theQM123 said:
I just had a look on a few preview chapters on the book entitled " Problems and Solutions on introductory mechanics" by David Morin, and indeed, the questions in it aren't quite as hard as those in that of Morin's actual mechanics book (source:
http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~djmorin/book.html). I might get Morin instead then.
I'm a big fan of reaching the top when studying for competitions like the IPhO, by which I mean, learning things the right way the first time. So I suppose the question is, is either of those books going to do it?
1. K&K is from the seventies. It is really good and that quality doesn't diminish BUT surely it's a given that any test taker in a competition this tough knows everything in K&K as a starting point. The lowest entrant could be at this level quite easily. And the test setters are going to want to split the field, so they are going to take that as a starting point.
So if you were to learn everything in K&K and look at past IPhO papers and answer the questions that K&K has allowed you to answer, probably it's not enough. So that is my gut feeling, what it covers is necessary and I think you are absolutely right not to look at a book below it, but it won't be enough.
2. Morin is a very modern book and I've heard that the first calculus course at Harvard is a several variables course because they assume entrants have done calculus. So Morin could be written with these Harvard superstars in mind as well as being on some kind of cutting edge. So that makes it interesting.
On the other hand, no knowledge of partial derivatives is required for the IPhO and perhaps a lot of Morin is about 3 dimensions and partial derivatives. So you may find that a lot of it is not applicable. If you see what I'm saying, it may be advanced in the wrong way for this particular competition.
3. For that reason, and because I know how good K&K is, I'd still recommend K&K as necessary knowledge from a mathematical point of view, it has the math you need. Probably it doesn't have all the physics you need. But it is a more conceptual book and you'll want that conceptual knowledge to stand you in good stead for the competition. And it was written for advanced MIT students so it is no slouch.
4. And I particularly like how it handles torque. This is a tough topic for high school students to really understand well and this is an example of why this book would be an entry point, because the setters would assume you know do know it, so you need to get that knowledge and have it be thoroughly understood.
Looking at the syllabus, relativity is in in a big way. A dedicated book may well be worthwhile. And for the coverage if nothing else, consider getting an 11th edition of University Physics as well, I see them for $12 on amazon.com. It'll fill any gaps between whatever other books you get.
So if you get the 1st edition of K&K and the 11th of UP, that shouldn't cost too much. Another good conceptual book is French - Vibrations and Waves, I see it for $10 on amazon. That is a good way to cover that part of the syllabus.
That leaves E&M and Relativity. Looking at the syllabus, a lot of E&M is crossed out, probably because they consider it to be too dependent on advanced math to require deep knowledge there. So I think you wouldn't actually need Purcell. UP would cover those topics and if you look at past IPhO's, you would get a good feel of what is expected. But relativity looks to be in in a big way, probably a dedicated book would be wise.
