Hartle too hard Need another suggestion

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SUMMARY

The forum discussion centers on the challenges faced by learners of General Relativity (GR) and Quantum Mechanics (QM), particularly regarding the accessibility of texts like Hartle's "Gravity: An Introduction to Einstein's General Relativity." Users express a need for more gradual introductions to the mathematics involved, recommending alternatives such as McMahon's "Relativity Demystified" and Taylor & Wheeler's "Exploring Black Holes." Griffiths' QM book is highlighted as user-friendly for beginners. The consensus emphasizes the importance of foundational knowledge in classical mechanics and electromagnetism to effectively tackle GR and QM.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of classical mechanics at the level of Taylor's "Classical Mechanics."
  • Familiarity with electromagnetism as presented in Griffiths' "Introduction to Electrodynamics."
  • Basic knowledge of tensor calculus and algebra as applied in General Relativity.
  • Experience with problem-solving in physics to reinforce mathematical concepts.
NEXT STEPS
  • Read McMahon's "Relativity Demystified" for a gradual introduction to GR.
  • Explore Taylor & Wheeler's "Exploring Black Holes" for a physics-focused approach to GR.
  • Study Griffiths' "Introduction to Quantum Mechanics" for a beginner-friendly QM perspective.
  • Investigate Wald's resources on teaching GR for insights into effective learning strategies.
USEFUL FOR

Students and educators in physics, particularly those seeking to understand General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics with a focus on mathematical rigor and conceptual clarity.

  • #31
Hi Dirac, I would suggest Griffiths' Electrodynamics text. If you work through that, you should be completely fine and ready to hit a book like Hartle or what have you. Griffiths' text is friendly and conversational so you might like it; I sure loved the tone (although I haven't done every single chapter in the book). The last chapter gives an introduction into the Lorentz covariant formulation of Maxwell's electrodynamics within SR. However you don't need to worry too much about that for now because most GR books will cover the Lorentz covariant as well as general covariant formulations of Maxwell's electrodynamics (Wald has a particularly amazing and concise coverage of it, IMO). Good luck my friend!
 
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  • #32
WannabeNewton said:
Hi Dirac, I would suggest Griffiths' Electrodynamics text.

Right on. Thanks. I'll check that one out.
 

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