Since the development of natural philosophy in Ancient Greece, scientists have been concerned with determining the nature of matter's smallest constituents and the interactions among them. This textbook examines the question of the microscopic composition of matter through an accessible introduction to what is now called 'The Physics of Elementary Particles'.
In the last few decades, elementary particle physics has undergone a period of transition, culminating in the formulation of a new theoretical scheme, known as 'The Standard Model', which has profoundly changed our understanding of nature's fundamental forces. Rooted in the experimental tradition, this new vision is based on geometry and sees the composition of matter in terms of its accordance with certain geometrical principles.
This textbook presents and explains this modern viewpoint to a readership of well-motivated undergraduate students, by guiding the reader from the basics to the more advanced concepts of Gauge Symmetry, Quantum Field Theory and the phenomenon of spontaneous symmetry breaking through concrete physical examples.
This engaging introduction to the theoretical advances and experimental discoveries of the last decades makes this fascinating subject accessible to undergraduate students and aims at motivating them to study it further.
Industry Reviews
This volume offers a comprehensive introduction to the Standard Model of particle physics, which is the best description of strong, weak, and electromagnetic forces available * M. C. Ogilvie, CHOICE *
I find this book extremely relevant and interesting. It addresses deep and important issues from a modern perspective * Nathan Seiberg, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton *
The authors have done a fabulous job in orchestrating their discussion of physics: a herculean task, evidently carried out well. Moreover, the way the authors go about this follows the historical development of modern physics, from quantum mechanics, to quantum electrodynamics, to quantum field theory, and of course particle physics and the standard model. Very impressive. * Michael C. Berg, Loyola Marymount University *
This is an excellent introduction, at an advanced undergraduate level, to the physics of elementary particles and their mutual interactions. Unlike many books in this subject, it starts from a historical and experimental perspective to illustrate how the present theoretical framework, the Standard Model, came about through a long and fascinating bottom-up process. The book will play an important role in inspiring undergraduate students to undertake graduate studies, or perhaps a career, in theoretical (or experimental) high energy physics. * Gabriele Veneziano, Department of Theoretical Physics, CERN, Professor Emeritus, College de France *
