An Introduction to Nuclear Physics

by W.N. Cottingham, Derek A. Greenwood, D.A. Greenwood

Book Overview

This clear and concise introduction to nuclear physics provides an excellent basis for a core undergraduate course in this area. The book opens by setting nuclear physics in the context of elementary particle physics and then shows how simple models can provide an understanding of the properties of nuclei, both in their ground states and excited states, and also of the nature of nuclear reactions. The book also includes chapters on nuclear fission,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0521657334
• ISBN13: 9780521657334
• Release Date: August 2008
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Excellent introduction to nuclear physics

I found Cottingham-Greenwood an excellent text to introduce any physics student to the field of nuclear physics. This text is best suited to senior undergraduates with a one-semester course in quantum mechanics. The authors have selected fifteen topics (check 'LOOK INSIDE!'), covering fundamental as well as applied aspects of nuclear physics. Each chapter is supplemented with 5-11 exercises. Beware that this is not an encyclopedic text with detailed derivations. The advantage of this approach is that one can focus on ideas, leaving the algebra as back-of-the-envelope exercises or discussions with the instructor. All that extra writing is saved in size: excellent format, good paper quality and easy-to-read fonts. Excellent introductory text, or supplement to a more thorough and advanced textbook.

Excellent Introduction

I found this book to be very readable and an excellent introduction to the field. I agree with previous reviews that derivations are lacking, because this book is a more qualitative introduction to the subject, which was especially important for me as I took nuclear physics my second semester in undergraduate physics. Krane's standard text will serve as a better reference book and provides more detailed mathematics, but it would also take a person much longer to read Krane's book, and Krane's book is appropriately more expensive. I also highly doubt that a one-semester undergraduate course could cover all of Krane's text, where as this book can be covered in one semester. I highly recommend this book to new students of nuclear physics without a background in quantum mechanics.

not bad at all

Book came in on time and everything went fine. it's cheaper than at school. So, awesome!