The Feynman Lectures

dx

Hey, Im currently in 11th grade. Were studying Mechanics from Resnick & Halliday 7th edition. I'd like to know If Feynman does a better job with mechanics? (Volume one). Next year , were gonna study electromagnetism, and I was planning on reading Feynman Vol II in the summer, should I or should I just read from Resnick. Basically, I want to know if Feynman's books are better than Resnick & Halliday.

Chi Meson

Read through the "Feyman's Lectures" thread (right there on the first page of this forum). In short: Feyman is THE rescource for teachers, and professors of elementary physics. THis is not really the ideal textbook for "first time" physics students. IT is a book that anyone could come back to at any time in their physics carreer, and it wouldn't hurt you at all to use this as well as H & R.

mathwonk

As an undergraduate I remember Resnick and Halliday as the book that made physics seem ugly and unappealing, the problem solutuons full of unmotivated assumptions and frustrating unjustified claims.

I hated physics for years afterwards until I read some works by Wheeler, Feynman, Pauli, Einstein, Planck, and de Broglie.

Feynman is to me the one that makes it seem fun, and exciting, and meaningful forever.

turbo

If you have a high-bandwidth Internet connection, you can watch streaming videos of Feynman's New Zealand lectures on QED.

http://www.vega.org.uk/video/subseries/8

zengyangyang

Hi! dx
As Chi Meson said that Feyman is THE rescource for teachers, and professors of elementary physics. At your grade, a more standard textbook like Mechanics from Resnick & Halliday 7th edition would be OK!
And remember excersises are good for your understanding of some basic concepts and your ability of solving problems!!

PhilosophyofPhysics

I just started reading the Feynman lectures, and I think they are awesome so far and make physics exciting. I think they are a good supplement for reading after you have taken some physics courses.