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Whats the best book to learn physics?

  • 10-09-2010 9:20am
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,991 ✭✭✭


    I did higher level physics for my leaving cert. about 6-7 years ago and haven't used it since but I'm looking to get back into it and learn beyond the school taught stuff but need to brush up on the basics, can anyone suggest a good book to get me back to the basics?

    Note: I've seen the book thread but just want advise on a book to get back to basics, thanks.


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 104 ✭✭DailyBlaa


    Any of the following would a good place to start

    Fundamentals of Physics - Halliday and Resnick

    Physics for Scientists and Engineers - Serway

    Both these are used for introductory modules in physics at 3rd level. They cover all the ground work from leaving cert then expand on it.

    After you are more familiar I would go to Richard Feynman's lectures, some great stuff in there. Also the MIT lectures on youtube which are delivered by Walter Lewin are excellent.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,038 ✭✭✭sponsoredwalk


    University Physics

    Integrated Physics with Calculus
    (I think volume 2 is two volumes in 1!)

    Physics

    Understanding Physics

    M.I.T. Physics Series
    There are two different sets, one by A.P. French and another by various authors, I'd check up on them.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,991 ✭✭✭Ziycon


    Thanks all, I'll have a look into these.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,616 ✭✭✭FISMA


    Ziycon,
    Which flavor do you prefer: Calculus or not?

    Wilson - Buffa - Lou makes a great academic text.
    0131495798.jpg

    As mentioned before, Halliday has a great text, so to does Tipler. However, they are not as readable as Wilson.

    Giancoli has written a great book as well.

    If you are looking into Engineering school level, I would go with Tipler and then Halliday.

    If you are leaning more towards medicine, pharma, or the like, go with Wilson or Giancoli.

    In the mean time, you may wish to try
    http://www.motionmountain.net/
    It is an online free text. I haven't reviewed it much, but it looks good.

    Slan


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,872 Mod ✭✭✭✭riffmongous


    Resnick Halliday and Krane's book gets my vote, enough maths to be 'real' physics without being too difficult


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  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 28,955 Mod ✭✭✭✭Podge_irl


    Feynman's Lectures on Physics are a fantastic place to start for learning theoretical physics.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,629 ✭✭✭raah!


    Integrated Physics with Calculus
    (I think volume 2 is two volumes in 1!)

    This seems a very good idea! To what depth is the calculus taught? Though I do already have my own physics and calculus books, I think that if I were to start learning them from the leaving cert this this would be what I would get.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,038 ✭✭✭sponsoredwalk


    I checked out this book on physicsforums.com, the few mentions of it said
    that it was just like any other physics book but with a few more math proofs.
    Personally if I had of known about this book a few months ago I would have
    gotten it, when you look inside the contents of the book on amazon the
    order of the subjects looks great. If you've got physics and calculus books
    of your own then it can't hurt to get a better look at how the math is
    intertwined with the physics. Here are a few links to what people who have
    used the book say about it to see for yourself. If you do decide to get it
    find out off the seller if the book is two volumes in one or whatever,
    on amazon the first volume is just seperate but the second volume
    seems to be two volumes in one.

    The contents show that the book skips the stuff on thermodynamics
    and optics that are in other books but if you have that stuff already in
    your other physics book then it can't hurt to get this one.
    I personally believe having one source for the material you're learning is a
    serious disadvantage, even with these basic physics books as I have read
    the first 9-10 chapters of 2 of them and there are subtle differences that
    matter to a first time learner!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,629 ✭✭✭raah!


    Yes I agree there, I think it would certainly be a bad idea to learn analysis from a physics book as well. But I think a book like that + a pure calculus book would be a good way to go. Having different sources is always good aswell, something you benefit from greatly when you have access to a library, which I hopwill soon, and then I shall have a look at the book. Otherwise I would have to wait till christmas/birthday/dole to buy it :P


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,038 ✭✭✭sponsoredwalk


    If you're trying to do this on the cheap, like me :o, I'd recommend the
    following:

    Calculus with Analytic Geometry - £4.16, about €6

    University Physics - £1.49, about €4

    Add on about 6 euro shipping to each of those and you have first year
    college physics and calculus for around €20.

    That calculus book is the best one I've read on it's level.
    That physics book would be great, older ones are always recommended
    but I'd research the contents of it. Just an idea, would teach you the same material but cheaper. Then I'd move on to the M.I.T. course :D

    BTW: none of this is analysis, that's a whole different kettle of fish! ;)


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,629 ✭✭✭raah!


    Do you mean that the calculus in these books is not built up from scratch?

    "Mathematical analysis, which mathematicians refer to simply as analysis, has its beginnings in the rigorous formulation of calculus."
    Add on about 6 euro shipping to each of those and you have first year
    college physics and calculus for around €20.
    That's an attractive sentence :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,554 ✭✭✭roosh


    bookmarking


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