The Theory of Almost Everything: The Standard Model, the Unsung Triumph of Modern Physics

by Robert Oerter

Overview

There are two scientific theories that, taken together, explain the entire universe. The first, which describes the force of gravity, is widely known: Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity. But the theory that explains everything else—the Standard Model of Elementary Particles—is virtually unknown among the general public.

In The Theory of Almost Everything, Robert Oerter shows how what were once thought to be separate forces of nature were combined into a single theory by some of the most brilliant minds of the twentieth century. Rich with accessible analogies and lucid prose, The Theory of Almost Everything celebrates a heretofore unsung achievement in human knowledge—and reveals the sublime structure that underlies the world as we know it.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780452287860
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	09/26/2006
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	561,004
Product dimensions:	5.51(w) x 8.34(h) x 0.81(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Robert Oerter teaches physics at George Mason University. He holds a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Maryland, and has also taught at Howard University. He lives in Maryland.

Table of Contents

Introduction.

1. The First Unifications.

2. Einstein's Relativity and Noether's Theorem.

3. The End of the World As We Know It.

4. (Im)probabilities.

5. The Bizarre Reality of QED.

6. Feynman's Particles, Schwinger's Fields.

7. Welcome to the Subatomic Zoo.

8. The Color of Quarks.

9. The Weakest Link.

10. The Standard Model, At Last.

11. The Edge of Physics.

12. New Dimensions.

Appendix A: Quarks and the Eightfold Way.

Appendix B: Asymptotic Freedom.

Appendix C: Interactions of the Standard Model.

Glossary.

References.

Further Reading.

Index.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“This highly accessible volume explains the Standard Model to the everyman, using literary references and easy-to-follow analogies to make clear mind-bending physics principles.” —Publishers Weekly

“Accessible and engaging…This book is for anyone interested in modern physics and ultimate answers about the universe.” —Science News

Editorial Reviews

This highly accessible volume explains the Standard Model to the everyman, using literary references and easy-to-follow analogies to make clear mind-bending physics principles.” —Publishers Weekly

“Accessible and engaging…This book is for anyone interested in modern physics and ultimate answers about the universe.” —Science News

From the Publisher

Forget string theory. Physics professor Dr. Robert Oerter thinks that the next big step in physics will build on the tested Standard Model of Elementary Particles; not on some trendy, unconfirmed hypothesis. In this accessible book, he explains how "the theory of almost everything" has evolved and where it is heading next.

Oerter (physics, George Mason Univ.) has written an accessible guide to the standard model, a theory of all known physical interactions, excluding gravity. Theories that support and influence this model, such as special relativity, quantum mechanics, and quantum electrodynamics, are discussed in detail; readers will be able to follow the author's transitions between theories and building of complex ideas. Descriptions of recent experiments and concepts that may influence the standard model complete the book. An index, a short bibliography of annotated sources for further reading, numerous illustrations and figures, and multiple appendixes that expound on textual matter are also included. Other titles that provide background to Oerter's work are Tian Yu Cao's Conceptual Developments of 20th Century Field Theories and W. Noel Cottingham and Derek A. Greenwood's An Introduction to the Standard Model of Particle Physics. On its own, however, Oerter's text is accessible to scientists and lay readers alike. Recommended for large public and academic libraries.-Elizabeth Brown, Binghamton Univ. Libs., NY Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

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