Atomic and Nuclear Structure

The aim of this authoritative introduction to the strucure of atoms and nuclei is to provide a broad-based understanding of the electronic structure of atoms at a level suitable for the advanced undergraduate. It is expected that the student will have acquired an appropriate knowledge of relevant mathematics and will have taken previous introductory courses in quantum mechanics. However, there are sections which re-cap on fundamental quantum mechanical concepts to aid use of the book as a stand-alone account. The book begins with a simple account of the electronic structure of atoms with the emphasis on the shell model structure. We are then taken through some basic quantum mechanics towards an examination of the structure of the simple hydrogen atom, then on to some slightly more complex atoms, such as positronium and meson states. After revising some more advanced quantum mechanics, Clegg takes the student into the world of atoms with multiple electrons, beginning with the simplest of these, helium. This provides the foundation on which to build an understanding of the forces and structures involved in determining the motion of electrons in a multi-electron atom.
The final third of the book is concerned with examining complex behaviour of electrons and nuclei, again with particular emphasis on the shell model.