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These lectures covering topics basic to classical and modern physics were given by Wolfgang Pauli at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. The lectures on optics serve as a concise and rewarding introduction to the topic.From the introduction by Victor Weisskopf:"Pauli's way of presenting physics is never out of date... The reason for this remarkable fact lies in Pauli's style, which is commensurate to the greatness of its subject in its clarity and impact. Style in scientific writing is a quality that today is on the point of vanishing. The pressure of fast publication is so great that people rush into print with hurriedly written papers and books that show little concern for careful formulation of ideas. Mathematical and instrumental techniques have become complicated and difficult; most of the effort of writing and learning is devoted to the acquisition of these techniques instead of insight into important concepts. Essential ideas of physics are often lost in the dense forest of mathematical reasoning. This situation need not be so. Pauli's lectures show how physical ideas can be presented clearly and in good mathematical form, without being hidden in formalistic expertise."
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pauli has a good time with optics,
This review is from: Optics and the Theory of Electrons: Volume 2 of Pauli Lectures on Physics (Paperback)
This is a very short book on optics. It has only some 170 pages!Still, it's a great fun! Pauli starts witn the Fermat principle and soon finds out the Hamilon-Jacobi equation connected to this variational principle: it's the eikonal equation. He proceeds to get a lot of general results in geometrical optics. After that come interference and diffraction; optics from Maxwell theory,crystal and molecular optics. You'll find fresh perspectives, surprising connections, everywhere. This is the ideal book to review your optical expertise: you'll have lots of fun seeing things you are familiar with, much better done!
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
5.0 out of 5 stars (1 customer review) 9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pauli has a good time with optics,
By henrique fleming - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Optics and the Theory of Electrons: Volume 2 of Pauli Lectures on Physics (Paperback)
This is a very short book on optics. It has only some 170 pages!Still, it's a great fun! Pauli starts witn the Fermat principle and soon finds out the Hamilon-Jacobi equation connected to this variational principle: it's the eikonal equation. He proceeds to get a lot of general results in geometrical optics. After that come interference and diffraction; optics from Maxwell theory,crystal and molecular optics. You'll find fresh perspectives, surprising connections, everywhere. This is the ideal book to review your optical expertise: you'll have lots of fun seeing things you are familiar with, much better done! |
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