Electrodynamics FROM THE PUBLISHER
Practically all of modern physics deals with fields--functions of space (or spacetime) that give the value of a certain quantity, such as the temperature, in terms of its location within a prescribed volume. Electrodynamics is a comprehensive study of the field produced by (and interacting with) charged particles, which in practice means almost all matter. Fulvio Melia's Electrodynamics offers a concise, compact, yet complete treatment of this important branch of physics. Unlike most of the standard texts, Electrodynamics neither assumes familiarity with basic concepts nor ends before reaching advanced theoretical principles. Instead this book takes a continuous approach, leading the reader from fundamental physical principles through to a relativistic Lagrangian formalism that overlaps with the field theoretic techniques used in other branches of advanced physics. Avoiding unnecessary technical details and calculations, Electrodynamics will serve both as a useful supplemental text for graduate and advanced undergraduate students and as a helpful overview for physicists who specialize in other fields.
SYNOPSIS
A text based on a graduate physics course intended to lead students from basic physical principles of electrodynamics (such as the concept of a field; the physical meaning of a divergence and a curl) to a relativistic Lagrangian formalism with principles that overlap with the field theoretic techniques used in other branches of advanced physics. Melia teaches physics and astronomy at the U. of Arizona.
Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
Home
