Book Description

From classical mechanics to general relativity, the key principles in all areas of physics are surveyed in this one handy volume. Here Alan Tribble addresses the needs of students and practicing physicists alike. He starts with a review of mathematical methods and then summarizes the most widely used concepts in physics, detailing derivations and applications. With its mix of theory, application, and solved problems, Advanced Physics enables a student to grasp quickly the fundamentals of the field while providing physicists, engineers, and mathematicians with an ideal reference for locating critical formulas or reviewing mathematical details.

One of Tribble's goals is to help students, particularly those preparing for comprehensive examinations, to develop and retain a broad base of knowledge and an in-depth understanding of the fundamental physical principles. Until now, reaching this goal has been a time-consuming and difficult task for the student, partly because so many texts have omitted key steps in crucial derivations or have assigned these derivations as exercises. By gathering widespread information into one highly accessible format, Advanced Physics will become an invaluable study aid, will serve readily as a text in a review course or as a supplemental text in higher-level courses, and will make for an indispensable reference for professionals throughout their careers.

Customer Reviews (4)

Very good knowledge
This book contains a very good storage of knowledge in physics, for undergraduate and graduate student in all of the stages of their studies. Too bad the cover is soft which means that the book will have a short life

excellent
Did you already learn something but couldn't remember the exact details of it or you just want to know the basics (very basics) then this book is for you. The princeton guide gives a quick summary of some very useful stuff. Don't try and actually learn (study) from this book because it doesn't give any problems. (Sadly, doing problems is the best way to learn it)! For someone like me who has seen almost everything in physics, this book is perfect for reacquainting me with some long time facts and calculations that I have forgotten. The key word FORGOTTEN, not actually trying to learn from because I have already done so.Summarize: Undergrads in the early stage don't buy this book! For upperUndergrads who are thinking about going on to grad school or actual other grad students, do buy this book!

A hurried one eats raw
As we say in my country, "a hurried one eats raw". Many many mistakes are made in this book. It is a good project of a book, and the star is for this, but I've got a strong doubt that it is good for a student, specially if used as a guide. So many mistakes that I laughed at some of them. Princeton University, well recognised all around the world, should think twice before putting its name on a book.

Princeton Guide to Advanced Physics
This would be a very useful book if it were not for the surprisingly large number of errors. A little more care is required to produce an updated and corrected edition. A new edition to eliminate typos, errors in derivations, and to provide a lttle more explanation where necessary, would render the book very useful to students and professionals alike. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Colourful and helpful
This Advanced Level Physics book is one of the best I have seen. The book is divided into 7 themes (Mechanics, Materials, Fields, Waves, Electricity, Inside the Atom and Physics in Medicine). The physical concepts as well as the formulas involved are explained in plain text as well as on clearly labelled diagrams.
I did the IB using this book and I found it highly relevant to the course, as it explained the syllabus and the options in great detail, and very comprehensively.
Moreover, there is a variety of practice questions from previous examinations at the back of each chapter, which vary in difficulty.
All in all I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to obtain a top grade in a Physics course equivalent to A-level Physics.

An excellent stydy guide for A level students
This text book is ideal for all Physics A level students. It will help weaker students develop a sound understanding of principles as well as stretch the more accademic students. There are plenty of clearly explainedworked examples from previous A level papers and a number a practicequestions. This book is a must for anyone serious about Advanced levelPhysics. ... Read more

Book Description
To move from empirical-based physics to the theoretical abstractness required for advanced physics requires a paradigmatic shift in logic that can challenge even the brightest mind. Grasping the play of phenomena as they are described in introductory compendiums does not necessarily create a foundation that allows for the building of a bridge to the higher levels of theoretical physics.In the first edition of Advanced University Physics, respected physicists Stuart Palmer and Mircea Rogalski built that bridge, and then guided readers across it. Serving as a supplement to the standard advanced physics syllabus, their work provided a succinct review of course material, while encouraging the development of a more cohesive understanding of theoretical physics. Now, after incorporating suggestions from many readers and colleagues, the two authors have revised and updated their original work to produce a second, even more poignant, edition.Succinct, cohesive, and comprehensive, Advanced University Physics, Second Edition brings individuals schooled in the rudiments of physics to theoretical fluency.In a progression of concise chapters, the text clarifies concepts from Newtonian Laws to nuclear dynamics, while introducing and building upon the theoretical logic required to operate in the world of contemporary physics. Some chapters have been combined to improve relational clarity, and new material has been added to cover the evolving concepts that have emerged over the last decade in this highly fluid field. The authors have also added a substantial amount of relevant problems and at least one pertinent example for every chapter. Those already steeped in physics will continue to find this work to be a useful reference, as the book's 47 chapters provide the opportunity to become refreshed and updated on a great number of easily identified topics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

