Matrix Algebra for Physicists

This introduetion to matrix algebra will be found of partieular value to students working for B.Se. and similar examinations. The matrix algebra eommonly used in physies is presented in Chapters 1-7, but for a preliminary survey it is suffieient to eonsider only Seetions [1][2][3][4][5] 7, Il, 15, 16,[19][20][21][22][23] Readers are assumed to have an elementary knowledge of veetors and eomplex numbers. Apart from that, arguments involve hardly anything but addition and multiplieation. The applieation ofmatriees to various fields ofphysies is presented in the second half of the book. A number of examples are worked out in detail. They require a fair knowledge of the ealculus; in some plaees even Fourier transforms and eontour integration are used. No instruetions for this kind of analysis are given sinee it happens to be better known than algebraie methods, even though the latter are more elementary. v Front Matter....Pages i-viii Vectors....Pages 1-8 Matrices....Pages 9-13 Linear Equations....Pages 14-20 Determinants....Pages 21-27 Matrices and Linear Equations....Pages 28-35 Transformations....Pages 36-44 Diagonalization of Matrices....Pages 45-59 Oscillations....Pages 60-82 Invariance, Vectors and Tensors in Natural Space....Pages 83-100 Matrices in Classical Statistical Mechanics....Pages 101-112 Outlook on Quantum Physics....Pages 113-121 Back Matter....Pages 123-124