantum mechanics, not classical mechanics. I suppose it's obvious I'm studying the book on my own. I teach AP Physics and AP Calculus in high school, and so I'm studying I suppose largely as a hobby. More later.

17 people found this helpful

Helpful

Seo-Woo Choi

Also useful in undergraduate study

Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2013

I am using this book as a reference/supplementary material for my undergraduate classical mechanics course. In my class we are using Marion & Thornton's Classical Dynamics of Particles and Systems as the major textbook. From time to time, my primary textbook's explanations on Lagrangian & Hamiltonian mechanics were a bit vague or insufficient. I found this book to be thorough enough to fill in the gaps in my understanding of Lagrangian & Hamiltonian mechanics, while being much more readable than Goldstein's Classical Mechanics for undergraduates like me. Only Part I of the book was relevant for my class until now, but now I am willing to study the rest of the book even if its contents are not part of my course.

9 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English

D. Cook

Just What I needed

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 30, 2013

Verified Purchase

This is an excellent book in the tradition of Lanczos' classic work.

I should have written it 20 years ago!

Pirazzoli Silvano

Un esempio di come si scrive un buon testo di Meccanica

Reviewed in Italy on December 1, 2016

Verified Purchase

Un testo di ampio respiro, che sa essere rigoroso e discorsivo allo stesso tempo. E accessibile a chi abbia una base di Calcolo e Geometria Differenziale elementare

Translate review to English

See all reviews

Analytical Mechanics for Relativity and Quantum Mechanics (Oxford Graduate Texts) 2nd Edition

Sorry, there was a problem.

Sorry, there was a problem.

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Product details

Videos

About the author

Oliver Davis Johns

Customer reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top reviews from other countries