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A Relatively Painless Guide to Special Relativity
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
Serious and accessible—finally the special relativity course book that both physics majors and lifelong learners deserve.
Special relativity challenges one’s physical intuition of space, time, matter, and energy in a way that few other topics in physics do. Yet the subject is often treated as an extra in undergraduate courses—something to be picked up in a few random lectures and presented as a combination of geometric and logical puzzles (seemingly with the premise of getting the novice student to concede that Einstein was a genius and that the universe is weird).
But special relativity is absolutely fundamental to modern physics. It is the canvas on which electromagnetism, particle physics, field theory, and ultimately general relativity are based. For physics students, developing a relativistic intuition isn’t just a luxury: it’s a requirement.
Physicist and popular author Dave Goldberg provides a rigorous but conversational introduction to fill this void in spacetime education. Employing the standard calculus a sophomore or junior university student in science, engineering, or computer science will have encountered, Goldberg connects relativity to a student’s work ahead, acquainting them with topics like tensors, the development of new physical theories, and how relativity directly relates to other disciplines.
But more than this, Goldberg welcomes lifelong learners who may have encountered special relativity in popular accounts, but are seeking a mathematical challenge to understand an elegant physical theory.
A Relatively Painless Guide to Special Relativity delivers both the foundational understanding and the detailed exploration necessary for any aspiring physicist or curious mind.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
A Relatively Painless Guide to Special Relativity by Dave Goldberg stands out among introductory books through its detailed yet conversational exploration of relativity's mathematics. Reviewers praise its ability to introduce complex concepts in manageable steps, making it suitable for students and educators alike. Goldberg's engaging style and thorough approach provide clarity and ease the transition to advanced studies in physics and astrophysics.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780226821856
Publisher: The University of Chicago Press
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 20 July 2023
Country: United States
Imprint: University of Chicago Press
Illustration: 92 halftones, 2 line drawings
Audience: Professional and scholarly
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 20.0mm
Width: 152.0mm
Height: 229.0mm
Weight: 286g
Pages: 192
About the Author
Dave Goldberg is professor in and director of the Undergraduate Physics Program at Drexel University. He is the author of The Standard Model in a Nutshell and The Universe in the Rearview Mirror, as well as coauthor of The User’s Guide to the Universe. He lives with his wife and daughters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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