A theoretical physics FAQ

The theoretical physics FAQ at
http://www.mat.univie.ac.at/~neum/physics-faq.txt
contains answers to some more or less frequently asked
questions from theoretical physics. Starting in 2004, the topics
were edited from my answers to postings to the moderated newsgroup
sci.physics.research (or, for some, translated from postings to the
unmoderated newsgroup de.sci.physik).

Currently, the FAQ contains 140 topics, grouped into 19 Chapters,
and filling almost 10000 lines of text, corresponding to a book of
about 150 pages. In the last year, the following topics have been added:

S1n. The role of the ergodic hypothesis
S1o. Does quantum mechanics apply to single systems?
S2f. What is a photon?
S2g. Particle positions and the position operator
S4a. How do atoms and molecules look like?
S5i. Why Feynamn diagrams?
S6e. Constructive field theory
S10k. Time in quantum mechanics
S15e. Theoretical physics as a formal model of reality
S16k. What is real?
S17c. How to respond to critical referee's reports
S18d. Research at age 16

Your comments are welcome.


If you like the FAQ and/or found it useful, please link to it from
your home page to make it more widely known.

If you spot errors or have suggestions for improvements,
please write me (at Arnold.Neumaier@xxxxxxxxxxxx).

If you have questions, please post them to the moderated newsgroup
sci.physics.research (http://www.lns.cornell.edu/spr)!


Of course, the FAQ refers only to a tiny part of theoretical physics,
namely to what I happened to discuss on sci.physics.research.
The answers are only as good as my understanding of the matter.
This doesn't mean that they are poor but probably that they are
not perfect. This is not a book, so don't expect completeness or
comprehensiveness in any sense.

On topics where the physics community has not yet reached a consensus,
my point of view is of course only one of the possibilities, and not
always the mainstream view. In any case, I try to be accurate,
consistent, and intelligible.


Happy Reading!


Arnold Neumaier

.