Feyman Diagrams - Best book to read?

[Simone_beet]

Hello - Physics & calculus are what I can best describe as hobbies for me. Hobbies in the sense that I love these topics but work a regular job as an IT Manager through the day and then read whatever I can get my hands on in regards to these topics while 'burning the midnight oil'. Not sure if I have landed on a personal favorite among quantum physics, classical physics, or relativity. My college degree is in Economics. Interesting mix, I guess? None the less, on to my question for you: can someone recommend a good book that explains Feyman diagrams, how they grew out of the QED theory, and so on? I am currently reading a book called 'Quantum Gravity' - Smolin and think that I want to delve into these elusive Feyman diagrams next. Thank you.

[mal4mac]

Wot. No answers? You've upset them by getting the gurus name wrong :-)

Do a google search on "Feynman diagrams".

[Simone_beet]

So that's the reason.:redface: I hadn't noticed before your reply. oops. :eek: My most humblest apologies to everyone and especially to the late & near-and-dear-to-our-physics-hearts, Richard Feynman. Possibly, I can further atone by quoting a passage from Nobel Laureate Julian Schwinger, in his obituary of Feynman in "Physics Today", February 1989 -- "So spoke an honest man; the outstanding intuitionist of our age and a prime example of what may lie in store for anyone who dares to follow the beat of a different drum." This was taken from a beginning set of pages in my copy of "Feynman's Rainbow" which is subtitled as a search for beauty in physics and in life. Light reading for those who are interested in the personal side of the genius. Thank you for your replies. p.s. I have been researching via watching recommended videos and the other internet sources.

[robphy]

possibly useful introduction:
http://www2.slac.stanford.edu/vvc/theory/feynman.html

[mal4mac]

Maybe "Deep Down Things: The Breathtaking Beauty of Particle Physics" Bruce A. Schumm?

Try amazon look inside to see if it has what you want.

[Simone_beet]

I have browsed the Fermi-Lab website but didn't the SLAC website, as yet. Thank you for the tip. What I will also be scouting around for, too, is some insight into how the physicists look at the collector materials from a particle accelerator experiment and see a new 'flavor' or aspect of the various quarks or other sub-atomic guys. The news item on the SLAC sites homepage shows a team who have just (July 9, 2008) detected and measured "the lowest energy particle of the bottomonium family, called the ηb (pronounced eta-sub-b)". If I read far enough, it may describe the exact process or show a "road map on the scatter diagram":shy:

[will.c]

I think if you're really interested it's time for a textbook.

This'll do:
http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Elementary-Particles-David-Griffiths/dp/0471603864

[George Jones]

I think if you're really interested it's time for a textbook.

This'll do:
http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Elementary-Particles-David-Griffiths/dp/0471603864

But wait a month or two until the second edition (massive neutrinos, etc.) comes out.

[Simone_beet]

Eureka! Last few suggestions in the threads are appreciated. A real text book, with exercises too, I suspect. hmmm? sounds intriguing. In browsing other threads, I see comments made in regards to reading about physics is one thing; doing exercises and working the problems of the physics world are quite another entirely. Interesting perspective and I agree and hadn't thought about it like that before. I am of the nature to gather all the facts and details before getting to the 'hands on' stage i.e. a by-product of my life in Information Systems world. So, I am in the 'read all about it stage' working to transition to the next 'now lets do it' stage. Here's the 60 million dollar question - what's considered too old in life to change gears and start through earning degree in physics and pursuing one's passion? Ok, I guess we'll consider that a rhetorical question. :wink: Peace