Elementary Particles and the Laws of Physics: The 1986 Dirac Memorial Lectures

ISBN-13: 9780521658621 / Angielski / Miękka / 1999 / 122 str.

Richard Phillips Feynman; Steven Weinberg; Steven Weinberg

Opis

Developing a theory that seamlessly combines relativity and quantum mechanics, the most important conceptual breakthroughs in twentieth century physics, has proved to be a difficult and ongoing challenge. This book details how two distinguished physicists and Nobel laureates have explored this theme in two lectures given in Cambridge, England, in 1986 to commemorate the famous British physicist Paul Dirac. Given for nonspecialists and undergraduates, the talks transcribed in Elementary Particles and the Laws of Physics focus on the fundamental problems of physics and the present state of our knowledge. Professor Feynman examines the nature of antiparticles, and in particular the relationship between quantum spin and statistics. Professor Weinberg speculates on how Einstein's theory of gravitation might be reconciled with quantum theory in the final law of physics. Highly accessible, deeply thought provoking, this book will appeal to all those interested in the development of modern physics.

Recenzje

'Cambridge University Press are to be congratulated on making these two excellent and thought provoking lectures available. Elementary Particles and the Laws of Physics is a book that all physicists will be pleased to have on their shelves, and one that will surely stimulate aspiring theoretical physicists.' Tony Hey, New Scientist

Spis treści

Foreword John C. Taylor; 1. The reason for antiparticles Richard P. Feynman; 2. Towards the final laws of physics Steven Weinberg.

O autorze

Steven Weinberg, geboren 1946, taucht seit seinem neunten Lebensjahr und hat als Meeresbiologe und Unterwasserfotograf die ganze Welt bereist. Er veröffentlichte zahlreiche Bücher über die Welt der Ozeane und ist durch seine populären Kolumnen für ein großes französisches Tauchmagazin bekannt. Richard P. Feynman, geb. 1918 in New York, gest. 1988 in Los Angeles, Studium der Physik am Massachusetts Institute of Technology, ab 1942 Mitarbeiter am Manhattan Projekt in Los Alamos, 1945-50 Professor für Theoretische Physik an der Cornell University/Ithaca, seit 1950 am California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. 1965 Nobelpreis für Physik.