Introduction To The Maths And Physics Of The Solar System

This book provides readers with an understanding of the basic physics and mathematics that governs our solar system. It explores the mechanics of our Sun and planets; their orbits, tides, eclipses and many other fascinating phenomena. This book is a valuable resource for undergraduate students studying astronomy and should be used in conjunction with other introductory astronomy textbooks in the field to provide additional learning opportunities. Features: Written in an engaging and approachable manner, with fully explained mathematics and physics concepts Suitable as a companion to all introductory astronomy textbooks Accessible to a general audience

Ongoing advances in Solar System exploration continue to reveal its splendour and diversity in remarkable detail. This undergraduate-level textbook presents fascinating descriptions and colour images of the bodies in the Solar System, the processes that occur upon and within them, and their origins and evolution. It highlights important concepts and techniques in boxed summaries, while questions and exercises are embedded at appropriate points throughout the text, with full solutions provided. Written and edited by a team of practising planetary scientists, this third edition has been updated to reflect our current knowledge. It is ideal for introductory courses on the subject, and is suitable for self-study. The text is supported by online resources, hosted at www.cambridge.org/solarsystem3, which include selected figures from the book, self-assessment questions and sample tutor assignments, with outlines of suggested answers.

Planets come in many different sizes, and with many different compositions, orbiting our Sun and countless other stars. Understanding their properties and interactions requires an understanding of a diverse set of sub-fields, including orbital and atmospheric dynamics, geology, geophysics, and chemistry. This textbook provides a physics-based tour of introductory planetary science concepts for undergraduate students majoring in astronomy, planetary science, or related fields. It shows how principles and equations learned in introductory physics classes can be applied to study many aspects of planets, including dynamics, surfaces, interiors, and atmospheres. It also includes chapters on the discovery and characterization of extrasolar planets, and the physics of planet formation. Key Features Covers a wide range of planetary science topics at an introductory level Coherently links the fields of solar system science, exoplanetary science, and planet formation Each chapter includes homework questions Includes python templates for reproducing and customizing the figures in the book

Introduction to the Maths and Physics of Quantum Mechanics details the mathematics and physics that are needed to learn the principles of quantum mechanics. It provides an accessible treatment of how to use quantum mechanics and why it is so successful in explaining natural phenomena. This book clarifies various aspects of quantum physics such as ‘why quantum mechanics equations contain “I”, the imaginary number?’, ‘Is it possible to make a transition from classical mechanics to quantum physics without using postulates?’ and ‘What is the origin of the uncertainty principle?’. A significant proportion of discussion is dedicated to the issue of why the wave function must be complex to properly describe our “real” world. The book also addresses the different formulations of quantum mechanics. A relatively simple introductory treatment is given for the “standard” Heisenberg matrix formulation and Schrodinger wave-function formulation and Feynman path integrals and second quantization are then discussed. This book will appeal to first- and second-year university students in physics, mathematics, engineering and other sciences studying quantum mechanics who will find material and clarifications not easily found in other textbooks. It will also appeal to self-taught readers with a genuine interest in modern physics who are willing to examine the mathematics and physics in a simple but rigorous way. Key Features: Written in an engaging and approachable manner, with fully explained mathematics and physics concepts Suitable as a companion to all introductory quantum mechanics textbooks Accessible to a general audience

Introduction to the Maths and Physics of Quantum Mechanics details the mathematics and physics that are needed to learn the principles of quantum mechanics. It provides an accessible treatment of how to use quantum mechanics and why it is so successful in explaining natural phenomena. This book clarifies various aspects of quantum physics such as ‘why quantum mechanics equations contain “I”, the imaginary number?’, ‘Is it possible to make a transition from classical mechanics to quantum physics without using postulates?’ and ‘What is the origin of the uncertainty principle?’. A significant proportion of discussion is dedicated to the issue of why the wave function must be complex to properly describe our “real” world. The book also addresses the different formulations of quantum mechanics. A relatively simple introductory treatment is given for the “standard” Heisenberg matrix formulation and Schrodinger wave-function formulation and Feynman path integrals and second quantization are then discussed. This book will appeal to first- and second-year university students in physics, mathematics, engineering and other sciences studying quantum mechanics who will find material and clarifications not easily found in other textbooks. It will also appeal to self-taught readers with a genuine interest in modern physics who are willing to examine the mathematics and physics in a simple but rigorous way. Key Features: Written in an engaging and approachable manner, with fully explained mathematics and physics concepts Suitable as a companion to all introductory quantum mechanics textbooks Accessible to a general audience

Updated third edition introduces undergraduates to the Solar System's bodies, the processes upon and within them, and their origins and evolution.

Adapted from the newly revised FOUNDATIONS OF ASTRONOMY, Sixth Edition, THE SOLAR SYSTEM, Second Edition contains the introductory and historical astronomy chapters as well as the planets chapters and the last chapter, Life on Other Worlds.This newly revised and updated Second Edition shows students their place in the universe -- not just their location, but also their role as planet dwellers in an evolving universe. Fascinating and engaging, the book illustrates how science works, and how scientists depend on evidence to test hypotheses. Through a discussion of this interplay between evidence and hypothesis, the book provides not just a series of facts, but also a conceptual framework for understanding the logic of astronomical knowledge. Fascinating and vivid, the book conveys the author's love of the subject, shows students how the universe can be described by a small set of physical laws, and illustrates how they can comprehend their place in the universe by understanding these laws and not through memorization of facts. The book's use of mathematics is incorporated into the body of the text (as well as in separate sections for easy reference), but the arguments of the text do not depend on mathematical reasoning, allowing math-averse students to easily follow the story.

The Solar System is a complex and fascinating dynamical system. This is the first textbook to describe comprehensively the dynamical features of the Solar System and to provide students with all the mathematical tools and physical models they need to understand how it works. It is a benchmark publication in the field of planetary dynamics and destined to become a classic. Clearly written and well illustrated, Solar System Dynamics shows how a basic knowledge of the two- and three-body problems and perturbation theory can be combined to understand features as diverse as the tidal heating of Jupiter's moon Io, the origin of the Kirkwood gaps in the asteroid belt, and the radial structure of Saturn's rings. Problems at the end of each chapter and a free Internet Mathematica® software package are provided. Solar System Dynamics provides an authoritative textbook for courses on planetary dynamics and celestial mechanics. It also equips students with the mathematical tools to tackle broader courses on dynamics, dynamical systems, applications of chaos theory and non-linear dynamics.

Learn About How Physics, Math, And Science Work Together To Help Us Understand Our Solar System And Beyond.

Max Tegmark leads us on an astonishing journey through past, present and future, and through the physics, astronomy and mathematics that are the foundation of his work, most particularly his hypothesis that our physical reality is a mathematical structure and his theory of the ultimate multiverse. In a dazzling combination of both popular and groundbreaking science, he not only helps us grasp his often mind-boggling theories, but he also shares with us some of the often surprising triumphs and disappointments that have shaped his life as a scientist. Fascinating from first to last—this is a book that has already prompted the attention and admiration of some of the most prominent scientists and mathematicians.