Theoretical Physics: A Guide for Applicants and First-Year Students. Laws, Problems, Solutions

The book by the professor of the Physics Department of Lomonosov Moscow State University and author of a popular video lecture course K. Parfenov introduces readers to the key ideas and methods of modern theoretical physics – from the theory of relativity and quantum mechanics to cosmology, superstrings, and the Theory of Everything. The reader will learn how concepts of space and time have changed, what particles, waves, and quanta are, how matter is structured, and why physicists are searching for a theory beyond the Standard Model. Separate chapters are dedicated to quantum electronics, quantum informatics, Grand Unified Theories, M-theory, and modern cosmological models.  Almost without resorting to formulas, the author explains how quantum technologies work, showing that modern physics consists not only of beautiful ready-made theories but also of many honestly acknowledged unsolved problems. The book will be of interest to schoolchildren and students, teachers and educators, as well as all curious readers who want to understand how modern science sees the picture of the world today.