Quantum field theory for the gifted amateur
Quantum field theory provides the theoretical backbone to most modern physics. This book is designed to bring quantum field theory to a wider audience of physicists. It is packed with worked examples, witty diagrams, and applications intended to introduce a new audience to this revolutionary theory.
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- I think perhaps the 'maths' at the bottom is a bit of a retelling of the Yukawa potential which you can get in a "relatively understandable" way from the Klein-Gordon equation. However, the KG equation is very very wrong!
Perhaps an approach trying to actually explain the Feynman propagators would be more helpful? Either way, I agree that if someone wanted to understand this all properly it requires a university education + years of postgrad exposure to the delights of QED / electroweak theory. If anyone here wants a relatively understandable deep dive, my favourite books are Quantum Field Theory for the Gifted Amateur [aka graduate student] by Stephen Blundell [who taught me] and Tom Lancester [his former graduate student], and also Quarks and Leptons by Halzel and Martin. It is not a short road.
- Read Quantum field theory for the gifted amateur
- Probably the highest point in my physics "career" was when my advisor recommended Quantum Field Theory for the Gifted Amateur [0] to me. It was after I had basically decided to abandon hope at academia and become an engineer, but I was just barely past the threshold of being able to understand the contents. I worked through the book solo and really greatly enjoyed it; highly visual and well paced. I'd recommend it to any undergrad+ who has made it past bra-kets and wants to see how far the rabbit hole goes.
[0] https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18781406-quantum-field-t...
- I have two recommendations you might find useful. The first is QED, a series of lectures by Richard Feynman. This text covers the qualitative nature of the perturbation theory used for quantum electrodynamics. The second is Quantum Field Theory for the Gifted Amateur by Lancaster and Blundell. It's nicely written and accessible at the advanced undergrad level, building up QFT from the basics.
Caveat-- I work in astronomy but have a PhD in physics and have taken graduate QFT.
- Quantum Field Theory for the gifted amateur (well not quite...)
Concepts in thermal physics
Not at the same level as L&L but they are absolute masterpieces in pedagogy and the formula should be extended to a 800page tome to cover more material. It's the way MTW should be written...
- Thank you for the recommendations!
While I have not seen either of those books before, I have another book by the author of the first one, Stephen Blundell. It's Quantum Field Theory for the Gifted Amateur, and I think you might like it. Not as a standalone quantum book, but perhaps as a supplement to a more "serious" treatment.
edit: I just saw you recommended this below!
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