I'm interested in physics, what should I learn?

[Bedfordshire]

Let me Introduced myself at first,
I'm a high school student in Hong Kong. I've finished all I need to learn in high school.
Also, I have lots of time to read books.
My school teacher distributes me an empty classroom so that I can do my things there when I come to school.

I'm interested in physics, but I don't really know about physics.
For math, I know some calculus and linear algebra.
And I'm reading Classical Mechanics, Goldstein.
I've finished chapter1-6 and I did every exercise on it, also understanding each solution.
I don't know if I'm doing the right thing.
I want some guidance to help me start learning undergraduate physics.

 

[sysprog]

It looks like you're already making a very good start. I'm sure you'll get some further answers from some of the other members here. Welcome aboard the Physics Forums.

 

[PhanthomJay]

Yow, you are way ahead in your studies, good work!
You say you don’t know Physics, but a good understanding of Mechanics requires an in depth knowledge of Physics. Goldstein’s book in fact is an advanced version of Mechanics for undergrads.
At a University for Physics or Engineering, you start off taking calculus based or algebra based introductory Physics (take the calc based version) studying forces, motion, energy, etc., including basic Mechanics, then proceed to electricity, magnetism , waves optics, and modern physics if you so choose. Mechanics (statics and dynamics) usually isn’t taken until your 2nd year. Stuff like Lagrangian and Hamiltonian is rather advanced. I don’t know how you are getting a good understanding of Mechanics without first studying basic Physics and Calculus!
You might want to consider Engineering study instead of Physics, unless you are really into the advanced topics of Physics like Quantum Mechanics, Astrophysics, Cosmology, Nuclear, etc.
Best of luck, I commend you for your efforts!

 

[MidgetDwarf]

Let me Introduced myself at first,
I'm a high school student in Hong Kong. I've finished all I need to learn in high school.
Also, I have lots of time to read books.
My school teacher distributes me an empty classroom so that I can do my things there when I come to school.

I'm interested in physics, but I don't really know about physics.
For math, I know some calculus and linear algebra.
And I'm reading Classical Mechanics, Goldstein.
I've finished chapter1-6 and I did every exercise on it, also understanding each solution.
I don't know if I'm doing the right thing.
I want some guidance to help me start learning undergraduate physics.

Did you do the exercises on your own, without referring to any outside help or looking at solutions? Or did you look at solution and replicated it?

 

[berkeman]

Welcome to the PF.

I'm interested in physics, but I don't really know about physics.

Congrats on your interest in science, and your great start on your studies. In addition to studying various textbooks, I'd recommend reading some interesting non-fiction books about and by famous scientists, to help motivate your studies and interests. You may also find that you are more interested in some areas of science than others, based on some of this reading. Here are a few books that I really enjoyed (for various reasons)...

 

[Bedfordshire]

Welcome to the PF.

Congrats on your interest in science, and your great start on your studies. In addition to studying various textbooks, I'd recommend reading some interesting non-fiction books about and by famous scientists, to help motivate your studies and interests. You may also find that you are more interested in some areas of science than others, based on some of this reading. Here are a few books that I really enjoyed (for various reasons)...

Thanks for your reply!
I will try to read some popular-science books later.

 

[sysprog]

Thanks for your reply!
I will try to read some popular-science books later.

I think that Prof. Powers' thermo notes are well worth reading.
https://www3.nd.edu/~powers/ame.20231/notes.pdf

 

[Bedfordshire]

I think that Prof. Powers' thermo notes are well worth reading.
https://www3.nd.edu/~powers/ame.20231/notes.pdf

Thanks for sharing.
I haven't finished a full lecture note on thermodynamics yet.
I'm reading Griffiths's Introduction to electrodynamics in recent

 

[jtbell]

And I'm reading Classical Mechanics, Goldstein.

I'm reading Griffiths's Introduction to electrodynamics in recent

If you're using Goldstein for classical mechanics, you should be using Jackson instead of Griffiths for electromagnetism.

In the US, Goldstein and Jackson are common graduate-school textbooks, i.e. MS/PhD level, whereas Griffiths is merely undergraduate-level.

 

[Bedfordshire]

If you're using Goldstein for classical mechanics, you should be using Jackson instead of Griffiths for electromagnetism.

I had heard this famous textbook on electrodynamics before!

You said that if I'm able to finish Goldstein, then I'm able to read Jackson too?

However, I want to finish my Griffiths first!

 

[FactChecker]

Get a standard first-year physics book and start learning physics. It's as simple as that.