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SUMMARY:Even physicists use group theory! - Kenny Wong (DAMTP)
DTSTART:20130224T104500Z
DTEND:20130224T111500Z
UID:TALK43504@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Mary Fortune
DESCRIPTION:An ex-IMO mathmo once explained to me that mathematical knowle
 dge is divided into the good (pure)\, the bad (methods) and the ugly (phys
 ics). Obviously it was thought that cute ideas like group theory are purel
 y recreational and have no place in the ugly business of modelling the rea
 l world. The reality is rather different. Theoretical physics is a quest f
 or beauty\, and symmetry is its guiding principle. In this talk\, I'll sho
 w you how group theory is used to solve mechanics problems where symmetry 
 plays a role. This talk should be accessible to first years -  I'll assume
  that you vaguely recognise the words "group" and "vector space" but I'll 
 introduce representation theory from scratch in an intuitive way.
LOCATION:Winstanley Lecture Theatre\, Trinity College
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