Seeking Textbook Recommendations for My Advanced Nuclear Physics Class

[acme37]

My Nuclear Physics class this semester is using the textbook my professor wrote. It is out of print, and with good reason. Can anyone recommend a suitable undergraduate Nuclear Physics textbook which covers most of the basics at a reasonably advanced level? Looking at the usenet booklist Krane looks good, but I used Krane's Modern Physics last semester and had mixed impressions.

 

[franznietzsche]

My Nuclear Physics class this semester is using the textbook my professor wrote. It is out of print, and with good reason. Can anyone recommend a suitable undergraduate Nuclear Physics textbook which covers most of the basics at a reasonably advanced level? Looking at the usenet booklist Krane looks good, but I used Krane's Modern Physics last semester and had mixed impressions.

We use Modern Physics: Taylor, Zafiratos, Dubson.

I really like this book overall. Most of the material is written in a way that's very clear and easy to understand. My only real complaint was how they handled the Hamiltonian operator in the Schroedinger equation (though that's not an issue with the nuclear physics portion). They tried to keep the Schroedinger equation as simple as possible, but in so doing made it appear more ad hoc and difficult to understand (our professor more than made up for this in class, so it wasn't too bad a problem, but I still think the text was lacking in that regard). Actually, the text does this a fair amount, it keeps a lot of things more simple that it needs to, however the Schroedinger equation was the only time that I felt that it seriously detracted from the level of understanding and insight. Chapters 16,17,18 deal specifically with nuclear physics.

A caveat: Taylor's book is about double the price of Krane's I see on amazon.

 

[charng]

As a fellow scientist, I understand your need for a high-quality textbook for your advanced Nuclear Physics class. While it can be challenging to find a suitable replacement for your professor's out-of-print textbook, I would recommend considering the following factors when choosing a new textbook:

1. Content: Look for a textbook that covers the fundamentals of nuclear physics in a comprehensive and advanced manner. It should also include recent developments and research in the field.

2. Author: It is always beneficial to choose a textbook written by a renowned expert in the field. This ensures that the content is accurate and up-to-date.

3. Student reviews: Before making a purchase, I suggest reading reviews from other students who have used the textbook. This will give you a better understanding of the book's strengths and weaknesses.

4. Supplementary materials: A good textbook should also have supplementary materials such as practice problems, online resources, and interactive simulations to enhance your learning experience.

Based on these factors, I would recommend considering Krane's Nuclear Physics or Introductory Nuclear Physics by Kenneth S. Krane. Both are highly regarded by students and experts in the field and cover the basics of nuclear physics at an advanced level. Additionally, you could also look into Introduction to Nuclear and Particle Physics by A. Das and T. Ferbel or Nuclear and Particle Physics: An Introduction by Brian R. Martin. I hope this helps in your search for a suitable textbook and wish you all the best in your studies.