too many typos
THESE REMARKS APPLY TO THE 1996 EDITION.
This book looked like a nice compendium of upper level undergraduate physics. Unfortunately, serious reoccurring misprints early on (starting on the second page, page 13, of the treatment of mechanics - lots of phi's missing lots of dots) have dissuaded me from using the book further. Browsing further (see for example page 35) reveals typsetting errors. I can't have confidence in this text.
I hope these errors have been taken care of in the second edition.

A strong bridge to cross upon
I work in an industrial chemical research laboratory. I have little formal education, most of what I "know" I have taught myself. I know a little physics, and I've taught myself a little calculus. So why this physics book? Sometimes the introductory is too hard trying to be simple, and sometime the hard is really just the simple with more mathematics, also, the Feynman Lectures do not cover it all!
If you learn because you are curious and ask a lot of questions and are very stubborn and patient to make up for not being very smart, then you are like me, you will find, with efforts, this book to be a wonderful way to bridge the introductory.
I have a couple patents, and in each case I have used a little physics intuition and a collection of wonderful books. When I get an idea I look ahead to get a general feeling for the problem that I wish to solve. This book I have used to look ahead. Next, I go back to the basic college level text books and even more basic if necessary, and then move forward narrowing the questions and looking to solved problems and math text books to get the required background to forward an idea. I have a large collection of books and a poor memory ... this book is one book I use a lot. Do not tell my employer that I do most of my thinking off their clock and that time is not money, rather the momentum-energy four-vector (page 71).
For problems solved, collections of physics problems, I use other books, for understanding I use this book and Feynman's lectures. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent reference for grads and postdocs
This book sports introductions, concepts, theorems, proofs, and summaries of key mathematical areas needed for graduate level and postdoctoral mathematical physics. Those focusing on theoretical physics will especially appreciate the book; it puts all the concepts and most of the theorems you need in one handy reference. Overall, it's another, must-have expert reference from the CRC Press.

Like all mathematical physics books, it emphasizes applications and concepts at the expense of pure mathematical rigor. This means that some concepts will be explained in plain, rather than mathematical, terms and that some more advanced theorems will be asserted--with supporting logic--rather than showing full proofs or mentioning aspects applicable to areas outside of currently known physics. Most physics people will consider these omissions an advantage. If you seek a deeper, less applied, more pure mathematical approach for certain areas, the book provides numerous launching points to other texts, in the references section.

Since the book contains chapter after chapter of concise, clear, prose and equations--but no problem sets--this is a reference rather than a textbook. For physics people who quickly want to learn the math concepts needed to read a research paper, understand a theory, or conceptually approach a problem, this is one of the best references I've seen--and I've seen a lot of them.

Please note, as well, that the reference does not attempt to cover the writing of computer algorithmns to automate the methods discussed. This is another topic in itself, and is better left to other texts, such as the "Numerical methods in..." series.

Overall, I rate this reference book a conceptually clear and concise overview of advanced mathematical physics. I highly recommend it for graduate students and postdocs practicing in theoretical physics today. The book covers, lucidly and in one volume, what would otherwise require you to mine from 10+ texts in different disciplines. From those with limited time but a taste for conceptual precision, this text will save you days, weeks, years. :) ... Read more

Book Description
Written by experienced authors and members of the Editorial Board of the I.O.P., Advanced Physics maintains the rigours of physics at the highest levels in a style that makes it accessible to a wide range of students.It is increasingly acknowledged that many of the problems students experience with A-Level Physics are associated with the mathematics involved. Advanced Physics deals with the problem head-on with full support for mathematics in physics. 'Maths boxes' have been created within the text to pull out the mathematics needed to grasp a particular concept. A complete appendix at the end of the book has also been added to offer the extra mathematical support needed.Key Points:DT Objectives stated clearly at the beginning of every spreadDT Full colour illustrationsDT Graduated questions and practice ... Read more

Product Description

The Physics of Atoms and Quanta is a thorough introduction to experiments and theory in this field. Every classical and modern aspect is included and discussed in detail. The new edition is completely revised, new sections on atoms in strong electric fields and high magnetic fields complete the comprehensive coverage of all topics related to atoms and quanta.

