- Hardcover: 512 pages
- Publisher: Oxford University Press (Sep 1 1997)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0195104978
- ISBN-13: 978-0195104974
- Product Dimensions: 23.9 x 16.3 x 2.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 862 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
#195,775 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #17 in Books > Science > Astronomy > Solar System
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Description
Review
"A well-written summary of the deeper and more interesting problems in cosmology today. The discussion is well grounded in the science yet fun! Examples of particularly good treatments include the grandfather paradox and entropy of the universe."--J.I. Lunine, University of Arizona
"A welcome addition to the list of college-level astronomy textbooks for nonscience majors. Cosmology and relativistic astrophysics are active and exciting fields that regularly capture the headlines and the imagination of millions. [The authors] bring to their writing valuable firsthand knowledge and accomplishment in relativistic astrophysics research. Their book reflects the careful development that occurs only when a textbook is written after years of teaching the material--in this case, at the University of Virginia. . . . no other recent textbook has the focus on cosmology and relativity that this one does. [It] is intended for advanced undergraduate liberal-arts students, would be an excellent choice for a followup to the standard one-semester astronomy survey course. . . . Alternatively . . . it could be used for a general survey course in astronomy in which cosmology and relativity are the theme."--Physics Today
"A fine example of good science writing. Stunningly clear, concise, and informative. Very complete. It should be be required reading for every physics and astronomy major."--Bryan Crandall, East L.A. College
"An excellent book. Presents a sweeping topic carefully, in the correct order for learning. It anticipates misconceptions the interested student may have and also corrects them--a big plus."--Francis Graham, Kent State University
"A superb introduction to modern physical cosmology. The historical introduction is special."--Yervant Terzian, Cornell University
"A long-needed, up-to-date elementary treatment of cosmology."--John L. McKnight, College of William and Mary
"Presents a clear, concise, and fascinating treatment of cosmology."--Niungwa Maasha, Coastal Georgia Community College
"Both my beginning astronomy class and my advanced physics class were able to use parts of the text. Very readable and clear, thought-provoking, judicious use of a few key equations."--E.J. Zita, The Evergreen State College
"A welcome addition to the list of college-level astronomy textbooks for nonscience majors. Cosmology and relativistic astrophysics are active and exciting fields that regularly capture the headlines and the imagination of millions. [The authors] bring to their writing valuable firsthand knowledge and accomplishment in relativistic astrophysics research. Their book reflects the careful development that occurs only when a textbook is written after years of teaching the material--in this case, at the University of Virginia. . . . no other recent textbook has the focus on cosmology and relativity that this one does. [It] is intended for advanced undergraduate liberal-arts students, would be an excellent choice for a followup to the standard one-semester astronomy survey course. . . . Alternatively . . . it could be used for a general survey course in astronomy in which cosmology and relativity are the theme."--Physics Today
"A fine example of good science writing. Stunningly clear, concise, and informative. Very complete. It should be be required reading for every physics and astronomy major."--Bryan Crandall, East L.A. College
"An excellent book. Presents a sweeping topic carefully, in the correct order for learning. It anticipates misconceptions the interested student may have and also corrects them--a big plus."--Francis Graham, Kent State University
"A superb introduction to modern physical cosmology. The historical introduction is special."--Yervant Terzian, Cornell University
"A long-needed, up-to-date elementary treatment of cosmology."--John L. McKnight, College of William and Mary
"Presents a clear, concise, and fascinating treatment of cosmology."--Niungwa Maasha, Coastal Georgia Community College
"Both my beginning astronomy class and my advanced physics class were able to use parts of the text. Very readable and clear, thought-provoking, judicious use of a few key equations."--E.J. Zita, The Evergreen State College
Book Description
Recent discoveries in astronomy, especially those made with data collected by satellites such as the Cosmic Background Explorer and the Hubble Space Telescope, have brought the science of cosmology to the forefront of public interest. These new observations suggest the tantalizing possibility that the solutions to some of history's most elusive mysteries might be found in the near future, making modern cosmology a topic that holds special interest for scientists and nonscientists alike. Foundations of Modern Cosmology provides a highly accessible, thorough, and descriptive introduction to the historical development of and the physical basis for the modern big bang theory. This new textbook is ideal for electives that follow traditional introductory astronomy courses. It is intended to fill the gap between the many popular-level books, which can generally provide only a superficial treatment of the subject, and the advanced texts intended for students with strong backgrounds in physics and mathematics. The text is self-contained, appropriate for a one-semester course, and designed to be understandable to students with a grasp of elementary algebra. Emphasis is given to the scientific framework for cosmology, particularly the basic concepts of physics that underlie modern theories of relativity and cosmology; the importance of data and observations is stressed throughout. The text is divided into five major sections: historical background, a review of basic physics and astronomy, relativity, fundamental big bang theory, and current research areas, including structure formation, inflation, and quantum cosmology. Review questions, key terms, and an extensive glossary provide students with helpful study aids. In addition, the authors' website (http://astsun.astro.virginia.edu/~jh8h/Foundations) offers a wealth of supplemental information, including additional questions, references to other sources, and color NASA photographs.
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
On a clear, moonless night, in a field far from city lights, the sky might be the cabinet of some celestial jeweler, displaying glittering points of light on a field of black velvet. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
On a clear, moonless night, in a field far from city lights, the sky might be the cabinet of some celestial jeweler, displaying glittering points of light on a field of black velvet. Read the first page
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Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hawley is a genius,
By
This review is from: Foundations of Modern Cosmology (Hardcover)
I took the class given by Hawley and he makes the book extremely easy to comprehend. Granted, he wrote it, the man is a hilarious comedic genius. He makes the concepts in the book very simple, and easy to understand. I've learned the concepts before in this book, and havent fully comprehended it. This book made it all come together. Get it!
4.0 out of 5 stars
A serious yet easy to read book,
This review is from: Foundations of Modern Cosmology (Hardcover)
This is a serious yet easy to read book on a facinating and popular subject and its main commendation is its accessibility and rigour. It is an excellent antidote to some of the glossy and expensively packeged books by "pop" writers and TV programmes. As the introduction of the book makes clear, the authors aim for a wide audience for whom Cosmology is not a core discipline. Not only do they do a good job in meeting this goal, but they also present the physical concepts and experimental results in a way that provides new and deep insights to those whose main interest is Physics. For instance, the discussion of the Big Bang and the cosmic models provides an excellent complement to the mathematical presentation of authors like M.V. Berry. Equally, there is a plethora of material that describes experimental results like those for General Relativity: bending of light under the infulence of the sun's gravity, the Eotovos experiment to demonstrate the Equivalence Principle, etc. The book covers a broad field: Some historical aspects, Special and General Relativity, the Big Bang and various cosmic models, dark matter, and large scale structure. The glossary and the authors' web site provide further information on the subject.
4.0 out of 5 stars
foundation s of modern cosmology,
By "pookcheeyin" (kuala lumpur, malaysia) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Foundations of Modern Cosmology (Hardcover)
I got this book from my university library. Pretty easy reading considering I'm an engineering student. But then, this book isn't just for physics/astronomy students, as the authors have mentioned. It starts by giving a brief history of cosmology, continuing to current understanding before going to the current problems. The book is not math intensive as it emphasize on understanding the concepts. That's why it is something like a popular-science book. For those who have an interest in cosmology, consept-wise, I recommend this title. Those requiring intensive math, look elsewhere. The other cosmology book I've read is by Martin Roos.
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