Modern Physics

Learn how your life connects to the latest discoveries in physics with MODERN PHYSICS FOR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS. This updated fifth edition offers a contemporary, comprehensive approach with a strong emphasis on applications to help you see how concepts in the book relate to the real world. Discussions on the experiments that led to key discoveries illustrate the process behind scientific advances and give you a historical perspective. Included is a thorough treatment of special relativity, an introduction to general relativity, and a solid foundation in quantum theory to help you succeed. An updated WebAssign course features a mobile-friendly ebook and a variety of assignable questions to enhance your learning experience. WebAssign for MODERN PHYSICS FOR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS helps you prepare for class with confidence. Its online learning platform helps you unlearn common misconceptions, practice and absorb what you learn and begin your path as a future physicist or engineer. Tutorials walk you through concepts when you’re stuck, and instant feedback and grading let you know where you stand–so you can focus your study time and perform better on in-class assignments and prepare for exams. Study smarter with WebAssign!

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: The Birth of Modern Physics

Chapter 2: Special Theory of Relativity

Chapter 3: The Experimental Basis of Quantum Physics

Chapter 4: Structure of the Atom

Chapter 5: Wave Properties of Matter and Quantum Mechanics I

Chapter 6: Quantum Mechanics II

Chapter 7: The Hydrogen Atom

Chapter 8: Atomic Physics

Chapter 9: Statistical Physics

Chapter 10: Molecules and Solids

Chapter 11: Semiconductor Theory and Devices

Chapter 12: The Atomic Nucleus

Chapter 13: Nuclear Interactions and Applications

Chapter 14: Particle Physics

Chapter 15: Modern Astrophysics and General Relativity

Chapter 16: Cosmology-The Beginning and the End

About the Authors

Stephen Thornton is Emeritus Professor of Physics at the University of Virginia. He has published over 130 research articles in experimental nuclear physics and has done research at several accelerator facilities in the United States and Europe. He has directed research for 25 graduate students and has held two U.S. Senior Fulbright-Hays Fellowships and a Max-Planck Fellowship to do research at the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg, Germany on two occasions. He was the founding Director of the University of Virginia Institute of Nuclear and Particle Physics. He has published three college textbooks for physics: “Classical Dynamics,” “Modern Physics, ” and “Physics for Scientists and Engineers. He was Director of the Master of Arts in Physics Education program at the University of Virginia, which has graduated more than 150 high school physics teachers. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and a member of several organizations including American Association of Physics Teachers, American Association for the Advancement of Science, National Science Teachers Association, Virginia Association of Science Teachers (past President), and the Virginia Math and Science Coalition. He was awarded the Pegram Award by the Southeastern Section of the American Physical Society for “Excellence in Physics Education in the Southeast.” He has developed multiple courses for undergraduate students and high school physics teachers.

Andrew Rex has been Professor of Physics at the University of Puget Sound since 1982. He frequently teaches the Modern Physics course, so he has a deep sense of student and instructor challenges. He is the author of several textbooks, including “Modern Physics,” “Essential College Physics,” “Integrated Physics and Calculus,” and “Finn’s Thermal Physics, Third Edition.” In addition to textbook writing, he studies foundations of the second law of thermodynamics, which has led to the publication of several papers and the widely acclaimed book, “Maxwell’s Demon: Entropy, Information, Computing.” He has also written the general-audience book “Commonly Asked Questions in Physics.”

Carol Hood is an Associate Professor of Physics at California State University, San Bernardino, a primarily undergraduate Hispanic serving institution. In addition to teaching Modern Physics and other introductory and advanced physics courses, she has spent significant time in the past few years redesigning program curriculum and courses throughout the undergraduate physics and general education levels. Her research focuses on the growth of active galactic nuclei over cosmic time and faculty development in STEM pedagogy. Dr. Hood is the Co-Director of the southern portion of Cal-Bridge, a state-wide scholarship and mentoring program for California State University students designed to increase minority participation in physics and astronomy Ph.D. programs, in particular to the University of California.