Beginner friendly mathematical physics book

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around identifying beginner-friendly mathematical physics books suitable for self-study at the undergraduate level. Participants explore the necessary mathematical background and the appropriate physics texts for someone with a high school mathematics foundation, including trigonometry, calculus, vector algebra, and matrices.

Discussion Character

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

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest Mary L Boas as a common recommendation for mathematical physics, while others mention Orodruin's book but express doubts about its suitability for beginners.
  • There is a discussion about the distinction between "mathematical" physics and "mathematical physics," with some participants arguing that the former is more accessible and the latter is more advanced.
  • Several participants emphasize the importance of having a solid understanding of calculus and linear algebra before tackling more advanced physics texts.
  • One participant recommends “Div, Curl and All That” as a preparatory text for vector calculus before moving on to undergraduate physics textbooks.
  • There are differing opinions on whether to learn mathematics concurrently with physics or to focus on mathematics first, with some advocating for an integrated approach.
  • Concerns are raised about the participant's understanding of calculus and whether they have covered topics like ordinary differential equations, which are often prerequisites for advanced physics studies.
  • Some participants question the rationale behind wanting to accelerate mathematics learning compared to physics, suggesting that both subjects typically reinforce each other in a traditional learning environment.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on the best approach to learning mathematical physics, with no clear consensus on a single recommended book or method. Disagreement exists regarding the appropriate level of mathematical preparation needed before studying physics.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that prerequisites for intermediate-level physics courses often include single- and multi-variable calculus, ordinary differential equations, and linear algebra, but these requirements may vary by institution.

  • #31
The history is that in Frankfurt Walter Greiner started with theoretical physics in the 1st semester, which was a novum in these days. That's why there had to be "Mathematical Methods" in the 1st-semester theory lecture. This is something you have to offer anyway, because the math lectures, which IMHO should be taken by the physicists together with the mathematicians, cannot deliver the necessary mathematical tools as quickly as needed in the theoretical-physics lectures.

Math must be taught in a rigorous manner with theorems and strict proofs. "Mathematical Methods" just provides plausibility arguments for the calculational machinery needed for theoretical physics. Thus the lecture mainly concentrates on vector algebra and vector calculus (assuming that the students are familiar with differentiation and integration for functions with one real variable, which is not always fulfilled either nowadays though, because the German high-school teaching is in a monotonic decline particularly in math) and on the calculational side of the subject, i.e., usually no rigorous proofs for theorems (e.g., Stokes's and Gauss's integral theorems) are given but plausibility arguments.

Usually that's done with examples from physics, i.e., classical mechanics and some electrostatics. This also has the advantage that early on you learn to think in the typical physicists' way in terms of mathematics as a language to formulate and work with the physical laws.
 
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