Is Kleppner and Kolenkow's Mechanics Textbook Too Challenging for Beginners?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the difficulty level of the mechanics textbook by Daniel Kleppner and Robert J Kolenkow, particularly in relation to its suitability for beginners in physics. Participants share their experiences with the book compared to other texts, such as University Physics and Goldstein's mechanics book, and explore the challenges and benefits of studying from Kleppner and Kolenkow's work.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses concern about the difficulty of Kleppner and Kolenkow's book, noting their prior experience with University Physics and a lack of confidence in solving mechanics problems.
  • Another participant suggests that while University Physics and Serway's Physics are introductory, Kleppner's book is suitable for undergraduate mechanics and may be easier for those who have studied Goldstein first.
  • A different participant finds the problems in Goldstein easier than those in Kleppner, highlighting that Kleppner's problems are more engaging and teach important physics techniques.
  • One contributor emphasizes that a solid understanding of calculus is necessary for Kleppner's book, but believes that the original poster's background in differential equations and linear algebra makes them well-prepared.
  • Another participant advises skipping the special relativity sections of Kleppner's book.
  • A participant mentions their preference for Newtonian mechanics and expresses interest in Kleppner's book as a more affordable option compared to Goldstein, while also considering Spivak's mechanics book.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the difficulty of Kleppner and Kolenkow's book. Some find it manageable and engaging, while others express concerns about its challenges for beginners. There are multiple competing views on the relative difficulty of Kleppner compared to Goldstein and other introductory texts.

Contextual Notes

Participants' assessments depend on their individual backgrounds in physics and mathematics, and there is an acknowledgment of varying levels of preparedness among potential readers. The discussion also reflects differing preferences for types of mechanics approaches (Newtonian vs. Lagrangian/Hamiltonian).

miglo
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Can anyone comment on the difficulty level of this book? The one by Daniel Kleppner and Robert J Kolenkow.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0521198216/?tag=pfamazon01-20
I've been thinking of buying it and studying from it, but reading the Amazon reviews has me thinking i should stay away from it, well at least for now.
I already know some mechanics from reading Young, Freedman, and Ford's University Physics, and my mathematics is up to differential equations and linear algebra.
I should add that although i do know some mechanics, I wasn't very good at solving the types of problems one can expect from taking a course in the subject.
 
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University Physics and Serway's Physics are Introductory Physics books.the kleppnar book is great for mechanics undergraduate course. I am a self-learner so I studied (due to lack of info) Goldstein before Kleppnar, and Kleppnar seems me very easy. If you already studied Univ. Phy then try Goldstein (level higher than Kleppnar's).
 
I found the problems in Goldstein to be much easier than those in Kleppner (the latter of the two was used by my teacher for our high school AP Physics C class). I also found the problems in Kleppner to be much more interesting than the comparable ones in Goldstein not to mention Goldstein is more intended for a more thorough treatment of lagrangian and hamiltonian mechanics (and other advanced topics of course) as a stepping stone to, say, a book on classical field theory. But yeah, all in all, the problems in Kleppner are very fun to work through and teach you many important techniques of physics that will come in handy. University Physics by Young is a joke in comparison to Kleppner and is much more dry in its presentation of the material. Kleppner's chapter on rigid body rotation, for example, is just plain awesome. Anyways, sorry for coming off as a Kleppner fanboy and good luck mate!
 
Kleppner/Kolenkow is the best mid level classical mechanics book you will find. You will need to know quite a bit of calculus to do the problems though. Since you have DEs and LA you should be fine though. If you plan on working on your own it's good choice even tough a challenging one.
 
It's good, but I would skip the special relativity sections.
 
I looked up Goldstein's book, and it seems to me that it takes the Lagrangian and Hamiltonian path to mechanics. I am actually looking for a book on Newtonian mechanics since i don't really like University Physics, plus Goldstein's book is over 100 dollars brand new and almost 100 for a used hardcover copy.
I think ill get Kleppner's book and later on try Goldstein, or maybe even Spivak's mechanics book.

Thanks everyone.
 

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