String Theory Demystified

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McGraw Hill Professional, Aug 31, 2008 - Technology & Engineering - 350 pages

UNRAVEL the mystery of STRING THEORY

Trying to understand string theory but ending up with your brain in knots? Here's your lifeline! This straightforward guide explains the fundamental principles behind this cutting-edge concept.

String Theory Demystified elucidates the goal of the theory--to combine general relativity and quantum theory into a single, unified framework. You'll learn about classical strings, conformal field theory, quantization, compactification, and T duality. The book covers supersymmetry and superstrings, D-branes, the holographic principle, and cosmology. Hundreds of examples and illustrations make it easy to understand the material, and end-of-chapter quizzes and a final exam help reinforce learning.

This fast and easy guide offers:

  • Numerous figures to illustrate key concepts
  • Sample problems with worked solutions
  • Coverage of equations of motion, the energy-momentum tensor, and conserved currents
  • A discussion of the Randall-Sundrum model
  • A time-saving approach to performing better on an exam or at work

Simple enough for a beginner, but challenging enough for an advanced student, String Theory Demystified is your key to comprehending this theory of everything.

 

Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction
1
Equations of Motion
21
Symmetries and Worldsheet Currents
51
Chapter 4 String Quantization
69
Chapter 5 Conformal Field Theory Part I
89
Chapter 6 BRST Quantization
115
Chapter 7 RNS Superstrings
127
Chapter 8 Compactification and TDuality
153
Chapter 12 Heterotic String Theory
207
Chapter 13 DBranes
221
Chapter 14 Black Holes
239
Chapter 15 The Holographic Principle and AdSCFT Correspondence
255
Chapter 16 String Theory and Cosmology
265
Final Exam
279
Quiz Solutions
285
Final Exam Solutions
291

Chapter 9 Superstring Theory Continued
167
Chapter 10 A Summary of Superstring Theory
187
Chapter 11 Type II String Theories
195
References
297
Index
299
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About the author (2008)

David McMahon has worked for several years as a physicist and researcher at Sandia National Laboratories. He is the author of Linear Algebra Demystified, Quantum Mechanics Demystified, Relativity Demystified, MATLAB Demystified, and Complex Variables Demystified, among other successful titles.

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