How Can I Improve My Vector Calculus Skills for Classical Mechanics?

[camc03]

Hello to all, I am looking for a little bit of advice/guidance here.

I am a third year physics undergraduate. Just beginning to take classical mechanics, and I do feel a bit out of place in the class. I feel like my vector calculus skills are far too underdeveloped/rusty for the course I am in. I am wondering if there are any good resources (preferably a book / text) that covers vector calculus with depth for going forward in my Physics courses?

I am taking a math methods course also.

 

[jtbell]

I am a third year physics undergraduate. Just beginning to take classical mechanics, and I do feel a bit out of place in the class. I feel like my vector calculus skills are far too underdeveloped/rusty for the course I am in

It would probably help to tell us which textbook you're using for classical mechanics.

Have you had a course in electricity and magnetism beyond the first year course? In my experience, intermediate/advanced E&M uses far more vector calculus than does classical mechanics.

Griffith's Introduction to Electromagnetism has a decent review of vector calculus in the first chapter or two, which I think could probably be used on a stand-alone basis.

 

[camc03]

It would probably help to tell us which textbook you're using for classical mechanics.

Have you had a course in electricity and magnetism beyond the first year course? In my experience, intermediate/advanced E&M uses far more vector calculus than does classical mechanics.

Griffith's Introduction to Electromagnetism has a decent review of vector calculus in the first chapter or two, which I think could probably be used on a stand-alone basis.

Sorry, I didn't. I haven't had an upper division course in electricity and magnetism. And I mean, I think my calculus skills are just rusty in general. I am using Taylor's classical mechanics, which doesn't really do too much vector calculus except for the line integrals with calculating work and some other topics that I haven't thought of. Overall, I am just struggling to even start some problems even after trying to read through the sections multiple times and attempting to recall on my own. Thanks

Cam

 

[PeroK]

Sorry, I didn't. I haven't had an upper division course in electricity and magnetism. And I mean, I think my calculus skills are just rusty in general. I am using Taylor's classical mechanics, which doesn't really do too much vector calculus except for the line integrals with calculating work and some other topics that I haven't thought of. Overall, I am just struggling to even start some problems even after trying to read through the sections multiple times and attempting to recall on my own. Thanks

Cam

Paul's online notes are a good resource for all things calculus:

https://tutorial.math.lamar.edu

 

[Frabjous]

Marsden Vector Calculus is a standard text.
I have always been fond of the more applied Vector Analysis by Phillips.

 

[CrysPhys]

OP: I'm a bit confused with your scenario. What physics and math courses (and what textbooks did you use) in your freshman and sophomore years?

 

[camc03]

OP: I'm a bit confused with your scenario. What physics and math courses (and what textbooks did you use) in your freshman and sophomore years?

Calculus 1-3 with Stewart's calculus, DiffEQ with Jiri Lebl's notes, and I took introductory mechanics using University Physics by Hugh D Young and Freedman.

 

[vela]

Overall, I am just struggling to even start some problems even after trying to read through the sections multiple times and attempting to recall on my own.

Why do you think your issue is due to rusty math skills? Can you give us an example of a problem you struggled with?

 

[camc03]

Why do you think your issue is due to rusty math skills? Can you give us an example of a problem you struggled with?

I think a big problem I have is visualizing and identifying force fields and how they work ; especially in relation to setting up line integrals when given some vector field and parametrizing it to solve for work done. Thanks for asking these questions as well; you are assisting me in ways I didn't think about

 

[CrysPhys]

I am a third year physics undergraduate.

OP: I'm a bit confused with your scenario. What physics and math courses (and what textbooks did you use) in your freshman and sophomore years?

Calculus 1-3 with Stewart's calculus, DiffEQ with Jiri Lebl's notes, and I took introductory mechanics using University Physics by Hugh D Young and Freedman.

This doesn't add up. You're a third yr physics major. But in your first and second yrs, you've taken only intro mechanics. No intro E&M? No intro modern physics? No other physics?

Is there a back story here? Your profile says US. Are you in a US university, or elsewhere? Have you recently switched majors?

 

[camc03]

This doesn't add up. You're a third yr physics major. But in your first and second yrs, you've taken only intro mechanics. No intro E&M? No intro modern physics? No other physics?

Is there a back story here? Your profile says US. Are you in a US university, or elsewhere? Have you recently switched majors?

Sorry, I made a mistake lol. We just call the entire first year sequence mechanics here. And I took one semester of Modern Physics which included Special Relativity and quantum mechanics. I have also taken a few labs.