A Physicist's Guide to Mathematica®

Patrick T. Tam

Language: English

Publisher: Academic Press

Published: May 12, 1997

Description:

A Physicists Guide to Mathematica (r) teaches students and professional physicists how to master Mathematica using examples and approaches that will appeal to them. The book illustrates the usefulness of Mathematica in learning, teaching, and carrying out research in physics. Part One gives a practical, physics-oriented, and self-contained introduction to the program. Part Two covers the application of Mathematica to mechanics, electricityand magnetism, and quantum physics.
Mathematica enables the user to solve a wide range of physics problems, from the most important to those that are just for fun, and provides an environment that allows the user to develop a greater intuitive understanding of physics. This book aids the reader in using Mathematica for numerical, symbolic, and graphical calculations, and also demonstrates the programs capability to animate two- and three-dimensional graphics. Tams treatment of the subject is greatly detailed, and makes this book an essential reference for anyone needing an introduction to Mathematicas application to physics.
This book teaches upper-division and graduate physics students as well as professional physicists how to master Mathematic (r), using examples and approaches that are motivating to them. It also shows that this computer algebra system can be a powerful and wonderful tool for learning, teaching, and doing physics. Part I gives a practical, physics-oriented, and self-contained introduction to Mathematica. Part II considers the application of Mathematica to mechanics, electricity and magnetism, and quantum physics.

  • Requires no prior knowledge of Mathematica or computer programming
  • Includes a disk containing all Mathematica input used in the text for practical application, which can be used by both Macintosh and Windows users

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Review

"Patrick Tam's contribution, A PHYSICIST'S GUIDE TO MATHEMATICA, is certainly one of the best...Tam's explanations always seem to convey just what you need to know in clear, concise language...Regardless of whether it is used formally in a course or for a self-paced tutorial, this book provides a clear and effective learning resource that is also an outstanding reference."
--Dr. Charles A. Bennett, Professor of Physics, University of North Carolina, COMPUTERS IN PHYSICS, Jan/Feb 1998.

Book Description

Compatible with Mathematica version 3.0!

For the engineering and scientific professional, A Physicist’s Guide to Mathematica, Second Edition provides an updated reference guide based on the 2007 new 6.0 release, providing an organized and integrated desk reference with step-by-step instructions for the most commonly used features of the software as it applies to research in physics.

For professors teaching physics and other science courses using the Mathematica software, A Physicist’s Guide to Mathematica, Second Edition is the only fully compatible (new software release) Mathematica text that engages students by providing complete topic coverage, new applications, exercises and examples that enable the user to solve a wide range of physics problems.

  • Does not require prior knowledge of Mathematica or computer programming
  • Can be used as either a primary or supplemental text for upper-division physics majors
  • Provides over 450 end-of-section exercises and end-of-chapter problems
  • Serves as a reference suitable for chemists, physical scientists, and engineers
  • Compatible with Mathematica Version 6, a recent major release