Book Description

Customer Reviews (5)

Good preparation for your preliminary exam in Modern Physics
I used this book many years ago to prepare for my preliminary exams (pre-PhD exams) in modern physics. Although it's dated (ca. 1950), that doesn't matter very much. The strong feature is that it discusses the content without getting into a lot of formalism, and gives the historical connection between different aspects that one is not likely to see in the usual text books.

An excellent overview of the development and character of modern physics!
Atomic Physics is based upon a series of lectures on physics that Born gave in Germany in 1933.Since then it has been translated into English updated significantly as physics developed.This means that the book represents sound physics, and not the relatively undeveloped 1933 picture of the physics.

I should note that the title of the book is slightly misleading. The original German edition was called modern physics. However, the publisher of the English version already had a book called modern physics, so the English version was renamed Atomic Physics.

Born covers a wide range of topics dealing with the gasses, elementary particles, the structure of the nucleus, atoms, molecules.He has written the book in the context of describing the historical development of each topic.This is done in a flowing style by only including important equations in the text.Derivations and so fourth are placed in the 130 pages of appendices in the back of the book.This allows the text to tell a story without the burden of constant discontinuities due to equations. If you want to see the maths, just flip to the back of the book.

I would classify this book somewhere between popular science and a textbook.Like a popular science it tells a story, it flows and readable.People with some knowledge of physics can read this book and learn a lot form it.Even without the appendices.On the other hand, like a text it doesn't give hand wavy, simplified descriptions of the physics.This is good hard physics.

While I wouldn't call this book a text, it is far too general for that, it does give an excellent overview of the development and character of modern physics from one of the people who was there in the thick of it.I highly recommend it to any person that is acquainted with physics.Non-scientists would probably benefit more from reading something like Brian Greene's The Elegant Universe.

This is a great book, it is well written, structure and relevant.It fully deserves five stars.To reiterate what other reviewers have said, I wish present-day textbooks were written this well.

You must have it
Well, this is probably not the most up to date text but it is still one of the best. The book is a collection of topics (Atomic Physics, Solid State Physics, some of QM, some of classical Physics, Statistical Thermodynamics), which are explained in a short, simple and clear way. This is also a great book for those who are familiar with QM: they will find an excellent collection of topics that are just outlined on other standard QM textbooks. Moreover one can learn a lot from the original way M. Born approaches important subjects in Physics (how to recognize the Physics in every concept, for example). This is a book everyone interested in Physics should have in her/his library.

Simple, exact and excelent
When we see how much quantum mechanics pushed our civilization and how badit became explained on 'modern' textbooks it is a relief to find out thatthis book is still published and affordable. A must for anyone interestedin the subject or needing to understand it with the help of one of thefathers of QM.

Why do we need Quantum Mechanics?
Max Born was one of the fathers of quantum mechanics, a great physicist and a cultivated gentleman. His "Atomic Physics" has been around since a long time, but is still the best place to find out why do we really need to replace Newtonian mechanics. This book studies every kind of phenomena which puzzled the physicsts of the early century, like thermal equilibrium of radiation, photo-electric effect, the Bohr model of the atom, specific-heat irregularities, cohesion forces among molecules, etc. Then he shows how quantum mechanics correctly describes each one of them. This is done in a pedagogically very effective way: the ideas are explained in the text, while the more formal derivations appear in a large set of appendices. These are gems of precision and concision, precious by themselves. My favorite one is the derivation of the Van der Waals forces (between molecules), which he shows to be essentially quantal, as they are due to the zero-point energy of the ! quantum harmonic oscillator. One of the great text-books of this century. ... Read more

Book Description

This Springer Handbook of Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics comprises a comprehensive reference source that unifies the entire fields of atomic, molecular, and optical (AMO) physics, assembling the principal ideas, techniques and results of the field from atomic spectroscopy to applications in comets. Its 92 chapters are written by over 100 authors, all leaders in their respective disciplines.

