Computational Physics: Problem Solving With Computers

Rubin H. Landau, Manuel José Páez Mejía9780471115908, 9780585345826, 0471115908

Help students master real-world problems as they develop new insight into the physical sciences Problems in the physical sciences that once baffled and frustrated scientists can now be solved easily with the aid of a computer. Computers can quickly complete complex calculations, provide numerical simulations of natural systems, and explore the unknown. Computational Physics shows students how to use computers to solve scientific problems and understand systems at a level previously possible only in a research environment. Adaptable to a ten-week class or a full-year course, it provides C and Fortran programs that can be modified and rewritten as needed to implement a wide range of computational projects. Light on theory, heavy on applications, this practical, easy-to-understand guide * Presents material from a problem-oriented perspective * Integrates physics, computer science, and numerical methods and statistics * Encourages creative thinking and an object-oriented view of problem solving * Provides C and Fortran programs for implementing most of the projects * Provides samples of problems actually solved in two ten-week quarters * Includes a 3.5” floppy disk containing the codes featured in the text * Offers multimedia demonstrations and updates on a complementary Web site With this engaging book as a guide, advanced undergraduates and first-year graduate students will gain confidence in their abilities and develop new insight into the physical sciences as they use their computers to address challenging and stimulating problems.