Guidance on physics books to study (high school senior year)

AI Thread Summary
A senior year student seeks to improve their physics knowledge, currently achieving B grades. Recommendations for study materials include an IB coursebook by Tsokos and OpenStax's University Physics. The discussion emphasizes the importance of identifying weaknesses in foundational concepts, particularly in physics, and suggests that consistent practice and problem-solving from multiple sources can enhance understanding. The student acknowledges a lack of practice and issues with basic physics concepts, despite being proficient in math. Insights are shared about the relationship between math and physics, highlighting that understanding the connection can be complex and that revisiting foundational topics is essential for improvement. The student expresses gratitude for the guidance and plans to explore additional resources, including a relevant documentary.
AlvisPrabhu
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Hello there,
I'm a senior year student.physics is my favorite subject, but I somehow only get B's .I would like to expand my knowledge in physics vastly.I would like to know if there's a book which contains all the concepts a senior year student should know and much more. It would be a great help if you could suggest any .
Thanks in advance.[emoji4]
 
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jedishrfu said:
How about an IB coursebook like this one written by Tsokos?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0521138213/?tag=pfamazon01-20

This is circa 2010 there are likely more recent versions.

Also there the openstax.org physics books that may help. Here's volume 1 of University Physics:

https://openstax.org/details/books/university-physics-volume-1

You need to identify why you are getting B's. Is it due to a weakness in math or in the physics itself?
It's because first I don't practice much honestly and second there is a problem with my basics.thanks for the recommendation .I'll definitely check it out.[emoji4]
 
Which basics math or physics?
 
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jedishrfu said:
Which basics math or physics?
Basics of physics.i am pretty good at math.i also really love derivations.
 
AlvisPrabhu said:
It's because first I don't practice much honestly and second there is a problem with my basics

In senior years, practicing problems has to be done depending on how much time you can give to each topic. If time alloted to each topic is less, then it's best to solve problems from at least two books thoroughly, and periodically go through the worked put examples of all books you've got.

Regarding the basics: whether it's physics or maths, if either of your basics is not strong enough, I advise you to revisit them without any delay. Then try to solve problems and see if your understanding has been improved.
 
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That was my issue too. The math came much easier but I would get preoccupied with why the math worked so well in physics like what was the connection? and this caused me to miss the focus of what I was learning.

Years later, I eventually came to understand that there is no connection of the math to the physics. We construct theories and apply constraints and the theories allow us to predict the physics of a system. However, we keep looking for where the math and physics diverge which then results in a new better theory.

NOVA did a show on this conundrum:

 
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Wrichik Basu said:
In senior years, practicing problems has to be done depending on how much time you can give to each topic. If time alloted to each topic is less, then it's best to solve problems from at least two books thoroughly, and periodically go through the worked put examples of all books you've got.

Regarding the basics: whether it's physics or maths, if either of your basics is not strong enough, I advise you to revisit them without any delay. Then try to solve problems and see if your understanding has been improved.
Thanks for the guidance.i will try to follow.
 
jedishrfu said:
That was my issue too. The math came much easier but I would get preoccupied with why the math worked so well in physics like what was the connection? and this caused me to miss the focus of what I was learning.

Years later, I eventually came to understand that there is no connection of the math to the physics. We construct theories and apply constraints and the theories allow us to predict the physics of a system. However, we keep looking for where the math and physics diverge which then results in a new better theory.

NOVA did a show on this conundrum:

Thanks for that interesting information. Let me go check out that documentary.
 

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