Recent content by Lanza52

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    Particle Symmetry and the Standard Model by Matthew B. Robinson

    This book is an excellent primer on field theory and maybe even QM.
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    Trying to make the connection with QM as a 1 parameter QFT

    Thanks, that source has a lot of great alternative derivations.
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    Trying to make the connection with QM as a 1 parameter QFT

    I'm seeing lots of underlying connections between the canonical formulism of QFT and QM. But I'm getting a bit confused by their differences. I'll just write down my thought process: QM is a one parameter system (t) in a space with three quantized operators (x,y,z) QFT is a four parameter...
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    Deriving the pauli matrices from general su(2) matrix

    I'm not familiar with that derivation. What tells you that taking the derivative and setting to zero would give you the Pauli matrices? I'm not too far ahead of you, but I don't see any reason that this would work other than a neat coincidence. The "by hand" method in chapter one is the only...
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    Programs Timeline for undergraduate physics majors?

    My university has a pretty poor budget and the undergraduates are at the end of the priority list, so our advising staff is... one guy who doesn't have enough time to do the work he had before becoming undergrad adviser. So, I'm rather in the dark as to when I should be taking what...
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    Schools Don't know what level of graduate school to apply too, help please

    That's great. Was looking to hear something exactly like this. Very encouraging, thanks.
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    Schools Don't know what level of graduate school to apply too, help please

    A. Yup, trying to lock down a research position with them for this summer. B. Got a more specific idea? The common dream of aspiring physicists is something like Cal tech, MIT, etc. Do you think I have a shot in top 10/20 schools? C. I have a history of not giving a damn about school. Zero...
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    Schools Don't know what level of graduate school to apply too, help please

    I'm in a rather weird scenario. My first four years of college, I wasn't interested in studying or macadamia in general. I was a finance major and realized that I was learning an extraordinary larger amount at work then I was in class. I'd go to work and learn how to analyze investments using...
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    Recomendations for the best Statistical Mechanics books

    I'm in a course using "Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics" by Claude Garrod at the moment. The book is incredibly challenging for an undergraduate course, but I find that I'm learning more in this course then I've ever learned before. The problem sets are particularly challenging and there...
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    Courses Which instrument would be a better tool for advanced physics courses?

    I'd go with CAS CX. There seems to be a lot of stubborn "pencil and paper or matlab, no in between" on these forums. I have a CAS CX, and it's main utility is just to check if I'm wrong, or to make a calculation without access to a computer easier. I'm not always in front of mathematica or...
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    Solving 2nd-Order ODEs: y'' + 2y' + y = f(t); y0=y0'=0

    Homework Statement y'' + 2y' + y = f(t); y0=y0'=0 f(t) is piecewise -- 1 for 0 < t < a; 0 for t > a Use y(t) = ∫G(t,t') f(t') dt' with bounds 0 to infinity 2. The attempt at a solution I don't really have any logical attempt. My highest math is diffy q 1, Calc 3 and LA 1, I...
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    Electric potential and distribution of charge

    Homework Statement A conducting sphere of radius r1 = 10 cm and charge q1 = 2 µC is placed far apart from a second conducting sphere of radius r2 = 30 cm and charge q2 = 3 µC. The two spheres are then connected by a thin conducting wire. What is the potential on the surface of the first...
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    A question about Volume charge density and electrostatic equilibrium

    The concept of volume charge density is an even distribution of charge over a three dimensional area. C/m^3. However, the concept of electrostatic equilibrium says that all of a conductors charge lies on the surface of the conductor. The existence of one seems, to me at least, to render the...
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    E&M and beyond books for very mathematically adept

    I'm looking for a Electricity and Magnetism (and beyond if possible) textbook that suits my capabilities better. I just read "Electric flux is proportional to the amount of electric field lines penetrating some surface" in my current textbook. I find that this is for the mathematical incapable...
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    Could somebody help motivate linear algebra for me?

    I'm in a beginning LA course in college. And I just don't get it. Not because it's challenging, but because so far there has been no rhyme or reason to what is happening in this class. To clarify, I have like a 110% in the course, but I feel like I've done nothing then rote learning and...
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