Complementary resources to Feynman Lectures

[seba_]

Hi everyone!
I've begun teaching myself physics with the Feynman Lectures books. However, I find the exercises so difficult. After reading a chapter, I struggle with how to approach the exercises effectively. I understand that this isn't an easy process, but I feel I need a deeper understanding before starting the exercises. Therefore, I'm seeking additional resources such as books, videos, or courses to supplement my learning.

A few years ago, I completed my engineering degree, so I have a basic understanding of physics, algebra, and calculus.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Mordred]

It would be helpful to know how well you understand QM/QFT and for integrals SR. Understanding those aforementioned will be essential to understanding Feymann path Integrals.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Feymann Integrals.

Feynman Lectures

Not the same thing,

Personally, I would not use the Feynman Lectures to start with. They are great if you alreayd know the material and want to understand it better, but not so great if you are starting from scratch. If you are rusty on the physics you learned in the past, I'd get a standard textbook like Halliday and Resnick and work through that before tackling Feynman.

 

[Mordred]

Sorry misread that my bad lol. Wife distracted me yeah yeah it's all her fault

 

[seba_]

Not the same thing,

Personally, I would not use the Feynman Lectures to start with. They are great if you alreayd know the material and want to understand it better, but not so great if you are starting from scratch. If you are rusty on the physics you learned in the past, I'd get a standard textbook like Halliday and Resnick and work through that before tackling Feynman.

Thanks! I'll check that book

 

[Frabjous]

Thanks! I'll check that book

You do not need the current edition. You can get used older editions on the cheap.

 

[DaveE]

Not the same thing,

Personally, I would not use the Feynman Lectures to start with. They are great if you alreayd know the material and want to understand it better, but not so great if you are starting from scratch. If you are rusty on the physics you learned in the past, I'd get a standard textbook like Halliday and Resnick and work through that before tackling Feynman.

That's also what the Caltech physics department thought in the late 1970's. They used the Berkeley Physics texts for the first year, but often assigned selected HW from the Leighton exercise book that accompanied Feynman.

 

[Vanadium 50]

That's also what the Caltech physics department thought

Just because that''s what Caltech thinks doesn't make it wrong.

 

[Herman Trivilino]

I've begun teaching myself physics with the Feynman Lectures books.

As others have noted, not a good idea. You can find older editions of other textbooks online or at a library. Read bits of them until you find something that works for you.

 

[seba_]

As others have noted, not a good idea. You can find older editions of other textbooks online or at a library. Read bits of them until you find something that works for you.

Okay, thank you!

 

[Muu9]

If you already understand physics, try the book by Halliday, Resnick and Krane. It's often used as an honors introductory physics book

 

[MidgetDwarf]

Hi everyone!
I've begun teaching myself physics with the Feynman Lectures books. However, I find the exercises so difficult. After reading a chapter, I struggle with how to approach the exercises effectively. I understand that this isn't an easy process, but I feel I need a deeper understanding before starting the exercises. Therefore, I'm seeking additional resources such as books, videos, or courses to supplement my learning.

A few years ago, I completed my engineering degree, so I have a basic understanding of physics, algebra, and calculus.

Thanks in advance!

I would work through problems from a general intro based physics book.

Ie., Serway, Giancolli, HR, Freedman etc

and read the two volume Intro physics books by Shankar.

 

[Mamta25]

Feynman's book are great but a bit hard. Since you already know basic physics, algebra and calculus, you can make by learning extra resources:
* All you need to do is understand the concept first, for this you can use this
1. Halliday and Resnick, University Physics, Thinking Physics (Books)
2. For Videos; MIT, OCW, Susskind lecture
* For practice, you can use this,
1. Schaum's Putline of Physics, 200 Puzzling Physics problem, Irodov (Books)
2. Khan Academy, Hyper Physics ( websites)

 

[robphy]

Since this resource hasn't already been mentioned...

https://www.feynmanlectures.caltech.edu/

in particular, there's "Feynman's Tips on Physics"
https://www.feynmanlectures.caltech.edu/TIPS_toc.html
and
https://www.feynmanlectures.caltech.edu/info/exercises.html

https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/t...es-on-physics/9780465060719/?lens=basic-books

(Note: https://www.physicsforums.com/threa...recordings-online-for-free-listening.1003344/
update 01/06/2026: The link in the first post in that thread should be
https://www.feynmanlectures.caltech.edu/index.html (no period after the edu)
)