[NT] Who wants to learn High Energy Physics with me?

[ygolo]

As many of you know, I am in the process of making a career-change from Engineer to Physicist. Right now, it seems like I want to get into High Energy Physics--Theory as the ultimate goal...This means working on things like String Theory and Quantum Gravity or working out their implications for achievable experiments (eventually). I think I would prefer working on phenomenology over creating new theories at this point...but that may change.

However, it is a long trek from where I am to where I would like to be. I will be enrolling at a near-by state college in Undergraduate Physics in the fall, but I know that most of my learning will be on my own (as it usually is).

Even though the eventual aim is to learn High-Energy Theory, there are a LOT of pre-requisites. I made an initial list of what I believe I need to learn here.

I've started the process here.

I will be utilizing some help from physicsforums, as well...but relatively speaking, I'm a n00b. So it would be fun to have other n00b's (even if just one) learning along with me.

Also, I learned of a handy resource for current data on particle physics:
Particle Data Group - Downloads

 

[Laurie]

Do I have to remember anything from normal physics?

 

[ygolo]

Not necesarily. I like explaining things, so I'll try to get people up to speed.

 

[garbage]

Sweet, high energy physics! I don't understand it at all, and it makes my brain hurt just thinking about it, but best of luck to you. Most of the oddest and smartest people I know are physicists, so, I hope that suits you well

 

[ygolo]

You know, I just realized that this thread is not in the "personal threads" section.

Which I guess is OK, if nobody else minds.

 

[ThatsWhatHeSaid]

Not it!

(It's fine.)

 

[Tallulah]

Ooh! Ooh! Not me!!!!

(But best of luck!)

 

[Kangirl]

You know, if I could download this info into my brain a la The Matrix, then I'd be in. But as it is...no. Too lazy. Way, WAY too lazy.

 

[ThatsWhatHeSaid]

You know, if I could download this info into my brain a la The Matrix, then I'd be in. But as it is...no. Too lazy. Way, WAY too lazy.

If you could download things into your brain, is there anything you WOULDN'T want?

/deep

 

[Geoff]

I opened up Schrodingers Box, and unfortunately by sheer chance I am dead. I am therefore unable to help you learn high energy physics.

 

[BlueScreen]

yep, I'm in.

 

[BlueScreen]

I opened up Schrodingers Box, and unfortunately by sheer chance I am dead. I am therefore unable to help you learn high energy physics.

I thought it was meant to be the cat. Stupid entanglement.

 

[A Schnitzel]

Don't bother thinking about string theory or other theories that aren't solidified until you are through everything else. Mechanics is a good place to start. It works with problems that you can imagine physically (bonus), yet the problems can be quite difficult. Do you have any mechanics textbook?

 

[BlueScreen]

Good post Schnitzel.

I think ygolo has a decent grasp of the more simple stuff already. Though learning classical mechanics stuff can be pretty important. I bridged engineering to physics and it is quite important to know that stuff when making the next step to higher level quantum stuff. Otherwise the approach can look somewhat alien.

 

[ygolo]

Good post Schnitzel.

I think ygolo has a decent grasp of the more simple stuff already. Though learning classical mechanics stuff can be pretty important. I bridged engineering to physics and it is quite important to know that stuff when making the next step to higher level quantum stuff. Otherwise the approach can look somewhat alien.

Yeah, the Lagrangian and Hamiltonian approaches do seem a little weird, but the equations are easy enough to derive.

I've also done some study of quantum mechanics on my own, and I am fairly comfortable with Hilbert Spaces.

 

[FDG]

If you open a blog or post links to read here and/or comments, I'd surely read as much as I can (though, I'm still in school so I won't be able to read in detail). Good luck with that, being a physicist has always been my dream too, maybe I will too try to get a BS in it while working, after finishing with economics.

 

[ygolo]

If you open a blog or post links to read here and/or comments, I'd surely read as much as I can (though, I'm still in school so I won't be able to read in detail). Good luck with that, being a physicist has always been my dream too, maybe I will too try to get a BS in it while working, after finishing with economics.

We can use this thread...

I've decided that basic electromagnetism is straight forward enough.

So I am trying to understand the covariant formulation, while learning the formalism for special relativity.

It seems like a good place to start...special relativity.

Anyone know good sources?

I read Einstein's popular exposition when I was a kid, but he didn't really use the formalism there. He just made the case that starting with the principle of relativity and that the speed of light in a vacuum is constant, that you get the Lorentz Transformations. There was also some exposition for E=m*c^2/(1-v^2/c^2)^0.5, and that cool Taylor expansion where E=m*c^2+(1/2)m*v^2+...

I reviewed this stuff using wikipedia here.

But it seems like to understand any of the "classical" stuff, we need to understand four-vectors, Minkowski space-time, and the use of Tensors to delay the action of feilds and forces to account for the maximum information transfer limit at the speed of light.

 

[Frank]

Good luck. I find string theory and quantum physics absolutely fascinating. Although to understand it somewhat I have to resort to the QP for dummies documentaries.