Books on Electrostatics for IIT Prep

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around recommendations for books on electrostatics and electromagnetism, particularly for students preparing for the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). The scope includes graduate-level texts as well as suggestions for foundational materials suitable for earlier studies.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants recommend J D Jackson's "Classical Electrodynamics" as a standard graduate-level text, while others suggest Griffiths as a valuable resource.
  • One participant mentions Smythe's "Static and Dynamic Electricity" and Schwinger's work, noting that Stratton's book is a classic but hard to find.
  • Another participant advocates for Resnick and Halliday, emphasizing the need for multiple references to cover the material comprehensively.
  • Suggestions for electrical engineering students include Harrington's "Time-Harmonic Electromagnetic Fields" and Balanis' "Advanced Engineering Electromagnetics," highlighting a focus on waves rather than statics.
  • Franklin's "Classical Electromagnetism" is mentioned as containing substantial graduate-level electrostatics content.
  • Several participants express a desire for a comprehensive list of books, including both historical and contemporary texts, to master electrostatics.
  • There is a note of confusion regarding the level of study, with some participants clarifying that the original poster (OP) may not be seeking graduate-level texts.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the importance of multiple references for mastering electrostatics, but there is no consensus on a single best book. Different preferences for texts based on specific academic paths (physics vs. electrical engineering) indicate competing views on the best resources.

Contextual Notes

Some participants express uncertainty about the appropriate level of texts for the OP, indicating a potential mismatch between the OP's needs and the suggested materials. The discussion also reflects varying interpretations of what constitutes a graduate-level book.

imran
Messages
17
Reaction score
0
can anyone suggest me books on electrostatics and electromagnetism at a graduate level as iam preparing for indian institute of technology (iit).
it would be a great help for me.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
The standard Graduate Level text is J D Jackson, Classical Electrodynamics. Griffiths is a good book to have too.
 
Smythe, Static and Dynamic Electricity is good although it does not have any scattering theory. I like Schwingers book also, Stratton is another classic, out of print so long I cannot find a copy anywhere. Jackson is good, but not the best.

Griffiths is becoming the standard at the advanced undergraduate level, although it leaves something to be desired. For my money, I'd teach an advanced Undergraduate course out of Wangsness, constant notation, consistent presentation order between electric and magnetic phenomenon.
 
the best one is resnik halliday,,but no one book is sufficient ...you have to keep other references too...try kenneth L.kaiser (electrostatic discharge)...a few other gud books are physics by kumar mittal,,h.c. verma,,g.c.agrawal...try UBD physics (a very comprehensive book)...
 
imran said:
can anyone suggest me books on electrostatics and electromagnetism at a graduate level as iam preparing for indian institute of technology (iit).
it would be a great help for me.

If you are going to be in a physics department then, as others have stated, Jackson is the standard graduate-level book. I am somewhat fond of Stratton as well, which I understand was a physics book of yesteryear.

If you will be in an electrical engineering department, then your choice will be harder, mainly becaus graduate electromagnetic theory books for EEs tend to focus on waves and almost completely ignore statics. For nice discussions of waves I really like "time-harmonic electromagnetic fields" by Harrington; other "typical" books include Balanis' "advanced engineering electromagnetics", "elctromagnetic wave theory" by Kong, and "Electromagnetic Wave Propagation, Radiation, and Scattering" by Ishimaru. One funny thing is that Stratton's topic selection is fairly in-line with what EEs want these days (except for the electromechanical-type stuff in the early chapters).
 
hey ! actually i completed my 12 exams ,,,and i am taking drop dis year...so it is a requst to u all can u pls telll me which is d best book for electrostatics ...beause i wil be takingevery singe topic n will master it...so i want to know aal d best boos in dis world related to electrostatics...frm ancient books to newer /...pls help me ..i will thankful to u
 
Franklin "Classical Electromagnetism" has a lot of grad level electrostatics.
There is a cheap paperback version available only in India.
 
thank u clem...but can u sujjest me more bokks on dis toics frm aund world n of best writters pls
 
shivamde said:
thank u clem...but can u sujjest me more bokks on dis toics frm aund world n of best writters pls

Please do not use textspeak in posts.

Physics Forums rules, to which everyone agrees when they register,

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=414380,

in part, state
In the interest of conveying ideas as clearly as possible, posts are required to show reasonable attention to written English communication standards. This includes the use of proper grammatical structure, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling. SMS messaging shorthand, such as using "u" for "you", is not acceptable.
 
  • #10
shivamde said:
hey ! actually i completed my 12 exams ,,,and i am taking drop dis year...so it is a requst to u all can u pls telll me which is d best book for electrostatics ...beause i wil be takingevery singe topic n will master it...so i want to know aal d best boos in dis world related to electrostatics...frm ancient books to newer /...pls help me ..i will thankful to u

Sorry, I'm not aware of any advanced physics books written in your language.
 
  • #11
The OP is in the last year of school and wants a book, or so I gather, to prepare for university. He caused some confusion by calling it a 'graduate book', which is not what he wants.

Someone else mentioned Halliday and Resnick, and if you know calculus, I second that.
 
  • #12
i doesn't mean books in my lanuge ...but rather rather i mean books of any author ...the main point is to clear the concepts to thr root...i will find that book...but i just want to know the names...n i guess i am finding it on internet but if i could get ur suggestions then it would be great
 

Similar threads

Is University reputation considered when I am applying for a PhD in Europe?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Other Recommendation for Mathematics for Physicist and Engineers book
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
4K
Algebra Contest math - books, problem sets, videos, etc..
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
4K
Applied Blennow to follow up Altland?
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
2K
Intro Physics What is the best physics text book to refer to these content
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
3K
Engineering Recommended book for Optical Engineering graduate
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
3K
Classical What Are the Best Algebra-Based Physics Books for Exam Prep?
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
Classical Starting IPhO preparation in grade 10 -- Calculus book suggestions
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
4K
What are the best reference books for IIT-JEE Physics?
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
8K
Classical Best books to study Oscillations and Waves
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
6K