Introduction to Elementary Particles (book)

Introduction to Elementary Particles, by David Griffiths, is an introductory textbook that describes an accessible "coherent and unified theoretical structure" of particle physics, appropriate for advanced undergraduate physics students. It was originally published in 1987, and the second revised and enlarged edition was published 2008.

Content (2nd edition)
Table of contents
 * History and Overview
 * Chapter 1: Historical Introduction to the Elementary Particles
 * Chapter 2: Elementary Particle Dynamics
 * Chapter 3: Relative Kinematics
 * Chapter 4: Symmetries
 * Chapter 5: Bound States
 * Quantitative Formulation of Particle Dynamics
 * Chapter 6: The Feynman Calculus
 * Chapter 7: Quantum Electrodynamics
 * Chapter 8: Electrodynamics of Quarks and Hadrons
 * Chapter 9: Quantum Chromodynamics
 * Chapter 10: Weak Interactions
 * Chapter 11: Gauge Theories
 * Appendices
 * Appendix A: The Dirac Delta Function
 * Appendix B: Decay Rates and Cross Sections
 * Appendix C: Pauli and Dirac Matrices
 * Appendix D: Feynman Rules

New content in the second addition includes "neutrino oscillations and prospects for physics beyond the Standard Model".

Reception
The first edition, reviewed by Gerald Intermann, earned praise for its "good use of examples as a means of discussing in detail useful problem-solving techniques that other texts leave for the student to discover."

Acknowledging it as a "a well-established textbook", an IAEA review said the second edition "...strikes a balance between quantitative rigor and intuitive understanding, using a lively, informal style... The first chapter provides a detailed historical introduction to the subject, while subsequent chapters offer a quantitative presentation of the Standard Model. A simplified introduction to the Feynman rules, based on a 'toy' model, helps readers learn the calculational techniques without the complications of spin. It is followed by accessible treatments of quantum electrodynamics, the strong and weak interactions, and gauge theories."

The Times Higher Education review said, "The first edition of this textbook was notable for providing a clear and logical overview of particle physics that was at the right level for advanced undergraduates... The contents of this revised edition are largely similar to those contained in the first edition and changes reflect the development of the subject in the intervening 20 years. As a result, some discussions have now been tightened or removed, and chapters describing neutrino oscillations and contemporary theoretical developments have been added." The review concluded, "Reading any section will always yield insights, and you can't go wrong with Griffiths as a guide. Who is it for? Advanced undergraduates, postgraduates, lecturers and anyone in the field of experimental particle physics."