Learning Physics from A to A_n through independent study.

derDenker1992

Okay, so I have a fair amount of knowledge in mathematics, through calculus, and I want to study physics independently. I was told that I should start with classical mechanics. Is that right, and if so, where should I go from there. What are good books to learn from. I apologize if this is a commonly asked question, but I have been searching on the internet and have received various inconclusive answers. Thank You for your help.

Pengwuino

Get a good text that covers the first 3 semesters of a calculus-based introductory physics series. They'll usually go through a nice little overview of the various areas of physics. I would tell you that there should be a nice little list or notes throughout the text that directs you to more advanced texts, but I just looked through my Serway text and didn't see a single guide to further reading.

My university uses Serway for the introductory courses, has used Marion & Thornton for the upper division classical mechanics text and Griffiths for electrodynamics and Griffiths again for Quantum Mechanics. You'll then want a condensed matter text, thermodynamics, optics (we used Hecht), a mathematical physics text (we used Arfken), and probably a few other texts which I'm sure subsequent posters will suggest.

derDenker1992

Thanks very much. I'll check these out.

lisab

This site may help.

http://www.staff.science.uu.nl/~hooft101/theorist.html

It's written by Gerard 't Hooft, Nobel Prize winning physicist...so it's probably a good guide .