Challenging Yourself in Physics: Recommended Textbooks for Advanced Students

[Crush1986]

Hi all. First year physics student here. I'm doing very very well in my course at my Uni (A++ after first midterm) I study by doing an insane amount of problems from 2 books. Both are about the same difficulty to me (Halliday, and the other is Young) is there a book anyone knows of that might be like a notch up to maybe challenge myself more? My math background is I've finished single variable calc, just starting multivariable. Also just starting linear algebra.

 

[micromass]

Try Kleppner & Kolenkow. I doubt you'll find a better into mechanics book than this! The exercises are challenging, so I guess this is exactly what you're looking for.

Halliday and Young are horrible texts by the way. Doing an unholy amount of exercises from them won't do you any good since most exercises are the same thing. And they are mostly easy.

 

[Crush1986]

I agree. I feel like I'm not learning a whole lot after the first few.

Thank you for the suggestion I'll check into it!

 

[Crush1986]

Oh wow, just read up on it and it sounds great. Unless I see a better suggestion that will probably be it!

I see a few used for great prices too.

 

[micromass]

Oh wow, just read up on it and it sounds great. Unless I see a better suggestion that will probably be it!

I see a few used for great prices too.

Be sure to get the very first edition, the later editions are much less good.

Also, another textbook is Morin. But if you call the exercises in Kleppner challenging, then the ones in Morin are soul crushing.

 

[Crush1986]

Be sure to get the very first edition, the later editions are much less good.

Also, another textbook is Morin. But if you call the exercises in Kleppner challenging, then the ones in Morin are soul crushing.

Excellent :D. I couldn't find good stuff like this in searches. I kept getting like Lhysics for Dummies books. That Morin looks insane from comments. Might just go for MIT's text lol.

 

[mpresic]

I congratulate you Crush. In a way I disagree with some of the earlier posters. I think Kleppner and Kolenkow is more advanced than RH and I recommend it. I have also examined Morin

Throughout my grad education and below, I found for example:

Going from high school problems to Resnick and Halliday was tough let's say 9 on a scale of 10.
Going from RH to Marion mechanics, or Symon's mechanics was 6 on a scale of 10.
Going from RH to Marion Classical Electromagnetics was 8 on a scale 0f 10.
Going from Marion Mechanics to Goldstein was 5 on a scale of 10
Going from Marion Electromagnetics to Jackson was 7 on a scale of 10.

In every case, the problems became harder, but as one progresses, you are better able to handle them.

I disagree that most RH problems are the same. At least they were not when I taught from it. I have not seen them for 20 years though.

Keep challenging yourself, but I congratulate you Crush.

 

[Crush1986]

I congratulate you Crush. In a way I disagree with some of the earlier posters. I think Kleppner and Kolenkow is more advanced than RH and I recommend it. I have also examined Morin

Throughout my grad education and below, I found for example:

Going from high school problems to Resnick and Halliday was tough let's say 9 on a scale of 10.
Going from RH to Marion mechanics, or Symon's mechanics was 6 on a scale of 10.
Going from RH to Marion Classical Electromagnetics was 8 on a scale 0f 10.
Going from Marion Mechanics to Goldstein was 5 on a scale of 10
Going from Marion Electromagnetics to Jackson was 7 on a scale of 10.

In every case, the problems became harder, but as one progresses, you are better able to handle them.

I disagree that most RH problems are the same. At least they were not when I taught from it. I have not seen them for 20 years though.

Keep challenging yourself, but I congratulate you Crush.

Aye maybe I was a bit harsh. I do feel that sometimes a concept is repeated a bit much when other problems could be added.

Thanks for your suggestions! I've ordered a Klepnner that I got for a total bargain on Amazon. Think ill like it. If not I'll check out some on that list.

Stepping up is a total kick in the teeth at first! Found some problems online from Morin. Got a few, most I got 3/4 of the way through and would make a small error in logic. A few I just giggled and tried to learn from a detailed solution to maybe pick up a gem of knowledge. Having fun though. I think my professors next midterm might look like child's play hopefully.