Elementary Theory of Angular Momentum (Dover Books on Physics)

Book Details

• Publisher: Dover

• Author: David G. Moursund

• Language: English

• Edition: New

• ISBN: 9780486684802

• Pages: 272

• Cover: Paperback

• Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches

About The Book

David G. Moursund’s Angular Momentum in Quantum Physics is a crucial and high-level treatment of the theory of angular momentum, a key component in the development of physical theories concerning nuclear and atomic structure. This theory plays an essential role in solving problems related to static magnetic and electric nuclear moments, which are coupled to the electric and magnetic fields generated by surrounding charges. The text applies the theory to a variety of physical problems, including those in low-temperature studies and microwave spectroscopy.

Based on a series of lectures given at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, this volume offers a clear and structured discussion of both the general theory and its practical applications. Beginning with basic principles, Moursund develops the theory through the introduction of coupling coefficients for vector addition, the transformation properties of angular momentum wave functions, irreducible tensors, and Racah coefficients.

This book emphasizes a simplified approach by focusing on the properties of rotations, which are inherently linked to the concept of angular momentum. The reasoning presented is inductive, making the theory accessible to readers familiar with the fundamentals of quantum mechanics. A graduate-level understanding of quantum mechanics will help readers gain maximum benefit from this well-regarded and authoritative study.