Customer Reviews (2)

A rare work
This book is indeed clear and easy to read and undoubtedly useful for advanced undergraduates and I imagine it would be a good review for would-be postgraduates. It also introduces more advanced topics, such as the Klein-Gordon and Dirac equations and introduces many topical issues. Very good at conveying the mathematical 'tricks of the trade' but unlike so many texts on quantum physics, this book is actually a physics book! Not only does it deal with the mathematical structure of the theory, but it has a satisfying and detailed presentation of the experiments! It is also superbly illustrated (as all text books should be!). I find that too many authours these days seem to care more for the maths than the physics - let us not forget what physics is for! In my mind this is one of the best advanced undergraduate quantum physics texts that I have seen. It is also a great educational work - solutions to problems are provided which is essential for self-study, which this book is admirably suited for (in addition to being quite suitable for directly supporting a taught course). This book is very student friendly, a rare thing these days, and far more readable and entertaining than many other books on quantum physics.

OK book on Atom Physics
This book is very readable and very clear. It can be used in advanced undergrad courses on atom physics. It treats the development of AtomPhysics theory and experiments (Rutherford, Bohr etc.). It providesexplanations to many practical quantum problems in the field of atomphysics, so it can also be used to clarify problems in a Quantum Physicscourse. Some example problems briefly discussed in books like Gasiorowiczor David Griffiths on QF were very well explained here. Quite complete onthe subject of Atom Physics. Exercises with (brief) solutions. Germanauthors seem to have done a thorough job. Negative points: heavy,expensive, limited subject, published some time ago. I consider it a goodbuy afterall. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Advanced users only
The title of the book may be misleading.
Attention, this book is for advanced readers in Condensed matter physics. Actually, the book is mostly consisted of some good papers selected by by Anderson. A beginner can read this after he get to know the "basic notions" from basic books.

A very useful Guide to Condense Matter
In fact, although it was been published almost twenty years ago, But most ideas in it were veryclassical and very sightful to Condense Matter So you caould see that many papers in the publication in fact cites this book . It's a very guide to the matter world ! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Excellent text
If you require one text on physics that gives you lucid, clear-cut explanations, then I recommend Nelkon & Parker. I used this text along with the one by Resnick & Halliday, and found that it was a useful combination, as the books complemented and supplemented each other rather well.

A terrific book, an excellent read...

Excellent Reading
I used this text for my A-Levels (in Tanzania). It is undoubtedly the best physics text I have seen for A-levels. Explaining clearly and keeping the reader intereseted. It uses sufficient explanation without sacrificing mathematical proofs. I recommend it for all A-Level students, and also for Freshmen and sophomore level physics students (even some junior level topics) in the USA. It is far above any of the unnecessarily long winded books I used in my undergrad courses in the US. It is also a must have for begining physics enthuthiasts and for those wanting a reference. Thats why I am looking for a copy since I lost my old one!

A classic for 'A' level Physics
A comprehensive classic for A level. So comprehensive that I still keep and refer to it when study for degree course. Keep it with you too.

Excellent book for fundamentals as well as advanced topics!
This is no doubt the best book for any A level/grd . 11-12 course of any country !Concepts are explained in a very nice manner.I used it in early 80s, my seniors were using it for many years and I still recommend itto all students of Physics.

Its probably the greatest and clearest Physics book ever
I used this book for my A-Levels just 2 years ago, because my father used it more than 25 years earlier. This book helped me even more than the new text recommend by my school. ... Read more

Book Description
There are new methods of learning, new concepts to be tried, but the basic core of physics remains a constant in an ever-changing world. Mathematical Methods for Physics is the bridge that brings these two worlds together. With supplemental material such as graphs and equations, Mathematical Methods for Physics comes together to create a strong, solid anchor for first year students. Dr. H. W. Wyld has lectured on this subject for years and has put together his first-year graduate physics course in this accessible book so students, eager to venture down this road, may be well equipped to learn the basics of physics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent Summary of Relevant Mathematics
Mathematical Methods for Physics, by H.W. Wyld (MMFP) is a very lovely, reasonably inexpensive review of the mathematics that underlies much of modern physics through the introductory graduate level, especially (elliptical) partial differential equations, complex variables and integral techniques, and special functions.The book is in lecture note style, which makes it compact and readable, compared to encyclopedic textbooks in mathematical physics such as Morse and Feshbach or Arfken, or (in a more mathematical vein) Hilbert and Courant that cover much of the same ground.

