Best Physics Book: Complete Textbook for Basic-Graduate Level

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the search for a comprehensive physics textbook that spans topics from basic to graduate level, including detailed explanations and possibly exercises. Participants explore the feasibility of such a book and suggest various existing resources.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express skepticism about the existence of a single textbook that covers the entire range of physics topics from basic to graduate level, suggesting it would be excessively lengthy.
  • Others propose that while a non-mathematical approach is not necessary, detailed discussions of topics are preferred.
  • Several participants recommend the Feynman Lectures on Physics as a comprehensive resource, though they note its limitations, such as a lack of worked examples and problems.
  • Giancoli's physics book is suggested for high school level, with the acknowledgment that graduate textbooks typically specialize in specific areas of physics.
  • Some participants argue that it is unrealistic to expect a single book to cover the entirety of the standard physics curriculum, citing the need for multiple specialized texts throughout a physics degree.
  • Concerns are raised about the accessibility of recommended texts, particularly regarding their cost.
  • There is a discussion about the suitability of the Feynman Lectures for beginners, with some suggesting that they may be intellectually challenging and not structured in a beginner-friendly way.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that a single comprehensive textbook covering all physics topics is unlikely to exist. However, there are multiple competing views on the best resources available, and the discussion remains unresolved regarding the ideal approach to learning physics.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the limitations of existing recommendations, including the lack of comprehensive coverage in suggested texts and the varying levels of detail across different subjects. The discussion highlights the complexity of the physics curriculum and the challenges in finding a singular resource that meets all needs.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for students at various levels seeking guidance on physics textbooks, educators looking for comprehensive resources, and anyone interested in the breadth of physics literature available.

King
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Hi,

Does anyone know of a Physics textbook that covers a very broad range of topics from basic to graduate level, contains detailed explanations, and perhaps exercises (although this latter is not necessary)? Hence, a complete Physics textbook, like what "Engineering Mathematics" is to Mathematics.
 
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I can't say for sure, but I doubt that books exists as it would be about 10,000 pages long.

I don't know of any non-mathematical methods book that covers topics from basic physics to graduate level, let alone in any appreciable amount of detail.
 
It's not necessary that it be non-mathematical. I can't imagine the subject could be explained very well without mathematics, but it would be preferred to have detailed discussions of each topic.
 
King said:
It's not necessary that it be non-mathematical. I can't imagine the subject could be explained very well without mathematics, but it would be preferred to have detailed discussions of each topic.
No, I meant I do not know of any books that are not 'Mathematical methods of...' that discuss such a range of topics over such a level of detail.
 
u could go through feymann's lectures. its typically university level and covers and wide range of topics with decent explanations.
though for high school level (ie basic physics) i recommend physics by giancoli, again wide range and excellent explanations.
im not sure about graduate level, i think almost every graduate level textbook specializes in a particular aspect (eg classical mechanics, electricity and magnetism).
so u could get all of the above and glue them together into the "super textbook" you were talking about :P
 
King said:
Hence, a complete Physics textbook, like what "Engineering Mathematics" is to Mathematics.

I don't understand this statement. "Engineering Mathematics" comprises a very small subset of mathematics.
 
George Jones said:
I don't understand this statement. "Engineering Mathematics" comprises a very small subset of mathematics.

It covers a wide range of areas of mathematics, especially paired with Advanced Engineering Mathematics (the continuation of the book).

Feynman lectures seem to be the closest thing to what I would like, but I was hoping for something like University Physics with Modern Physics, but better.
 
bigerst said:
u could go through feymann's lectures. its typically university level and covers and wide range of topics with decent explanations.
though for high school level (ie basic physics) i recommend physics by giancoli, again wide range and excellent explanations.
im not sure about graduate level, i think almost every graduate level textbook specializes in a particular aspect (eg classical mechanics, electricity and magnetism).
so u could get all of the above and glue them together into the "super textbook" you were talking about :P

Sorry, I meant up to but not including graduate level. So it covers everything from high school up to the end of one's undergraduate degree.
 
So, in essence your looking for a book that covers the entirety of the standard physics curriculum?

Now that your question has been boiled dow, can you see how preposterous it is?
 
  • #10
Darth Frodo said:
So, in essence your looking for a book that covers the entirety of the standard physics curriculum?

Now that your question has been boiled dow, can you see how preposterous it is?

No, I cannot.
 
  • #11
King said:
No, I cannot.
In the course of getting a degree, one uses an intro book, an UD e&M book, classical mechanics, statistical physics, quantum mechanics + probably 2-5 more books based on a persons individual courses.

There is no book which covers all that.

It would be like printing the entire Landau and lifgarbagez series as 1 book.
 
  • #12
Jorriss said:
In the course of getting a degree, one uses an intro book, an UD e&M book, classical mechanics, statistical physics, quantum mechanics + probably 2-5 more books based on a persons individual courses.

There is no book which covers all that.

It would be like printing the entire Landau and lifgarbagez series as 1 book.

Well it may be printed in several volumes. Anyway, judging by the replies I will take the answer to my question as "no".
 
  • #13
King said:
It covers a wide range of areas of mathematics, especially paired with Advanced Engineering Mathematics (the continuation of the book).

