Free Classical Physics Lecture Notes

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the sharing of free classical physics lecture notes and resources, specifically focusing on courses taught by notable instructors such as Kip Thorne and Walter Lewin. Participants explore the content and accessibility of various physics courses, comparing their levels of complexity and suitability for different learners.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant shares a link to Kip Thorne's course on classical physics, noting its academic year and instructor.
  • Another participant provides links to Richard Fitzpatrick's class notes and a blog related to physics education.
  • Some participants express differing opinions on the quality of resources, suggesting that the MIT course by Professor Lewin may be superior due to its inclusion of video lectures.
  • It is noted that Lewin's course is an introductory class, while Thorne's course is more advanced and requires a higher level of mathematical understanding, covering topics like Statistical Thermodynamics and General Relativity.
  • A participant mentions contacting MIT OCW to request filming of the 8.07 Electromagnetism II course, expressing a desire for more resources for self-learners.
  • There is a mention of Griffiths' textbook being used in the 8.07 course, which some participants regard as an excellent resource.
  • Links to various Caltech course pages are shared, highlighting that some of these resources may not be maintained or updated.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on which educational resource is "better," indicating that preferences depend on individual levels of preparation and learning objectives. No consensus is reached regarding the superiority of one course over another.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that the courses vary in complexity and mathematical requirements, but there is no resolution on which course is definitively better for all learners.

quantum123
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http://www.pma.caltech.edu/Courses/ph136/yr2006/text.html

Ph 136: APPLICATIONS OF CLASSICAL PHYSICS
Academic Year 2004-2005

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Instructor:
Kip Thorne. 154 W. Bridge Annex X4598. Email: <removed by Doc Al>
 
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Physics news on Phys.org
thank you very much
 
quantum123 said:
http://www.pma.caltech.edu/Courses/ph136/yr2006/text.html

Ph 136: APPLICATIONS OF CLASSICAL PHYSICS
Academic Year 2004-2005

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Instructor:
Kip Thorne. 154 W. Bridge Annex X4598. Email: <removed by Doc Al>

that `s interesting but i think , this http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Physics/8-01Physics-IFall1999/CourseHome/index.htm" is better because it contains video and note lectures by Professor Lewin ...
 
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Huashan said:
that `s interesting but i think , this http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Physics/8-01Physics-IFall1999/CourseHome/index.htm" is better because it contains video and note lectures by Professor Lewin ...

Both are great. But which is "better" depends on your level of preparation and what you want to learn.

Lewin's course is an introductory course ["8.01 is a first-semester freshman physics class in Newtonian Mechanics, Fluid Mechanics, and Kinetic Gas Theory."].

The Caltech analogue is Physics 1A (see http://www.pma.caltech.edu/physicscourses.html ).

The Thorne course (Physics 136) is more advanced course, with higher mathematical requirements,... including major sections in Statistical Thermodynamics, Plasma Physics, and General Relativity.
 
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robphy said:
Both are great. But which is "better" depends on your level of preparation and what you want to learn.

Lewin's course is an introductory course ["8.01 is a first-semester freshman physics class in Newtonian Mechanics, Fluid Mechanics, and Kinetic Gas Theory."].

The Caltech analogue is Physics 1A (see http://www.pma.caltech.edu/physicscourses.html ).

The Thorne course (Physics 136) is more advanced course, with higher mathematical requirements,... including major sections in Statistical Thermodynamics, Plasma Physics, and General Relativity.

YES ..that's right http://qsmile.com/qsimages/8.gif , i think so , it depends on our level...
 
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Speaking of Prof Lewin, I contacted the MIT OCW folks requesting that their 8.07 Electromagnetism II course be filmed and presented as the sequel to Prof Lewin's great 8.02 Electricity and Magnetism course. He probably wouldn't be the instructor but it would be so very helpful for people like me who are pursuing the self-teaching mode of education. One thing I noticed about the 8.07 course is that they use Griffiths for the textbook which, in my opinion, is an excellent text. Maybe, if you would also like to see them offer a second course in Electromagetism, you could send them a request at http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/jsp/feedback.jsp?Referer="

jf
 
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robphy said:
The Thorne course (Physics 136) is more advanced course, with higher mathematical requirements,... including major sections in Statistical Thermodynamics, Plasma Physics, and General Relativity.

Here's the corresponding page for CalTech's undergraduate course sites:

http://www.pma.caltech.edu/Courses/masterIndex.html

Both of these have useful links, but these are no longer maintained or updated; the current page with links to the most recent course offerings is

http://www.pma.caltech.edu/GSR/physicscourses.html
 
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