The book provides excellent support for graduate electrodynamics, graduate quantum mechanics, and related or similar courses with a high PDE content or intense usage of e.g. Green's functions, delta functions, Bessel (or other hypergeometric) functions, and sundry special functions or integrals.It omits any treatement (deliberately) of probability and statistics or actual applications from e.g. quantum field theory or truly advanced physics.

I have used this book personally for many years for many purposes -- to support research in multiple scattering theory, to teach graduate electrodynamics, to find quick and straightforward derivations of key e.g. Green's function relations or integral relations.Its derivational nature -- most of the lecture note style content is systematic derivation and exposition of the essential components of e.g. separation of variables and solution of the various resulting ODEs -- make it especially suitable as a deskside reference for physicist and student alike, or even as a textbook or auxiliary reference in a mathematical physics course.

MMFP is a classic, and while it was REALLY a bargain fifteen years ago at $16 (a typical price) it still isn't a bad deal priced in the $50's. ... Read more

Book Description
Text contains a collection of problems with detailed solutions, forgraduate students and researchers. Problems included cover most of the new fields in theoretical and mathematical physics; such as Laxrepresentation, Backlund transformation, and soliton equations. Softcover, hardcover available. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Some of this Material is Undergrad Level but the rest! WHEW!
Table of Contents follows:

Volume 2: Advanced/Graduate Level
1 Lax Representations in Classical Mechanics
2 Kronecker and Tensor Products
3 Nambu Mechanics
4 Gateaux and Frechet Derivatives
5 Stability and Bifurcations
6 Nonlinear Ordinary Difference Equations
7 Nonlinear Ordinary Differential Equations
8 Groups
9 Generalized Functions
10 Linear Partial Differential Equations
11 Nonlinear Partial Differential Equations
12 Group Theoretical Reductions
13 Backland Transformations
14 Soliton Equations
15 Lax Pairs for Partial Differential Equations
16 Hirota Technique
17 Painleve Test
18 Lie Algebras
19 Differential Forms
20 Lie Derivative
21 Metric Tensor Fields
22 Killing Vector Fields
23 Inequalities
24 Ising Model and Heisenberg Model
25 Number Theory
26 Combinatorial Problems
27 Fermi Operators
28 Bose Operators
29 Lax Representations and Bethe Ansatz
30 Gauge Transformations
31 Chaos, Fractals and Complexity ... Read more

Book Description
This new edition of the well-received introduction to solid-state physics provides a comprehensive overview of the basic theoretical and experimental concepts of materials science. Experimental aspects and laboratory details are highlighted in separate panels that enrich text and emphasize recent developments.
Notably, new material in the third edition includes sections on important devices, aspects of non- periodic structures of matter, phase transitions, defects, superconductors and nanostructures.
Students will benefit significantly from solving the exercises given at the end of each chapter. This book is intended for university students in physics, materials science and electrical engineering. This edition has been thoroughly updated to maintain its usefulness as modern text and reference. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

i disagree

i dont have it in front of me for a more detailed review, but the text is popular with german students and only after it became more widespread was it translated into english and redistributed. it's a fine introductory text (and better than kittel in my opinion, which reads more like a recipe-book).

Seems very incomplete
We used this text in an introductory solid state course.Overall, it seems that the text is far too brief and doesn't thoroughly explain the material enough for an introductory course.There are very few examples/applications.The problems in the chapter require research outside of what is in the text.It leaves out a lot of important details.I would really suggest looking elsewhere for a good solid state introduction.

Limited audience
I used this book in a course which was supposed to be an introduction to solid state. Know some basic ideas in crystal structure, quantum mechanics, statistical mechanics, advanced and partial differential equations andFourier anlysis and then you'll begin to be ready to understand this text. Kittel's Solid State text is slightly more helpful (but only slightly). Thebook is completely devoid of examples, yet there are sections at the end ofeach chapter involving current applications and experiments in condensedmatter physics and materials science. Exercises require a leap ofunderstanding from the contents of the chapter before them.Someexperience with a computer language may also be necessary. I wouldn'trecommend this book for most undergrads. ... Read more

