An Introduction to Mechanics by Daniel Kleppner and Robert J. Kolenkow

In summary, this book is a comprehensive introduction to mechanics for first-year students. It covers the fundamental concepts of Newtonian mechanics, momentum, work and energy, force and energy, rigid body motion, and special relativity. Some mathematical preliminaries are introduced, and the book includes many challenging problems.

For those who have used this book


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  • #71
robphy said:

Purcell is great, but most of the rest of the books in the Berkeley physics series are nothing special, and they are half a century out of date at this point. (Purcell is in a third edition, so it doesn't suffer from the problem of being out of date.)

The MIT series by French is likewise extremely out of date.
 
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  • #72
In the new edition of Kleppner - Kolnkow's book, chapter 6 is "Topics in dynamics", and here they introduce some of the topics previosly covered in the chater on energy (small oscilations in a bound system, stability, normal modes, and collisions)

I was wondering if this chapter is a must to be able to follow the next chapters, or it can be skipped without loss of continuity.

Thanks.
 
  • #73
I encountered a strange mistake in Kleppner and Kolenkow textbook “An Introduction to Mechanics” (2nd Edition, Kindle version).
This occurred in a “Note 1.1. Approximation Methods” in chapter 1.

An example uses a change of the period of a pendulum due to a little change to its length. They start with the equation ##T=2*pi*\sqrt{g/L}##, which is an upside-down form of the correct equation. It is not a typo, because the entire following analysis is based on the incorrect version. It follows they have obtained an increment of the period T (due to positive extension of the pendulum length), negative instead of positive.

I don't want be regarded a nitpicker, but I consider it an overlooked confusing bug. Or have I missed something?
 
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  • #74
Frimus said:
I encountered a strange mistake in Kleppner and Kolenkow textbook “An Introduction to Mechanics” (2nd Edition, Kindle version).
This occurred in a “Note 1.1. Approximation Methods” in chapter 1.

An example uses a change of the period of a pendulum due to a little change to its length. They start with the equation ##T=2*pi*\sqrt{g/L}##, which is an upside-down form of the correct equation. It is not a typo, because the entire following analysis is based on the incorrect version. It follows they have obtained an increment of the period T (due to positive extension of the pendulum length), negative instead of positive.

I don't want be regarded a nitpicker, but I consider it an overlooked confusing bug. Or have I missed something?

I have the same question. Is it a mistake or not?
 
  • #75
Back in 1988 this was the text for a second year course in Mechanics. At the time, it seemed like a terrible book but over the years I have come to love it. You need to give it a chance and have your math toolbox all polished up and it is fantastic. I have seen Fowles: Analytical Mechanics used as well. It is a nice text but I think KK is a step above.

Now going back 31 years later to do this all over again I have noticed that my school does not have a second year mechanics course per se. I am currently taking their first year course that uses Sears and Zemanksy's book. Once the summer comes I will open KK's again and give it a good going through. Not sure what the reasoning is not having a second year mechanics course but I am sure there is some good reason.

I believe I have the first edition to KK in the blue cover.
 
  • #76
olddog said:
Back in 1988 this was the text for a second year course in Mechanics. At the time, it seemed like a terrible book but over the years I have come to love it. You need to give it a chance and have your math toolbox all polished up and it is fantastic. I have seen Fowles: Analytical Mechanics used as well. It is a nice text but I think KK is a step above.
Note that KK doesn't cover advanced topics like Lagrangian Mechanics, although Fowles does.
 
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<h2>1. What topics are covered in "An Introduction to Mechanics"? </h2><p> "An Introduction to Mechanics" covers the fundamentals of classical mechanics, including topics such as Newton's laws of motion, conservation of energy and momentum, rotational motion, and oscillations. It also includes advanced topics such as Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics. </p><h2>2. Is this book suitable for beginners in mechanics? </h2><p> Yes, this book is designed for students with little or no background in mechanics. It provides a clear and comprehensive introduction to the subject, making it suitable for beginners. </p><h2>3. Are there any practical applications discussed in the book? </h2><p> Yes, the book includes numerous real-world examples and applications of the principles of mechanics. These include examples from engineering, physics, and other fields. </p><h2>4. What sets this book apart from other textbooks on mechanics? </h2><p> "An Introduction to Mechanics" is known for its clear and concise writing style, as well as its emphasis on conceptual understanding rather than mathematical derivations. It also includes numerous challenging problems and exercises to help students develop their problem-solving skills. </p><h2>5. Is there an online resource or solution manual available for this book? </h2><p> Yes, there is an online resource available for this book called "Student Solutions Manual for Kleppner and Kolenkow's An Introduction to Mechanics". It includes detailed solutions to selected problems from the book. </p>

1. What topics are covered in "An Introduction to Mechanics"?

"An Introduction to Mechanics" covers the fundamentals of classical mechanics, including topics such as Newton's laws of motion, conservation of energy and momentum, rotational motion, and oscillations. It also includes advanced topics such as Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics.

2. Is this book suitable for beginners in mechanics?

Yes, this book is designed for students with little or no background in mechanics. It provides a clear and comprehensive introduction to the subject, making it suitable for beginners.

3. Are there any practical applications discussed in the book?

Yes, the book includes numerous real-world examples and applications of the principles of mechanics. These include examples from engineering, physics, and other fields.

4. What sets this book apart from other textbooks on mechanics?

"An Introduction to Mechanics" is known for its clear and concise writing style, as well as its emphasis on conceptual understanding rather than mathematical derivations. It also includes numerous challenging problems and exercises to help students develop their problem-solving skills.

5. Is there an online resource or solution manual available for this book?

Yes, there is an online resource available for this book called "Student Solutions Manual for Kleppner and Kolenkow's An Introduction to Mechanics". It includes detailed solutions to selected problems from the book.

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