Vibrations and Waves

Rating:
Summary: It's a Physics Text Book--What else needs to be said?
Review: Chances are, if you are reading this review, you are a student of physics who needs this book for a class. You are not alone.

Rating:
Summary: Invaluable reference on a fundamental natural phenomenon
Review: Oscillatory function is at the root of all natural phenomena. Comprehending this behavior as a mathematically pure process is a basis through which countless aspects of the sciences and the arts can be explained, described, and even creatively elaborated upon. The effects of the physical manifestation of waves, and the inevitable complexities resulting from their interaction with the environment, are essential considerations as well.

The pages of this work are information-dense, providing physical, geometric, and mathematical descriptions of vibrations. Introducing the sine-wave, vectors and complex-exponentials as the fundamentals of periodic motion, the topics then progress to combining vibrations, masses and springs, harmonic and torsional oscillation, forced vibrations, coupled oscillators, Fourier analysis, orthogonal functions, energy transporting, decay of free vibrations, nuclear and optical resonance, diffraction and inference patterns to briefly name but a few. Physical considerations and methods are discussed in detail as well, and exercises at the end of each chapter indicate what the reader is expected to have extracted from each section [selected answers are provided].

The text within each section is written in an extremely clear, systematic and enthusiastic manner and speaks to an intelligent, inquisitive beginner of the subject matter. The numerous excellent black-and-white illustrations diagrams and photographs supplement the written descriptions admirably. The typefaces and even the feel of the paper of the book are high quality and elegant.

This is an introductory work regarding oscillatory analysis, however some mathematical knowledge is assumed by implication. Within the first 15 pages alone are equations which include derivatives, vectors, polar coordinates, complex numbers, and infinite series. It is probably best treated as a supplementary work to an on-going effort in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering. Essentially a good foundation in calculus should be sufficient. Given such background so as to understand the crucial mathematics, this work provides an incredible array and range of topics. The preface indicates that this series, by MIT Press, was established to assist in the educational process specifically, and it was tested and evaluated with this objective. As such this book is inherently a supplementary work, and prepares the reader for further research in and comprehension of an incredible range of subjects. Quantum physics, music, human movement, engineering disciplines, the natural sciences, astronomy and more have oscillation as a common thread and basis of understanding. The mechanics of the vibrational processes underlying all of these are elaborated upon to an amazing level of detail and precision within this work.

This book gets my highest recommendation for the focused subject matter it so eloquently and successfully discusses.

Rating:
Summary: Invaluable reference on a fundamental natural phenomenon
Review: Oscillatory function is at the root of all natural phenomena. Comprehending this behavior as a mathematically pure process is a basis through which countless aspects of the sciences and the arts can be explained, described, and even creatively elaborated upon. The effects of the physical manifestation of waves, and the inevitable complexities resulting from their interaction with the environment, are essential considerations as well.

The pages of this work are information-dense, providing physical, geometric, and mathematical descriptions of vibrations. Introducing the sine-wave, vectors and complex-exponentials as the fundamentals of periodic motion, the topics then progress to combining vibrations, masses and springs, harmonic and torsional oscillation, forced vibrations, coupled oscillators, Fourier analysis, orthogonal functions, energy transporting, decay of free vibrations, nuclear and optical resonance, diffraction and inference patterns to briefly name but a few. Physical considerations and methods are discussed in detail as well, and exercises at the end of each chapter indicate what the reader is expected to have extracted from each section [selected answers are provided].

The text within each section is written in an extremely clear, systematic and enthusiastic manner and speaks to an intelligent, inquisitive beginner of the subject matter. The numerous excellent black-and-white illustrations diagrams and photographs supplement the written descriptions admirably. The typefaces and even the feel of the paper of the book are high quality and elegant.

This is an introductory work regarding oscillatory analysis, however some mathematical knowledge is assumed by implication. Within the first 15 pages alone are equations which include derivatives, vectors, polar coordinates, complex numbers, and infinite series. It is probably best treated as a supplementary work to an on-going effort in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering. Essentially a good foundation in calculus should be sufficient. Given such background so as to understand the crucial mathematics, this work provides an incredible array and range of topics. The preface indicates that this series, by MIT Press, was established to assist in the educational process specifically, and it was tested and evaluated with this objective. As such this book is inherently a supplementary work, and prepares the reader for further research in and comprehension of an incredible range of subjects. Quantum physics, music, human movement, engineering disciplines, the natural sciences, astronomy and more have oscillation as a common thread and basis of understanding. The mechanics of the vibrational processes underlying all of these are elaborated upon to an amazing level of detail and precision within this work.

This book gets my highest recommendation for the focused subject matter it so eloquently and successfully discusses.

Rating:
Summary: Respectable, but not perfect
Review: This book is a fairly low-level introduction to the theory of mechanical waves and vibrations. Granted, it is relatively old (published in the 60s), but the physics is still true. For the most part, the writing is clear, concise, and fairly accessible to anyone with a moderate mathematics and physics/engineering background. However, there are better books. For instance, the Bekefi and Barret book entitled "Electromagnetic Vibrations, Waves, Radiation," even though it deals with electromagnetic waves rather than mechanical waves, is much more sophisticated and contains far more material than does this book.

Rating:
Summary: Basic mathematics and clear-headed views of wave physics
Review: This volume is the clearest discussion I've seen of the behavior of waves and vibration. The text is accompanied by first-year mathematical physics, and very well done diagrams and graphs. An over-all admirable achievement. I took this course from Prof. French in 1965, when it was first taught at M.I.T., and the perceptual clarity of his lectures are preserved in the text. The development of the book moves logically from simple vibration to progressive waves and wave interaction with boundaries. After this book, you're ready for the great book on Optics, by Hecht, or, perhaps Ando's Architectural Acoustics. Two other volumes by French are also available: (i) Newtonian Mechanics, which is a beautiful blend of classical physics, concept discussion, and history of science, and (ii) Special Relativity, which I recommend to friends who have been confused by Einstein's theory, and invariably they tell me this book is the best they've read, and their relativistic headache's just simply gone!