Book Description
This text will thoroughly update the existing literature on atomic physics. Intended to accompany an advanced undergraduate course in atomic physics, the book will lead the students up to the latest advances and the applications to Bose-Einstein Condensation of atoms, matter-wave
inter-ferometry and quantum computing with trapped ions. The elementary atomic physics covered in the early chapters should be accessible to undergraduates when they are first introduced to the subject. To complement the usual quantum mechanical treatment of atomic structure the book strongly
emphasizes the experimental basis of the subject, especially in the later chapters. It includes ample tutorial material (examples, illustrations, chapter summaries, graded problem sets). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

old and new material [especially on qubits]
This book has two types of material; both well done. The first could have been written decades ago, and is the "traditional" atomic physics. Where you start with the hydrogen atom, and investigate its spectroscopy with the Schrodinger equation. Then the book takes the next logical step by going to helium and thence to heavier atoms. LS and JJ coupling and other refinements. Such material is now quite well known and you need this for a solid background.

But the book also has much more recent material. On quantum computing using qubits. These attempt to use the quantum states of small groups of atoms, to perform computations fundamentally different from current digital efforts. Enough detail is given for you to appreciate the severe experimental travails of the field, and how much more remains to be done, if qubits are ever to become useful. ... Read more

Book Description
This book is intended for advanced undergraduate, graduate students and researchers who are interested in Atomic, Molecular and Optical (AMO) Physics.Written as a collection of problems, hints and solutions, the book will provide help in learning about both fundamental and applied aspects of
this vast field of knowledge, where rapid and exciting developments are currently taking place.The authors tough upon a broad spectrum of phenomena and techniques and adopt an experimentalist's approach, by avoiding formal calculations whenever possible in favor of "back-of-the-envelope"
estimates, symmetry arguments and physical analogies.While complete coverage of all AMO Physics is not attempted, there are chapters on atomic structure, behavior of atoms and molecules in external electromagnetic fields, atomic collisions and experimental techniques.Special attention is given
to a discussion of ideas and experimental methods in several "hot areas", a few of these being cold atoms and Bose-Einstein condensates, tests of fundamental symmetries, atomic magnetometers and frequency comb metrology with ultra-short laser pulses. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent book for atomic physicists and all physics graduate students
This book has most useful practical problem sets about atomic physics. All the problems are related to real experiments. One can learn both theories and experimental methods from them. Most importantly, this book provides lots of useful "numbers" that a physicists should memorize.

For physics graduate students, reading this book is a good way to review what you have learned in quantum mechanics class and to prepare for prelim qualifying exams.

... 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 (1)

Outstanding history of key ideas in modern physics!
This book ties it all together:from "the crumbling Aristotelian paradigm" (without a strong candidate to replace it, despite Galileo's and Descartes' best efforts) in the early 1600s, through Newton to Boltzmann and Maxwell and on to modern fluid dynamics.

Professor Brush is a physicist turned science historian, and it shows in his treatment of his subject.

Clearly written and insightful, it's difficult to put down. ... Read more

Book Description

This introduction to Atomic and Molecular Physics explains how our present model of atoms and molecules has been developed over the last two centuries, both by many experimental discoveries and, from the theoretical side, by the introduction of quantum physics to the adequate description of micro-particles. It illustrates the wave model of particles by many examples and shows the limits of classical description. The interaction of electromagnetic radiation with atoms and molecules and its potential for spectroscopy is outlined in great detail and, in particular, lasers as modern spectroscopic tools are discussed thoroughly. Many examples and problems with solutions are offered to encourage readers to actively participate in applying and adapting the theory to specific situations.

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent problems and solutions book in Atomic Physics
This is the best problem and solutions book in Atomic Physics I sow! It has a broad variety of detail solved problems, from those which are almost easy to those which are really hard. I use that one like main book inAtomic Physics to prepare myself for Ph.D. qualifier. I also highlyrecommend this book to all graduate students, as well as to thoseundergraduate who are willing to learn more than they can from ordinaryundergraduate courses. ... 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

This established text and reference contains an advanced presentation of quantum mechanics adapted to the requirements of modern atomic physics. It includes topics of great current interest such as semiclassical theory, chaos and Bose-Einstein condensation in atomic gases. The third edition of Theoretical Atomic Physics extends the successful second edition with a detailed treatment of the wave motion of atoms near the anticlassical or extreme quantum regime, and it also contains an introduction to some aspects of atom optics that are relevant for current and future experiments involving ultra-cold atoms. Various problems are included together with complete solutions. Because it has more emphasis on theory, this book enables the reader to appreciate the fundamental assumptions underlying standard theoretical constructs and to embark on independent research projects.

