Special Relativity: From Einstein to Strings

This thorough introduction to Einstein's special theory of relativity is suitable for anyone with a minimum of one year of undergraduate physics with calculus. The authors cover every aspect of special relativity, including the impact of special relativity in quantum theory, with an introduction to relativistic quantum mechanics and quantum field theory. They also discuss the group theory of the Lorentz group, supersymmetry, and such cutting-edge topics as general relativity, the standard model of elementary particles and its extensions, and superstring theory, giving a survey of important unsolved problems. The book is accompanied by an interactive CD-ROM illustrating classic problems in relativity involving motion.

Patricia M. Schwarz received her BA from San Francisco State University and her PhD in theoretical physics from the California Institute of Technology. Her research specialty is spacetime geometry in general relativity and string theory. She is an expert in multimedia and online education technology. Her award-winning multimedia-rich web site at http://superstringtheory.com is popular with the public and is widely used as an educationalresource, hosting online physics courses with teachers and students from around the world.

John H. Schwarz, the Harold Brown Professor of Theoretical Physics at the California Institute of Technology, is one of the founders of superstring theory. He coauthored a two-volume monograph 'Superstring Theory' with Michael Green and Edward Witten in 1987. He is a Mac Arthur Fellow and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. He has received the Dirac Medal from the International Center for Theoretical Physics and the Dannie Heineman Prize in Mathematical Physics from the American Physical Society.