Starting fresh, but where to start?

[Weightlifting]

Hello everyone! I'm new to this forum, and I've tried looking at all the conventions on the forum, but if anything I say is out of line, please speak up! With that out of the way, I've added some of my background in physics in the spoiler, with the main questions below that.

Spoiler: Physics undergrad degree background info

In 2018 I've somehow managed to get my undergrad degree in Applied Engineering Physics. Back in those days I was mainly focussing on achieving success in sports. I think you'll be able to guess which one, by looking at my profile name. Yet at the same time, I was doing my undergrad and honestly, I don't know how I managed to get that degree. I like to think that I got through it by using pure common sense and sheer memorization. Long story short, I barely understood any of it, and there are still huge (embarrasing) gaps in my knowledge. After my degree, I was still focussing on sports and coaching, however, those glory days are over. Since about half a year ago, I got a 9-5 job as a process engineer at a semiconductor company. With this stability in life, my love and interest in physics has started to rekindle. I took out some of my old textbooks, looked through them and got surpisingly excited. I always used to spend my spare time watching stuff on the internet, but now I feel like I want to move back towards gaining knowledge in a topic that has always interested me, namely physics. But now, slightly overwhelmed, I don't really know where or how to start over.

Looking back at my undergrad, my interests seem to lie in the following topics: Classical Mechanics, Quantum Mechanics & Optics. These are also the topics I want to focus on starting out. However, as stated in the spoiler, I want to start totally fresh. I was always thought that mathematics is the basis for physics, so that's where I decided to start last week. Currently I'm reading and working out exercises from: "Calculus, A complete course" by R. A. Douglas & C. Essex. Currently, I'm about to finish the preliminaries section. And though I seem to remember a lot from undergrad, a tonne of knowledge gaps are already showing.

My plan is to get at least through single variable calculus before starting to go thoroughly through CM, QM and Optics. On those subject I got the following books:
CM: "Physics for scientists and engineers" by D. C. Giancoli. Interesting book when focussing towards engineering, but I'm planning to buy "Classical Mechanics" by H. Goldstein, to gain more in-depth knowledge.
QM: "Introduction to Quantum Mechanics" by D. J. Griffiths. Seems like a great place to start for QM.
Optics: "Optics" by E. Hecht. Seems like a great place to start for Optics

That all being said, I was wondering if I could get some input? What do you think of my plan? Any order I should approach these subjects? Any other recommendations for books? Or any other recommendations in general? Any other topics in physics that might be interesting to me? (I was thinking classical/quantum field theory, but my guess is that I'll have to get through CM and QM first to grasp that) As you might've noticed, I'm open to any input! Thank you!

 

[PeroK]

Sounds like a plan! In terms of mathematics, Calculus, Differential Equations, Linear Algebra and Complex Numbers are probably the critical core topics. Assuming you have mastered the basics of algebra and trig.

One suggestion is to give yourself something interesting to study physics wise. Special Relativity doesn't require much mathematics. Or, you could take a look at Noether's Theorem and the importance of symmetry in modern physics. This would emphasise the move away from rote learning and memorisation towards a deeper conceptual grasp of modern physics.

Also, perhaps the Feynman lectures are worth looking at?

 

[vela]

CM: "Physics for scientists and engineers" by D. C. Giancoli. Interesting book when focussing towards engineering, but I'm planning to buy "Classical Mechanics" by H. Goldstein, to gain more in-depth knowledge.

Giancoli is an intro text, right? Goldstein is a graduate text. It would be better to go through an upper-division text on classical mechanics before moving on to Goldstein.

It probably wouldn't hurt to go through most of Giancoli first to refresh your memory of basic physics before moving on.

 

[Weightlifting]

Sounds like a plan! In terms of mathematics, Calculus, Differential Equations, Linear Algebra and Complex Numbers are probably the critical core topics. Assuming you have mastered the basics of algebra and trig.

One suggestion is to give yourself something interesting to study physics wise. Special Relativity doesn't require much mathematics. Or, you could take a look at Noether's Theorem and the importance of symmetry in modern physics. This would emphasise the move away from rote learning and memorisation towards a deeper conceptual grasp of modern physics.

Also, perhaps the Feynman lectures are worth looking at?

Thanks for your reply! I will add Special relativity, Noether's Theorem, Symmerty in modern physics, & the Feynman lectures to my to-do list! I can find basics of Special Relativity in Giancoli and the Feynman lectures will be on my to-buy list. Do you have any great recommendations for introductory recourses on Noether's Theoem and Symmetry in modern Physics? I've also started looking through the links to articles on this forum, which are very interesting!

Giancoli is an intro text, right? Goldstein is a graduate text. It would be better to go through an upper-division text on classical mechanics before moving on to Goldstein.

It probably wouldn't hurt to go through most of Giancoli first to refresh your memory of basic physics before moving on.

Aaah yes, that does make sense! I didn't know Goldstein was an Graduate book, but I'll keep this all in mind, thank you for your reply!

 

[Frimus]

As for symmetry in modern physics I recommend

Jakob Schwichtenberg

Physics from Symmetry​

 

[MidgetDwarf]

I like Kipp: Fundamentals of Electricity and Magnetism, for an introduction to EM. It is very cheap too. Symon is also great for a second look at CM, but it may be too advanced for you (math wise). In this case, maybe Taylor's Classical Mechanics?

For SR, I like Space Time Physics. The first edition is best.

Since you are struggling with Calculus, you may just want to work through Giancoli, then Kipp for intro EM, and reference the EM in Giancoli if the need arises. Once you are able to get through Multivariable Calculus, consider going through a ODE book.