Book Description

The study of atomic physics propelled us into the quantum age in the early twentieth century and carried us into the twenty-first century with a wealth of new and, in some cases, unexplained phenomena. Topics in Atomic Physics provides a foundation for students to begin research in modern atomic physics. It can also serve as a reference because it contains material that is not easily located in other sources.

Book Description
Praised as 'one of the best new optics books seen for some time', this book will provide a unique presentation of classical optics from the modern perspective. Written for advanced undergraduate students, the text stands out by its readability and stimulating discussions, close ties to
experimental physics, and excellent choice of worked problem sets. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Intermediate text, very readable, conversational tone...
Born and Wolf is a classic, but tough sledding at times. If it is a common topic in optics, you probably will prefer reading about it here instead. This book has a nice conversational tone, gives insight, and is reasonably detailed (but not exhaustive). It includes a lot of practical advice in small-type paragraphs in margins throughout the book (for example, the chapter on thin films notes that the refractive index can often vary with deposition method, etc.). ... Read more

Product Description

Relativistic quantum electrodynamics, which describes the electromagnetic interactions of electrons and atomic nuclei, provides the basis for modeling the electronic structure of atoms, molecules and solids and of their interactions with photons and other projectiles. The theory underlying the widely used GRASP relativistic atomic structure program, the DARC electron-atom scattering code and the new BERTHA relativistic molecular structure program is presented in depth, together with computational aspects relevant to practical calculations. Along with an understanding of the physics and mathematics, the reader will gain some idea of how to use these programs to predict energy levels, ionization energies, electron affinities, transition probabilities, hyperfine effects and other properties of atoms and molecules.

Intended for Physicists and Chemists who need to understand the theory of atomic and molecular structure and processes, and who wish to apply the theory to practical problems. As far as practicable, the book will provide a self-contained account of the theory of relativistic atomic and molecular structure, based on the accepted formalism of bound-state Quantum Electrodynamics. The theory will be based securely on rigorous mathematical and numerical analysis. Those more interested in applications than in understanding the models in depth will be able to skip much of the mathematical material. The algorithms used in several software packages -- for atomic structures, for electron-atom scattering and photoionisation and for relativistic atomic and molecular structures -- will be presented, together with an outline of the scope and use of each. The software packeges themselves will be included on a CD. Many applications of relativistic atomic and molecular structure theory use model potentials, self-consistent fields, or density- functional methods, supplemented by some form of many-body perturbation theory or coupled-cluster method for improved accurac ... Read more

Book Description
Both the interpretation of atomic spectra and the application of atomic spectroscopy to current problems in astrophysics, laser physics, and thermonuclear plasmas require a thorough knowledge of the Slater-Condon theory of atomic structure and spectra. This book gathers together aspects of the theory that are widely scattered in the literature and augments them to produce a coherent set of closed-form equations suitable both for computer calculations on cases of arbitrary complexity and for hand calculations for very simple cases. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (2)

A Classic by one of the Pioneer's of Quantum Theory
A very enjoyable read, providing a unique perspective on the early days of QT.

A unique view of the operator formalism of Quantum Mechanics
There are two series of lectures in this book: one on crystal lattices and one on quantum mechanics. The crystal-lattice work is of no great interest these days, but the lectures on QM were written just after Born worked with Heisenberg et al. to develop the operator formalism, and shows a unique angle on it. For example, he motivates the need for matrix multiplication by discussing the representation of physical variables in terms of Fourier transform, but where the frequencies are not harmonics of a fundamental frequency, but are instead the differences between energy levels. It's a very different angle from the way it is introduced in text books, and quite fascinating if you're interested in the conceptual development of QM. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Reference
This is a very read-able overview of radiation oncology physics and I would recommend it. ... Read more

Book Description
This text provides thorough treatment of modern, atomic, and nuclear physics, including many modern topics which are not found in other texts. The blending of detailed historical development along with the latest developments and application techniques in research are a unique feature to this text. ... Read more