Good textbooks for second year physics courses?

AI Thread Summary
A student entering their second year is seeking recommendations for textbooks and resources to improve their understanding of physics and mathematics after struggling in a summer term with multivariable calculus and linear algebra. They aim to enhance their performance in upcoming courses, including classical mechanics, electricity and magnetism, special relativity, optics, and differential equations. Suggestions include exploring video lectures from NPTEL by various professors, which are noted for their quality and relevance. The student is encouraged to evaluate these resources against their syllabus to ensure they align with their learning needs.
starstruck_
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Hey!

Im going into second year and I’m trying to find textbooks to study for some physics courses out of since I have the time.

Heck, even some multivariable calculus textbooks might help. We use James Stewart’s Early Transcendentals 8th Edition and it didn’t really help- that and uh I pulled a stupid this summer term and took 2 math courses (2nd year linear algebra and multivariable calculus) and an engineering course at once - for 6 weeks, failed the calculus course. My gpa is suffering, I ended first year off with around a 3.5 and now I’m a bit above a 2.0.

Not trying to repeat that, hopefully another book might help, or some extra practice. Also don’t want that happening to any of my physics courses next year.

The physics courses I have are classic mechanics, electricity and magnetism, special relativity, optics and spectra and some experimental course.

The math is just that multivariable course I failed and differential equations (for scientists and engineers).

What would you suggest? Thanksnin advance!
 
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If you are okay with video lectures in addition to books, I would recommend the following:
  • http://www.nptel.ac.in/courses/122106027/ by Prof. V. Balakrishnan
  • http://www.nptel.ac.in/courses/115104088/ by Prof. Manoj Harbola
  • http://www.nptel.ac.in/courses/115101011/ by Prof. Shiva Prasad
  • http://www.nptel.ac.in/courses/111107108/ by Prof. S. K. Gupta and Dr. Sanjeev Kumar
The first three courses are available in PF media gallery as well.

You need to go through the courses to see if they meet your syllabus. But for learning, they are great.
 
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