Product Description
Nearly all the information we know about the Universe comes from the study of light as it reaches us. The understanding of this information contained in light requires both telescopes capable of resolving light into its different component colors, as well as detailed knowledge of the quantum mechanical behavior of atoms and molecules. This unique book, which is based on a third-year undergraduate course given by the author at University College London, presents the basic atomic and molecular physics necessary to understand and interpret astronomical spectra. It explains what information can be extracted from these spectra and how. Extensive use is made of contemporary astronomical spectral data to both motivate the study of the underlying atomic physics and to illustrate the results. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Practical next step
I have a BSci in Astronomy and have not yet attended grad school.I work for a world class observatory that uses spectroscopy of some sort in almost all of the science we do.Having only had brief overviews as an undergrad, this book was a perfect next step allowing me to gain a more thorough understanding the science that I am part of.Some prior knowledge of atomic physics is very helpful.
The problems at the end of the chapters are useful to verify understanding of the material.

A good introduction
This is a good introduction to the topic but its a little thin weighing in at a little less than 200 pages. The book is very compact and written at the college level. It stresses the connection between spectra and quantum mechanics [of course]. The book would make a good college or graduate level textbook as a course in itself or an adjunct to physics or quantum mechanics.

The Table of Contents:
1. Why record spectra of Astronomical Objects
2. The nature of Spectra
3. Atomic Hydrogen
4. Complex Atoms
5. Helium Spectra
6. Alkali Atoms
7. Spectra of Nebulea
8. X-ray Spectra
9. Molecular Spectra
10. Solutions to Problems
11. Bibliography

Third Year Undergrad level.
It comes as a surprise to most people when they learn that rarely does a professional astronomer actually look through a telescope. Most of the time, in fact, he isn't interested in the appearance at all. What he actually wants (usually) is a spectroscopic analysis of the light coming from the object being observed.

The biggest telescope cannor resolve a star into anything but a point of light. The information contained in that point of light can tell you a lot about that star. The composition of its atmosphere, its motion, its temperature and more can all be determined by analyzing the light beam.

This book was developed for a third year undergraduate level course. It presumes that the student had a prior course in Quantum Mechanics which covered the Hydrogen Atom, but no further atomic physics or spectroscopy. ... Read more

Book Description

Now it's relatively EASY to learn ADVANCED PHYSICS

Interested in excelling in physics but don't have infinite time or the IQ of Einstein? No problem! Advanced Physics Demystified helps you understand this complex subject matter without expending a lot of energy.

You'll start by learning about linear motion and plane trajectories and then move on to circular and harmonic motion. Next, you'll study thermodynamics, electrical impedance and admittance, and alternating-current circuit analysis. Gravitation, nuclear physics, and radiant energy are also covered. Filled with helpful illustrations and examples and featuring end-of-chapter quizzes and a final exam, this book will teach you the essentials of advanced physics in no time at all.

This fast and easy guide offers:

• Numerous figures to illustrate key concepts
• Sample problems with worked solutions
• A quick way to prepare for physics questions on college entrance exams
• Coverage of Kepler's Laws, Newton's Law, and Ohm's Law for AC circuits
• A time-saving approach to performing better on an exam or at work

Simple enough for a beginner, but challenging enough for an advanced student, Advanced Physics Demystified takes the resistance out of learning this fascinating subject.

Book Description
A perception exists that physics is a sophisticated discipline accessible only to the brightest students.To dispel this notion, the authors created a program that makes college-level physics attainable to average high school students. Additionally, its distinctive concept-building approach allows high performing student to flourish.Regardless of experience, all physics teachers can confidently prepare students for success with this product.The unique program design also makes it ideal for the home-schooled student.

This program has proven, through field-testing, that upon successful completion, students are rewarded with genuine conceptual understanding, a real sense of accomplishment, and the tangible benefit of college credit.

What makes this program unique?

As opposed to chapter-by-chapter formats of traditional textbooks, it integrates concepts and employs constant review, allowing students to strengthen understanding over time. The 100-lesson format develops concepts in a progressive, spiraling manner. Concepts are introduced at a fundamental level developing further in later lessons, encouraging incremental learning.

Problem sets that accompany each lesson represent an important feature that promotes confidence and understanding. Each set includes topics from current and previous lessons, making each set comprehensive.As the course progresses, the problems increase in complexity and depth, enabling students to master and connect concepts.

All tests are comprehensive and include multiple choice and free response sections.The tests continuously increase in difficulty, building to AP-level rigor.The scoring rubrics and alternate forms of each test allow teachers and students to diagnose weaknesses and focus learning.

