Symmetry, Broken Symmetry, and Topology in Modern Physics

A First Course

Mike Guidry, Yang Sun

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Year: 2022
• Print ISBN: 9781316518618
• eBook ISBN: 9781009008426
• Topic: Physical Sciences
• Subtopic: Mathematical & Computational Physics

Written for use in teaching and for self-study, this book provides a comprehensive and pedagogical introduction to groups, algebras, geometry, and topology. It assimilates modern applications of these concepts, assuming only an advanced undergraduate preparation in physics. It provides a balanced view of group theory, Lie algebras, and topological concepts, while emphasizing a broad range of modern applications such as Lorentz and Poincaré invariance, coherent states, quantum phase transitions, the quantum Hall effect, topological matter, and Chern numbers, among many others. An example based approach is adopted from the outset, and the book includes worked examples and informational boxes to illustrate and expand on key concepts. 344 homework problems are included, with full solutions available to instructors, and a subset of 172 of these problems have full solutions available to students.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half-title
• Title page
• Copyright information
• Dedication
• Brief Contents
• Contents
• Preface
• Part I Symmetry Groups and Algebras
• Part II Broken Symmetry
• Part III Topology and Geometry
• Part IV A Variety of Physical Applications
• Appendix A Second Quantization
• Appendix B Natural Units
• Appendix C Angular Momentum Tables
• Appendix D Lie Algebras
• References
• Index