Gauge theories provide a unified framework to describe three of the four universal forces known so far: the quantum field theories of electromagnetism, the weak force and the strong force. They are an essential part of the so-called standard model of particles and matter.
The first edition of this work was quickly adopted by universities and other institutions of higher learning around the world. Completely updated, this third edition continues to be an ideal reference on the subject. In total, more than a quarter of the content has been changed or added. The tried-and-tested logical structuring of the material on gauge invariance, quantization, and renormalization has been retained, while the chapters on electroweak interactions and model building have been revised. Completely new is the chapter on conformality. As in the past, Frampton emphasizes formalism rather than experiments and provides sufficient detail for readers wishing to do their own calculations or pursue theoretical physics research.