Top products from r/ParticlePhysics
We found 14 product mentions on r/ParticlePhysics. We ranked the 12 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
1. Introduction to Elementary Particles
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 3
Wiley-Vch
2. Particle Physics: A Very Short Introduction
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 1
Oxford University Press, USA
3. Statistical Data Analysis (Oxford Science Publications)
Sentiment score: 0
Number of reviews: 1
6. Quarks and Leptons: An Introductory Course in Modern Particle Physics
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 1
7. A Book of Abstract Algebra: Second Edition (Dover Books on Mathematics)
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 1
Dover Publications
8. The Experimental Foundations of Particle Physics
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 1
9. The Universe in the Rearview Mirror: How Hidden Symmetries Shape Reality
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 1
Used Book in Good Condition
10. The Quantum Frontier: The Large Hadron Collider
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 1
I was going to chime in before in this post with normal subgroups but I didn't feel I knew much about particle physics to comment. But if you're really interested you should pick up a book on basic undergraduate math group theory, it's super simple to pick up and can even be used as a book that you casually go through while riding the bus or something for someone of your caliber.
For a basic understanding, go through chapter 2.
Or if you would like a great, concise and motivating textbook, this dover book on abstract algebra is amazing and a bargain for $10. I can't tell you how much I love this little book.
But here is a thread with someone asking about more advanced textbooks for graduate group theory physics if you would love to get a deeper understanding of it and my comment (the top one) has a list of several free online group theory books that you can check out here.
It's really such a beautiful subject that I recommend anyone learn the basics at least. :)
Here are some books I would suggest looking at:
Cahn and Goldhaber -- A very low math book that documents the discoveries many of the most important advancements in particle physics of the last fifty or so years.
Halzen and Martin -- One of the best introductions to particle physics out there. It's very readable and timeless. It does have some math though.
I would also suggest looking for information on the following things, but I don't have time to dig up suitable references for you:
The construction of Fermilab basically transformed the area west of Chicago from farmland to a technical corridor. There must be some historical sources on this change.
Partice physicists have produced a huge amount of innovation as a side effect of wanting to do effective research. The most common example is the internet. They also pioneered distributed computing (ie the Grid) which was the predecessor of the "Cloud." For the construction the LHC, junctions that allow current to be continuously passed from regular-conduction to super-conducting circuits were invented. And don't forget that one of the earliest particle accelerators, the cyclotron in Chicago, showed that it was possible to split the atom.
I really enjoyed Thomson's Modern Particle Physics, but it's aimed at advanced undergrads who have taken quantum mechanics. It's a great book for understanding modern phenomenology, as it was published in 2013.
I haven't learned particle physics, but I read A Universe in the Rearview mirror and the author gives a pretty good idea of symmetries, anti-symmetries, and talks about several other topics in particle physics that a layman can understand.
Although it's not a textbook, I'd recommend reading it.
I can recommend couple that I have read myself:
Edit: These are popular science books, though. But very well written.
This is a nice wee introduction, but its basically just a catalogue of all the particles in the standard model.
If, on the other hand, you want a really in depth understanding of the standard model then I'm afraid that that will come at the end of a very, very long journey. You don't generally learn quantum field theory, the basic language of particle physics, until grad school and even after that its unlikely you would really come to grips with the standard model if you weren't doing a phd specifically on aspects of the standard model.
Griffiths' particle physics book is a great intro imo and one of the few (possibly the only one?) that approaches the subject without requiring qft as a prerequisite.
What kind of beginning are you looking for? With your math background, if you want to look at the statistical interpretation side I can recommend Glen Cowan's book on statistical data analysis. It's very readable and is written with particle physics examples. I use it myself!
https://www.amazon.com/Statistical-Analysis-Oxford-Science-Publications/dp/0198501552
An explanation of basic particle physics would fill a book. If you have a decent understanding of other kinds of physics (and it sounds like you do), you might want to start with this one by David Griffiths. It even includes a short explanation of the Higgs mechanism in the last chapter.
Introduction to Elementary Particles by David Griffiths is a common standard introductory book that is self-contained (up to a reasonable degree) and fairly basic still covering most of the important topics for an intro.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/3527406018/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/182-8847591-2278642
Facts and Mysteries in Elementary Particle Physics https://www.amazon.com/dp/981238149X/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_IYdHwbTA3WNGE