Jackson's Classical Electrodynamics

In summary, the book is good for taking people who already know some E&M and teaching them how to deal with more complicated situations. It is not the best undergraduate text out there, but other texts might be better for someone who wants to learn a more modern relativistic field theory.
  • #1
LeoAlpha
6
0
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  • #2
Going through Jackson requires significant effort but it is very well worth it.
 
  • #3
I'm not sure that I'd reccomend Griffiths for actually learning E&M, I worked through it okay but there were certain sections which I only understood because I already had a solid grounding in the core concepts behind E&M.

It is fairly good at doing what its supposed to, though, and that's taking people who already know some E&M (i.e. Physics Juniors) and teaching them how to deal with much more complicated situations than those which are covered in the elementary courses.
 
  • #4
Well I hope another better textbook will come up and replace Jackson.
 
  • #5
LeoAlpha said:
Well I hope another better textbook will come up and replace Jackson.

Define "better."
 
  • #6
The only text I have ever seen that could replace Jackson is Schwingers text on Electrodynamics. It hasn't gotten much press, it is well written and each chapter is short, very short and very intense but readable...

Griffiths isn't the best undergrad text out there, Wangsness is.

Smythe is a very good text, not up to date, but if you can do those problems you're doing very well.
 
  • #7
In my opinion, what makes a better E&M text really depends on what you want to learn from a course in E&M.

Do you want to solve boundary value problems for (say) a particle detector or a waveguide?
Do you want to determine trajectories of charged particles?
Do you want to learn about electrodynamic effects in matter?
Do you want to learn a relativistic field theory?
etc...
Maybe a little bit of each?

Other intermediate/advanced "E&M texts" (other than Griffiths) might include Landau/Lifshitz, Ohanian, Lorrain/Corson.
An interesting text is by Ingarden/Jamiolkowski.

On a side note... will E&M texts ever emphasize more differential-forms and tensors, rather than just standard vector calculus? Certainly, there must have been an earlier "standard" text that didn't use vector calculus, and was eventually replaced by one that used "more modern methods".
 

1. What is "Jackson's Classical Electrodynamics"?

"Jackson's Classical Electrodynamics" is a renowned textbook written by John David Jackson that covers the fundamentals of classical electromagnetism. It is commonly used as a reference book for graduate-level courses in physics and engineering.

2. What topics are covered in "Jackson's Classical Electrodynamics"?

The book covers a wide range of topics including electrostatics, magnetostatics, electromagnetic waves, radiation and scattering, and special relativity. It also includes numerous examples and exercises to help readers deepen their understanding of the subject.

3. Is "Jackson's Classical Electrodynamics" suitable for self-study?

While the book is primarily used as a textbook for graduate-level courses, it can also be used for self-study. However, it is recommended that readers have a strong background in undergraduate level physics and mathematics before attempting to use this book for self-study.

4. What makes "Jackson's Classical Electrodynamics" a popular choice among scientists?

One of the reasons for the book's popularity is its comprehensive coverage of the subject matter. It provides a thorough and rigorous treatment of classical electromagnetism, making it a valuable resource for researchers in the field. Additionally, the book is well-written and includes helpful diagrams and illustrations to aid in understanding complex concepts.

5. Are there any other notable features of "Jackson's Classical Electrodynamics"?

One notable feature of the book is its inclusion of advanced topics such as multipole expansions, waveguides, and relativistic electrodynamics. It also includes a chapter on variational principles and a discussion of the electromagnetic properties of matter. This makes it a comprehensive resource for those looking to deepen their understanding of classical electromagnetism.

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