Math needed for high energy physics?

[RedX]

How important is measure theory for high energy physics? My math skills are poor compared to my physics knowledge, so I want to focus more time studying math rather than physics, but I don't know what type of math to study. I can't find any online video lectures of things like differential geometry or group theory, but I found some online video lectures for real analysis that has a focus on measure theory. Although the lectures are free, it isn't exactly easy to understand for someone with my background in math, so it would be helpful to know whether the effort to learn it is worth it.

 

[nirax]

i don't think measure theory wud be useful at all to high energy physics. on the other hand pick a good book on representation theory. but do not go for something with a abstract mathematical flavor ... for that you will need some more background and you will be back to square one. my advice wud be to forget about learning mathematicain's maths and focus on physicist's maths. believe me these two are sufficiently different that both feel uncomfy with the other flavor.

i do not have much exposure to physicist's maths, but whatever i have seen of penrose's road to reality, it contains some very good material on this flavor. read the part where he discusses the maths background. it is very good. he is a person well versed in both flavors so you can trust his judgement on what to put in such a book.

and online video lectures are entertainment not learning.

 

[Mene]

As a scientist in the field of high energy physics, I can assure you that math is an essential aspect of our work. In order to understand the fundamental forces and particles that make up our universe, we rely heavily on mathematical models and equations.

One area of math that is particularly important in high energy physics is measure theory. This branch of mathematics deals with the concept of measure, which is used to quantify the size or extent of a set. In high energy physics, we often deal with very small and precise measurements, so having a strong understanding of measure theory is crucial.

While it may seem daunting to learn new mathematical concepts, I would highly encourage you to invest the time and effort into studying measure theory. It will not only help you in your understanding of high energy physics, but it will also open up opportunities for you to work on more advanced research projects and collaborations.

In terms of what type of math to focus on, I would recommend starting with real analysis as it is a fundamental building block for many other branches of mathematics, including measure theory. From there, you can move on to differential geometry and group theory, which are also important for high energy physics.

I understand that it may be challenging to find online resources for these topics, but I would suggest reaching out to your professors or colleagues for recommendations. Additionally, there are many textbooks and online courses available that can help you learn these concepts at your own pace.

In conclusion, measure theory is a crucial aspect of high energy physics and investing time in learning it will greatly benefit your understanding of the field. Don't be discouraged by the initial difficulty, as with practice and persistence, you will be able to grasp these concepts and apply them to your research. Good luck!