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Cosmology for the Curious / by Delia Perlov, Alex Vilenkin.

By: Perlov, Delia [author.].
Contributor(s): Vilenkin, Alex [author.].
Material type: TextTextPublisher: Cham : Springer International Publishing : Imprint: Springer, 2017Edition: 1st ed. 2017.Description: xiv, 372 pages; E 39.99 202 illustrations, (63 illustrations in color. 24 cms.Content type: text Media type: computer Carrier type: ISBN: 9783319570402.Subject(s): Cosmology | Gravitation | Nuclear physics | Physics | Religion -- Philosophy | Cosmology | Classical and Quantum Gravitation, Relativity Theory | History and Philosophical Foundations of Physics | Particle and Nuclear Physics | Philosophy of ReligionAdditional physical formats: Print version:: Cosmology for the curious.; Printed edition:: No title; Printed edition:: No title; Printed edition:: No titleDDC classification: 523.1
Contents:
Part I The Big Bang and the Observable Universe: A historical overview -- Newton's universe -- Special relativity -- The fabric of space and time -- An expanding universe -- Observational cosmology -- Hubble's law and the expanding universe -- The fate of the universe -- Dark matter and dark energy -- The quantum world -- The hot big bang -- Structure formation -- Element abundances -- The very early universe -- Part II Beyond the Big Bang: Problems with the big bang -- The theory of cosmic inflation -- Testing inflation: predictions and observations -- Eternal inflation -- String theory and the multiverse -- Anthropic selection -- The principle of mediocrity -- Did the universe have a beginning? -- Creation of universes from nothing -- The big picture -- Appendix.
Summary: This book is an introductory text for all those wishing to learn about modern views of the cosmos. Our universe originated in a great explosion - the big bang. For nearly a century cosmologists have studied the aftermath of this explosion: how the universe expanded and cooled down, and how galaxies were gradually assembled by gravity. The nature of the bang itself has come into focus only relatively recently. It is the subject of the theory of cosmic inflation, which was developed in the last few decades and has led to a radically new global view of the universe. Students and other interested readers will find here a non-technical but conceptually rigorous account of modern cosmological ideas - describing what we know, and how we know it. One of the book's central themes is the scientific quest to find answers to the ultimate cosmic questions: Is the universe finite or infinite? Has it existed forever? If not, when and how did it come into being? Will it ever end? The book is based on the undergraduate course taught by Alex Vilenkin at Tufts University. It assumes no prior knowledge of physics or mathematics beyond elementary high school math. The necessary physics background is introduced as it is required. Each chapter includes a list of questions and exercises of varying degree of difficulty.
List(s) this item appears in: 2023-03-06
Item type Current location Call number Status Date due Barcode Item holds
Book Chennai Mathematical Institute
General Stacks 		523.1 PER (Browse shelf) Available 11029
Total holds: 0

Part I The Big Bang and the Observable Universe: A historical overview -- Newton's universe -- Special relativity -- The fabric of space and time -- An expanding universe -- Observational cosmology -- Hubble's law and the expanding universe -- The fate of the universe -- Dark matter and dark energy -- The quantum world -- The hot big bang -- Structure formation -- Element abundances -- The very early universe -- Part II Beyond the Big Bang: Problems with the big bang -- The theory of cosmic inflation -- Testing inflation: predictions and observations -- Eternal inflation -- String theory and the multiverse -- Anthropic selection -- The principle of mediocrity -- Did the universe have a beginning? -- Creation of universes from nothing -- The big picture -- Appendix.

This book is an introductory text for all those wishing to learn about modern views of the cosmos. Our universe originated in a great explosion - the big bang. For nearly a century cosmologists have studied the aftermath of this explosion: how the universe expanded and cooled down, and how galaxies were gradually assembled by gravity. The nature of the bang itself has come into focus only relatively recently. It is the subject of the theory of cosmic inflation, which was developed in the last few decades and has led to a radically new global view of the universe. Students and other interested readers will find here a non-technical but conceptually rigorous account of modern cosmological ideas - describing what we know, and how we know it. One of the book's central themes is the scientific quest to find answers to the ultimate cosmic questions: Is the universe finite or infinite? Has it existed forever? If not, when and how did it come into being? Will it ever end? The book is based on the undergraduate course taught by Alex Vilenkin at Tufts University. It assumes no prior knowledge of physics or mathematics beyond elementary high school math. The necessary physics background is introduced as it is required. Each chapter includes a list of questions and exercises of varying degree of difficulty.

Description based on publisher-supplied MARC data.