I need some motivation to study E&M

[Geezer]

I don't know why, but I just can't get into E&M. I didn't find it interesting as an undergrad, and it's not interesting to me now as a grad student. However, I need to know the material--gotta pass the quals!--and I even want to know the material ('cause it's an important part of physics and I want to be a well-rounded physicist), but every time I open up an E&M book (and I have quite a few at my disposal), I fail to get anywhere with it.

Now, I love stat mech. If I could find some overlap between stat mech and E&M, then I would have a roundabout way of studying E&M and perhaps my interest in the material would be piqued.

Any ideas for making myself care about the material?

 

[Angry Citizen]

E&M makes particle accelerators possible. If that ain't cool enough to interest you, I don't know what would :)

 

[Geezer]

E&M makes particle accelerators possible. If that ain't cool enough to interest you, I don't know what would :)

Meh. I'm not an HEP or particle person. Not a string theory person, either. I'm more inclined towards condensed matter physics.

 

[lisab]

Meh. I'm not an HEP or particle person. Not a string theory person, either. I'm more inclined towards condensed matter physics.

Nice - condensed matter is probably the most awesome field in physics, IMHO . But it requires a solid grasp of E&M, too.

Actually I'm like you - I could never really love E&M the way I loved quantum or statistical mechanics. I guess it falls into the category of "suck it up". Just get through it.