The program also includes a set of ten descriptive physics questions after every fifth lesson, which promotes thought and expose misconceptions, while requiring consideration of concepts from a qualitative and conceptual perspective. The Teacher Resource CD contains detailed keys for problem sets, quizzes and tests. ... Read more

Book Description
This well-established monograph, updated and now in its ninth edition, deals mainly with electron transport in, and optical properties of semiconductors. It includes lasers, e.g. the quantum cascade laser, quantum processes such as the quantum Hall effect, quantum dots, fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, molecular electronics, the nitrides, and many other recent discoveries in the field. New diagrams and tables provide a comprehensive source of materials data. Selected problems help readers to consolidate their knowledge and invite teachers to use this text for graduate courses on semiconductor physics, solid statephysics, and physical electronics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Useful for experimentalists
As a graduate student in semiconductor physics, this was one of my favourite texts. A good sophisticated explanation of its subject, that went beyond an introductory text in solid state physics, like Kittel's book or that by Ashcroft and Mermin.

It strikes a nice balance between a purely theoretical book on condensed matter and an empirical-tending experimentalist text. The theoretical explanations presented here will be readily understandable to experimentalists, without having to wade through reams of renormalisation theory.

Perhaps the biggest inadequacy, to some, is the treatment, or lack thereof, of high temperature superconductors. Ah well, that subject is important enough that you probably should get texts devoted exclusively to it.

Interested in transport theory?
If you are interested in semi-classical charge and energy transport theory in semiconductors, Seeger is still the best book to learn from.For experimentalists, this book is a boon since many formulaes are given in "reduced" forms - just plug in material constants and get a numerical value. ... Read more

Book Description

Space is a large natural plasma laboratory offering a wealth of phenomena which range from the simple to the highly complex and non-linear. This book begins with an introduction to basic principles such as single-particle motion, magnetohydrodynamics and plasma waves. It incorporates these concepts into an analysis of complex phenomena including the sun and solar activity, shocks, interplanetary space and magnetospheres, and finally the interaction between these entities in solar-terrestrial relationships. In all these subfields of space research, special attention is paid to energetic particles. The book concludes with a brief chapter on instrumentation. In this third edition, numerous examples have been added to illustrate the basic concepts and aid the reader in applying such concepts to real world physics. In addition, recent observations (ACE, TRACE, Wind) have been included. The chapter on solar-terrestrial relationships has been expanded to introduce the current research topic of Space Weather.

Book Description
This new edition has been updated to reflect the most recent Advanced Placement Physics B exams. It presents a diagnostic test with answer key plus two full-length AP Physics B practice tests modeled on actual exams. All questions are answered and explained. Extensive review material covers all Physics B topics: vectors, Newton's laws of motion, work and energy, impacts and linear momentum, torque and angular momentum, oscillatory motion, gravitation, temperature and heat, thermodynamics, electrostatics, electric circuits, magnetism, electromagnetic induction, waves and sound, light, geometrical optics, quantum theory, the atom, the nucleus, and special relativity. Added features include test-taking advice, a glossary, a math review, and physics charts and tables ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

best supplemented with additional review
I ordered this guide for last May's (2007)AP test. I bought it because reviews for other books recommended this one, saying it offered a good overall coverage and depth. While going through it, I found it to be a generally O.K. review. My class did cover quantum theory in time but we knew it would be covered on the AP test (*Hint: It was.*) I tried using this guide to learn it, but some examples did not make sense to me. I think this guide is best supplemented with additional material (ie. another guide or through class notes) and is best used by reading from cover to cover, not just for looking up particular principles. For example, I was doing a example problem which used a constant. I could not find the value for the constant within that chapter, so I solved for the constant and then finished the problem. I discovered it was a previous chapter that I had not read. On the good side, I remembered how to use the constant for one of the FRQ's; on the bad side, I was extremely frustrated with the "in-depth preparation" (description from the back of the book!) Barron's had offered.

Not Recommended
The practice tests in this book were terrible! In more than one instance, the answers were incorrect according to my textbook and one of the questions had 3 answer choices that were identical! Compared to the AP questions we recieved from my teacher, the ones from the Barron's review book were quite off.

Great Book, as expected
bought this book on Amazon, saved a bunch of money, got the book in 3 days. i don't think it gets much better than that. as for the book itself, well, i always trusted barrons for most of my tests, and this is no exception.

