Learn Physics on Your Own: Calculus-Based Resources

[GTdan]

Hey ppl, I am new and as was wondering if you guys know of any web pages or books that I can get to learn calculus based physics on my own? I just recently found that my physics teacher is not a good one and the faculty in my university are not willing to do anything b/c he is the only one who can teach the class at that time of day. I thought I was doing pretty well but I plan on transferring to a different school to finish my degree and I don't want to end being shafted b/c I don't know what I am supposed to know.

On a side note, I am doing a report on the magnetic field of the earth. I tried looking for resources, but I wanted something a little more in depth with more calculations. Help would be VERY much appreciated.

 

[chroot]

I think hyperphysics is a good place to start. It's not wordy, but it's well-done!

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/hframe.html

I don't know of any free intro-level textbooks, unfortunately.

- Warren

 

[GTdan]

well, they don't have to be free. but thanks for site!

 

[gnome]

Not free, but an excellent book, among the most widely used:

Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 5th ed., Raymond Serway & Robert Beichner

They recently released the 6th edition, so you should be able to find the 5th at a good price if you check around at used bookstores or campus bulletinboards.

Strangely, though, I looked online & didn't find any good deals. There were some listings that looked like good deals, but on closer inspection they seemed to be "partial" versions of the book. (Or it could be that the people were actually selling the right thing but the websites that listed them were inaccurate.) Be careful. There are various versions of this book. You don't want "Part I" or "Part II" or "Part II with Modern Physics".

Make sure you get the one that has all chapters 1-39. It has about 1400 pages (1288 + preface + appendix + index), covering mechanics, waves, thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, light and optics, and 1 chapter on relativity.

 

[GTdan]

hehe. I use that book for class. It is ok but it only explains things well in the first few sections of a chapter and then after that it gets really hard to figure out what they are trying to say. The hyperphysics site is great though. Just what I was looking for. That way if I don't understand something in the book, I can go to the site and hopefully understand completely. thanks guys. oh, do you know what electrical engineers do in general? I asked the question in the engineering area but nobody responded yet.

 

[cookiemonster]

Halliday and Resnick is also very common, and I think it's a very solid textbook. The explanations are good, I think. And it's always a good idea to have a bunch of different books on the same subject. If I don't understand something, I can go to H&R or Serway or Feynman or Griffiths, or any combination of them if I don't like an explanation one of them gives!

Electrical engineers do "stuff" that uses electronics, in general. There is a huge variety of tasks that they perform, depending on the paticular company, the project, the position, the specialty, etc. They can do many things, from being a project manager for building a robot to designing a simple circuit.

cookiemonster

 

[gnome]

Here's another link you may find useful.

http://theory.uwinnipeg.ca/mod_tech/tech.html

 

[GTdan]

thanx ppl!

 

[gnome]

I just came across this site & thought of your thread. There's a lot of interesting info about modern physics on this site. Introductory level, no math, but good clear conceptual explanations that you may find helpful:

http://www.colorado.edu/physics/2000/cover.html

 

[GTdan]

I am pretty glad I found this site. :)