Author Description

Intended as an accessible and practical introduction to gauge theories, this volume discusses the main conceptual aspects, examines the practical calculations of physical quantities and offers comparisons of these quantitative predictions with experimental results. This second edition assumes even less knowledge of particle physics and is intended for all levels from undergraduate to research. Background is provided to the main experimental results which substantiate the quark/lepton/gauge theory viewpoint, and to the theoretical tools. In particular, a low-level introduction is given to quantum field theory, a conceptual framework which is fundamental to the modern description of waves and particles. The formal development of field theory is strictly limited, however, and it is shown how calculations can be performed using the simpler "wavefunction" approach of Feynman. The book is one of a series designed primarily to meet the needs of postgraduate students, who might otherwise be faced with the task of acquainting themselves with a research topic by reading an advanced research text.