It's OK
This book is ok.Some of the explanations (like with electricity) are a bit confusing, and some of the information in the book is not even tested on the AP exam (like angular momentum).There are a few errors in the answer choices too, and those threw me off.When I studied it, I had no experience with physics whatsoever, and I crammed for the AP Physics B exam in a month and got a 3.But nonetheless I did learn quite a bit, and the introductory chapters that dealt with testing and learning strategies were nice to read. I also found that, as opposed to the Princeton Review's book, theres more verbal explanation of the concepts, rather than a set of problems, making it seem more like a textbook than just a problem workbook.

So to a certain extent, the cons balance the pros, making it neither good or bad.I suppose this book is good depending on your learning style.If you want explanations, this book does it.If you more practice problems, princeton does that. ... Read more

Book Description
This comprehensive and innovative text provides an understanding of the geometric and electronic structure of surfaces. It addresses the surfaces of covalent and ionic solids and also metals. The book emphasizes fundamental aspects, such as the principles of surface crystallography and thermodynamics, the forces driving the rearrangement of the atoms, and the relationship between bonding and electronic structure. The book illuminates the relationship between surface orientation, chemistry, energetics, and the resulting properties. The text includes a discussion of elementary excitations at surfaces, their description and measurement. The general physical arguments and methods presented in the book will also allow the reader to analyse novel surfaces and interfaces of new materials. This makes the book an indispensable reference to all those studying growth, surface-molecule interactions, self-assembled structures, property engineering and materials development. ... Read more

Book Description
Professor Phillips provides an accurate exploration and solid foundation for students and researchers of this fast-growing field.

Solid state physics continues to be the fastest-growing sub-discipline in physics. This much anticipated new book provides ample background that underpins the principles of solid state physics, and moves quickly to an overview of current research in this fast-moving field. Upper division undergraduates and graduate students in physics who wish to pursue solid state physics research must master old topics, as well as problems of current interest. This book serves that purpose, and fills students' needs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Good overview of standard theory and more modern developments
Condensed matter physics has been and will always be the most important branch of physics, due mostly to its role in technological developments. Advances in medicine have also depended directly on advances in condensed matter physics, along with advances in materials science and computer technology. Armies of researchers and billions of research dollars have poured into this field, and throughout its history it has been marked by brilliant developments. Many of these developments are discussed in this book, which targets a readership that already has had exposure to condensed matter physics and statistical mechanics at the elementary level. Although somewhat short considering the subject matter, the author is still able to give the details on the subjects that have given the most surprises to researchers in recent decades.

For example, this book has one of the best overviews of the Kondo problem of all the current books on advanced condensed matter physics. The author presents the problem as one that will definitely need a treatment not possible in the context of mean-field theory, since the latter is mostly applicable to high temperatures. The goal is to study the affects of local magnetic moments on the transport and magnetic properties of a particular metal and how these moments behave as the temperature is lowered. Interestingly, and of great surprise when it was discovered, above the so-called Kondo temperature, the magnetic susceptibility of a magnetic impurity obeys the usual Curie law. However below the Kondo temperature it approaches a constant. Thus magnetism ceases at low temperatures, which definitely countered what was expected, namely that there is always magnetization below the Curie temperature. The analysis of the problem boils down to studying the interaction of the spin of the impurity with the conduction electrons, and the original solution by Kondo diverged at temperatures below the Kondo temperature. An approach based on the renormalization group (ala Kenneth Wilson) finally solved the Kondo problem, and this approach is discussed, along with the others that were proposed before it and based on second-order perturbation theory. These developments are discussed in the book.

The treatment of the electron gas, the Hartree-Fock approximation, and plasma oscillations is fairly standard but detailed. For the noninteracting electron gas the author actually calculates the pressure in the ground state and quotes the value: one million atmospheres (!) with this coming solely from the Pauli exclusion principle. In his discussion of the Wigner solid, the author mentions, but does not discuss in detail, the experiments in the dilute two-dimensional electron gas that indicate a metal-insulator transition in this system for zero magnetic field. A reference is given however for readers who want to familiarize themselves with what was known experimentally at the time of publication. Interest in the two-dimensional electron gas has waxed and waned over the last few decades. This reviewer studied this system in the context of metal-insulator-semiconductor structures with narrow gap semiconductors in the early 1980's.