Even so, this is just a small part of mathematics.

What about real analysis? Functional analysis? Abstract algebra? Representation theory? Differential geometry? Algebraic geometry? Number theory? Category theory? Mathematical logic? Etc.

If you are looking for "required text" that is to physics as "Engineering Mathematics" is to mathematics, then you are looking for a physics book that covers a small part of physics.
 
  • #14
King said:
Well it may be printed in several volumes. Anyway, judging by the replies I will take the answer to my question as "no".
well... I suppose if you had finished an UG curriculum in physics then there would be the L&L series, but for undergraduate, I do not know of one.

Is money the issue? If not, we could suggest a number of good textbooks to learn the subject.
 
  • #15
The Feynman Lectures on Physics, no question. There are drawbacks to them (lacking in worked examples, lacking in problems, sometimes more supplemental rather than primary, lacking in some topics important topics, etc.), but of course these are amazing must reads at some point in your career anyway and are as comprehensive and in this "class of books" that you have described as any.
 
  • #16
Jorriss said:
Is money the issue? If not, we could suggest a number of good textbooks to learn the subject.

Money is to some extent an issue, but it would be nice to know books which you recommend. When I see the prices I'll determine how much of an issue it is :)
 
  • #17
dydxforsn said:
The Feynman Lectures on Physics, no question. There are drawbacks to them (lacking in worked examples, lacking in problems, sometimes more supplemental rather than primary, lacking in some topics important topics, etc.), but of course these are amazing must reads at some point in your career anyway and are as comprehensive and in this "class of books" that you have described as any.

Some may argue that his lectures aren't suitable for beginners to physics? Would you agree? I wish to start from the beginning. His lectures are certainly on my list, having read the first few pages of the first book I found the book very compelling.
 
  • #18
then go through high school physics first, again i recommend giancoli. starting from there do calculus based textbooks
 
  • #19
King said:
Money is to some extent an issue, but it would be nice to know books which you recommend. When I see the prices I'll determine how much of an issue it is :)
I think if you learned these five books well, you have a very solid grounding in physics and would have plenty of freedom in what you could learn later.

'Arbitrary Intro book'

'Classical Mechanics' by Taylor
'Introduction to Electrodynamics' by Griffiths
'Introduction to Thermal Physics' by Schroeder
'Quantum Mechanics ...' by Zetilli

But! If you don't know introductory physics fairly well yet, do that first.
 
  • #20
King said:
Some may argue that his lectures aren't suitable for beginners to physics? Would you agree? I wish to start from the beginning. His lectures are certainly on my list, having read the first few pages of the first book I found the book very compelling.

They do start from the beginning, but people say that (and I agree with them) because they are so difficult intellectually, there is a slightly strange order to the material that can be off-putting to the beginner - but it's all there. There are the problems with them that I already mentioned, and I would elaborate further, but honestly a quite long discussion could be had about this. However, the Feynman Lectures are so profound that I would fell odd if I didn't repeat one last point because up until now it seems like I've largely insulted them - they're one of the best physics textbooks ever written. A truly amazing and unique experience to get standard undergraduate physics from one of the greatest physicists of all time (indeed legend goes that part of the reason why Feynman agreed to write the undergraduate lecture series is because to his knowledge no previous giant in physics had written a comprehensive lecture series like the Feynman Lectures.)


Anyways, if you are just beginning physics (and know basic Cal 1/2 differential and integral calculus), I would recommend a standard university physics book that is cal based instead of the Feynman Lectures (the Feynman Lectures simply satisfy the kind of book you created this thread for, they're just really difficult..) And as many have said, these [generic university physics] books are largely equivalent, and having worked as an undergraduate physics tutor for a while and reading various university textbooks that were lying around because I was always bored, they are all largely the same (save one book trying - and somewhat succeeding on those boring afternoons heh - to be more "entertaining" by occasionally giving "interesting" "everyday" situations in which the physics topics contained showed up in everyday life.. Such as the infrared sensing gland that causes a strike reflex in rattlesnakes...) I was actually somewhat surprised. How they can charge 200$ for these books baffles me. A very very big tip would be to buy a slightly older edition of a university physics book at a much lower price as somebody mentioned previously.
 
  • #21
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  • #22
I like Essential University Physics by Richard Wolfson.
Using Problem-Solving Strategy tool, IDEA
 
  • #23
The new Resnick & Halliday (Fundamentals of Physics, 9th) is terrible. Used it for my wave motion and optics intro physics course this past fall. Really bad book. Avoid at all costs if you can.
 
  • #24
Here are some titles you may want to look at

"The Six Core Theories of Modern Physics " by Stevens

"From Newton to Mandelbrot: A Primer in Theoretical Physics" by Stauffer, Stanley, and Armstrong

"Theoretical Concepts in Physics" by Longair

"Theoretical Physics" by Joos

"Basic Theoretical Physics" by Krey and Owen

"Compendium of Theoretical Physics" by Wachter and Hoeber

"A Unified Grand Tour of Theoretical Physics" by Lawrie
 
  • #25
One more--probably closer to what you're looking for

"Handbook of Physics" by Benenson, Harris, Stocker, and Lutz
 

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