Essential Math for Understanding QFT: A Beginner's Guide

[ice109]

i know these threads are common in this subforum so i apologize but what math should i know before picking up a qft book?

 

[marlon]

i know these threads are common in this subforum so i apologize but what math should i know before picking up a qft book?

QFT is an advanced physics course. The required math varies from a decent algebra knowledge (matrices, vectors, vector-spaces, eigenvalues/vectors, compex numbers, etc etc) and calculus (multidimensional derivatives, integrals, functionals, some differential geometry, etc etc).

But aside that, you need to be asking about the physics prerequisites : special relativity and quantummechanics, but to understand those you need to know classical physics (wave and particle mechanics).

You see, QFT really is an advanced course which requires lots of preparation if you want to understand it thoroughly.

marlon

 

[ice109]

i want to do graduate work in qft and theoretical beyond the standard model stuff, not necessarily string theory though. what kind of undergraduate research should i be doing right now?

 

[G01]

Just do research. Your not going to be tied to what you did as an undergrad in graduate school. Personally, I want to try some different things out. This summer I had a solid state REU. Maybe next summer, I'll try a different field. Who knows. Of Course, I seem to like everything right now. I plan on trying as many things as I can to narrow my interests a little!

 

[Brad Barker]

i want to do graduate work in qft and theoretical beyond the standard model stuff, not necessarily string theory though. what kind of undergraduate research should i be doing right now?

getting experience in experimental particle physics wouldn't hurt, nor would any other kind, for that matter, so long as you can imagine yourself enjoying it.