Also discussed in the book, and of great interest to other areas of physics and mathematics such as the theory of exactly solved models in statistical mechanics and conformal field theory, is the topic of bosonization. The author motivates this subject by considering the case of the dynamics of the Fourier components of the electron density for the interacting electron gas in the regime where plasma oscillations exist. This dynamics is governed by a harmonic oscillator equation, which gives credence to the view that plasma oscillations can be viewed as bosonic excitations in the interacting electron gas. A natural question to ask then is whether this can be generalized, namely can one start with a system governed by Fermi-Dirac statistics and map it into one that is governed by Bose-Einstein statistics. A general procedure for doing this is unknown, but it has been done rigorously for the case of interacting electrons in one dimension. The author discusses this for the case of the one-dimensional Hubbard model, which when subjected to bosonization becomes the Luttinger liquid. He reminds the reader though that one must not impute too much to bosonization in this case since it is merely an equivalence of their equations of motion. He does note however that for the case of interacting electrons in one-dimension there is interesting physics that can be illuminated by the process of bosonization, namely that the electron in this case can be viewed as a composite particle consisting of a `holon' and a `spinon', both of which obey Bose statistics.

The most interesting part of the book, and one that is full of lively discussion, is the one on localization in disordered solids. At least for Anderson localization, which was the first considered historically, the dependence on dimension is obvious, with the Anderson transition only occurring in dimensions three or more. The absence of the transition in dimensions less than three is perhaps not too surprising if one remembers the results in rigorous statistical quantum physics about the absence of phase transitions in dimensions this low. But here one is studying the occurrence of a transition between insulating and conducting regimes, which is dependent on the degree of disorder, and not the temperature (the insulator-metal transition is thus a `quantum phase transition'). It is clear from the perusal of this chapter that localization is a difficult problem whose study requires many tools, each one of these by itself insufficient to capture the entire phenomenon. Indeed, the Boltzmann transport theory cannot describe the Anderson transition, due to its insistence that the mean free path be greater than the lattice spacing. If one uses Green functions, one must compute the site self-energy, which as the author shows (but briefly) can be done but it masks the essential physics of the localization transition. Thus the author resorts to scaling theory, which via a single parameter, the conductance, completely characterizes the localization transition.

luck
After the book of A/M solid state physics, there is no consensus on the most suitable and modern solid state physics textbook. One of the main reason is the rapid developements of some fancy theory, like bosonization, RG, etc after 70s. This book written by Phillips convers almost
all the contemporary topics in condensed matter theory except the high-Tc part. On this ground, this book is worthy recommendation.

A friendly, good introduction for all the modern concepts
The author gives a very good introduction to the topics most researchers in the Condensed Matter community are intersted in. This is good for both theorists and experimentalists as beginners. For theorists, this book gives quickly physics images, which is relatively much easier than reading all the original papers; for experimentalists, this gives very good reviews what the theorists are working about and how are they related to the real world, while NOT MUCH MATH is needed for going through this book.
So this book helps any beginner in the Condensed Matter research to go to the frontier quickly.
I also llike the free-style language the author used in this book --- reading the book is like talking with a friend in the tea time.
One thing I don't like the book is, for some critical topics (like the localizations), the author tried to explain some hard problems in an easy way, while sometimes he failed in doing it clearly and precisely. But again this book is not a math book, and the clear physics pictures it describe already make it one of the best introductory textbooks for these "advanced" topics.

A friendly, good introduction for all the modern concepts
The author gives a very good introduction to the topics most researchers in the Condensed Matter community are intersted in. This is good for both theorists and experimentalists as beginners. For theorists, this book gives quickly physics images, which is relatively much easier than reading all the original papers; for experimentalists, this gives very good reviews what the theorists are working about and how are they related to the real world, while NOT MUCH MATH is needed for going through this book.
So this book helps any beginner in the Condensed Matter research to go to the frontier quickly.
I also llike the free-style language the author used in this book --- reading the book is like talking with a friend in the tea time.
One thing I don't like about the book is, for some critical topics (like the localizations), the author tried to explain some hard problems in an easy way, while sometimes he failed in doing it clearly and precisely. But again this book is not a math book, and the clear physics pictures it describes already make it one of the best introductory textbooks for these "advanced" topics.

A concise but thorough treatment of Adv. Solid State !
I just attended a course based on this book and all I can say is wow.
P. Philips avoids falling into excessive formalism and manages to present
the essence of each subject.

Readers with preparation in the introductory S. State will certainly
benefit from the straight and insightful treatment of the subjects. ... Read more