Collections of physics problems - good idea?

[dicerandom]

I'll be starting grad school next year, and I'm already starting to worry about the qualifier ;) While poking around on Barnes & Noble's site I noticed that there are whole books which are just collections of problems in physics, with and without solutions. I thought that these might be a good way to get started studying for the qualifier, just so that I can expose myself to a wide variety of problems from different concentrations and work my way through them. I found a number of books, most of which were linked to off of other books I was looking at, and I'm wondering what everyone's opinions are.

Are these collections of problems a good way to get started studying for the qualifier? Are there any particularly good books in this area? How good are the ones I've listed?

Here are the books I was looking at:

• Princeton Problems in Physics with Solutions, ISBN 0691024499
• University of Chicago Graduate Problems in Physics, with Solutions, ISBN 0226121097
• 200 Puzzling Physics Problems: With Hints and Solutions, ISBN 0521774802
• Physics with Answers: 500 Problems and Solutions, ISBN 0521483697
• Physics by Example: 200 Problems and Solutions, ISBN 0521449758

 

[Dr Transport]

Both the Princeton and Chicago books are worth the money. I used both for my qualifiers way back when...

 

[charng]

I would say that using collections of physics problems as a study tool for the qualifier is a great idea. These books provide a wide variety of problems from different areas of physics, which can help you to develop a strong understanding of the subject. They also offer solutions and hints, which can be helpful for self-assessment and understanding problem-solving techniques.

In terms of the specific books you have listed, they all seem to have good reviews and cover a range of topics. I would suggest looking at sample problems from each book to see which style and level of difficulty you feel most comfortable with. Some may also have additional resources such as online practice problems or interactive solutions, which could be helpful in your preparation.

Overall, I believe that using collections of physics problems can be a valuable tool in preparing for the qualifier. However, it is important to also supplement with other study materials and to actively engage with the problems rather than just passively reading through them. Good luck with your studies!