Mathematica for Physics, 2nd
Edition
By Robert L. Zimmerman
Fredrick I. Olness
Foreword by Stephen Wolfram
This
book is intended for the advanced undergraduate and graduate physics students
taking core courses in the physics curriculum. The students are shown how to
use Mathematica to solve the standard problems in physics. Since we cover the
canonical problems from the core courses, the students can practice with our
solutions, and then modify these solutions to solve additional problems.
The students can focus on the physics, and leave the algebraic
complications to Mathematica. This book takes the reader beyond the
"textbook" solutions by challenging the students to cross check the
results using the wide variety of Mathematica's analytical, numerical, and
graphical tools.
The downloads
for the chapters are given below.
Version 4 have been tested for the Mathematica version 4 and Version 5
work for the Mathematica version 5
Chapters:
(These notebooks can also be found at http://www.physics.smu.edu/~olness)
Chapter
1: Getting Started
Version 4 Version 5
Chapter
2: General Physics
Version 4 Version 5
Chapter
3: Oscillating Systems
Version 4 Version 5
Chapter
4: Nonlinear Systems and Chaos Version 4 Version 5
Chapter
5: Discrete Systems and Chaos Version 4 Version 5
Chapter
6: Lagrangians and Hamiltonians Version 4 Version 5
Chapter
7: Orbiting Bodies
Version 4 Version 5
Chapter
8: Electrostatics
Version 4 Version 5
Chapter
9: Quantum Mechanics
Version 4 Version 5
Chapter
10: Relativity and Cosmology Version 4 Version 5
Press to Download User-Defined Procedures
Authors Address:
http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~phys600/
http://www.physics.smu.edu/~olness
General
Information and Ordering:
ISBN:
0-8053-8700-5
Mathematica
Information Center: http://library.wolfram.com/infocenter/Books/3588
http://www.aw-bc.com/catalog/academic/product/0,4096,0805387005,00.html
Audience:
This book is
intended for the advanced
undergraduate and graduate physics student taking core courses in the
physics curriculum. We expect this
text to be a supplement to the standard course text. The student would use this
book to get ideas on how to use Mathematica to solve the problems assigned by
the instructor.
Since we cover
the canonical problems from the core courses, the student can practice with our
solutions, and then modify our solutions to solve the particular problems
assigned. This should help the student move up the Mathematica learning curve
quickly.
Highlights:
* Provides Mathematica
solutions for the canonical problems in the physics curriculum.
* Covers
essential problems in: Mechanics, Electrodynamics, Quantum Mechanics, Special
and
* General Relativity,
Cosmology, Elementary Circuits, Oscillating Systems.
* Uses the power
of Mathematica to go beyond "textbook" solutions and bring the
problems alive with animations, and other graphical tools.
* Emphasizes the
graphical capability of Mathematica to develop the reader's intuition and
visualization in problem solving.
* Introduces the
reader to the aspects of Mathematica that are particularly useful for physics.
Mathematica for
Physics chooses the canonical problems from the physics curriculum, and solves
these problems using Mathematica. This book takes the reader beyond the
"textbook" solutions by challenging the student to cross check the
results using the wide variety of MathematicaÕs analytical, numerical, and
graphical tools. Throughout the book, the complexity of both the physics and Mathematica
is systematically extended to broaden the tools the reader has at his or her
disposal, and to broaden the range of problems that can be solved. As such,
this text is an appropriate supplement for any of the core advanced
undergraduate and graduate physics courses. This electronic supplement contains
the initialization files for all chapters, and selected solutions and examples.
About:
Mathematica for Physics:
Mathematica is a
powerful mathematical software system for students, researchers, and anyone
seeking an effective tool for mathematical analysis. Tools such as Mathematica
have begun to revolutionize the way science is taught, and research performed.
Now there is a book specifically for students and teachers of physics who wish
to use Mathematica to visualize and display physics concepts and to generate
numerical and graphical solutions to physics problems.
Mathematica for
Physics chooses the canonical problems from the physics curriculum, and solves
these problems using Mathematica. This book takes the reader beyond the
"textbook" solutions by challenging the student to cross check the
results using the wide variety of Mathematica's analytical, numerical, and
graphical tools. Throughout the book, the complexity of both the physics and
Mathematica is systematically extended to broaden the tools the reader has at
his or her disposal, and to broaden the range of problems that can be solved.
As such, this
text is an appropriate supplement for any of the core advanced undergraduate
and graduate physics courses.
Example
from the Book:
DOUBLE
PENDULUM
This is a topic
that is generally treated as an "advanced" topic. With Mathematica,
the solution is relatively straightforward. Once the solutions are obtained,
the textbooks try to describe (in words) the general properties of the system,
and the normal modes. (In particular, the property that the energy is
transferred back and forth between the two segments of the pendulum.) With the
animation capability of Mathematica, we do not need to lead the student to
these conclusions, but we can point them in the general direction, and let them
discover these results on their own by varying the amplitudes of the separate
normal modes.
E&M
BOUNDARY VALUE PROBLEMS
For the
beginning student, it is easy to become overwhelmed by boundary value problems.
With the power of Mathematica, it is easy to show how straightforward these
solutions are--especially with the help of the different coordinate systems built
into Mathematica. When the student finishes the problem with pen and paper,
they have only a set of formulas that may mean very little to the student. With
Mathematica, we encourage the student to plot the final solution so that they
can verify visually if the boundary conditions are satisfied. This techniques
encourages the student to think about the solution, and not simply grind out
the math.
HYDROGEN ATOM
In the standard solution of the hydrogen atom, the student is completely lost in the mathematics. Mathematica is able to recognize that the solution of the radial equation is a Laguerre polynomial, assemble the constants to form the principal quantum number, and plot the solutions. The student then has the energy and the curiosity to numerically investigate the behavior of the wave functions, and consider the disastrous consequences of choosing a non-integral value for the principal quantum number.
Additional Notes:
What new subjects would you like to see in the third edition (bob@zim.uoregon.edu)?