Looking for upper division modern physics book

[dainceptionman_02]

i recently bought books for (self study) Mathematical Methods of Physics, Thermal Physics, Classical Mechanics, and Introduction to Electrodynamics. I should probably get an upper division Modern Physics book before going to Quantum Mechanics (Griffiths). What is a good/usual Modern Physics book to get? I have to make sure it is specifically upper division because I ran a search and most of the descriptions say sophmore level (but with differential equations). Thanks!

 

[pines-demon]

What is upper division? For me Griffiths's QM is not upper division in any sense. So I guess any modern physics book will do, try Eisberg-Resnick quantum theory or Thorton-Rex modern physics textbook. Note that modern physics is just introductory topics before tackling quantum mechanics, statistical mechanics and relativity. Modern physics is lowest undergrad level by default.

 

[dainceptionman_02]

upper division as a 300+ level course meant for juniors. Another Modern Physics is part of the 3rd sequence of Engineering physics for freshman/sophmores is a pre-requisite. Some Modern Physics books could be an off-shoot of this, but im looking for pure Modern Physics designed for juniors as part of the Major Requirements.

 

[pines-demon]

upper division as a 300+ level course meant for juniors.

What is 300+? Maybe it would help if you indicate in which part the world your institution is located.

Another Modern Physics is part of the 3rd sequence of Engineering physics for freshman/sophmores is a pre-requisite. Some Modern Physics books could be an off-shoot of this, but im looking for pure Modern Physics designed for juniors as part of the Major Requirements.

Again I am a bit lost here modern physics courses are all about introductory courses, I do not know modern physics books that are "upper division" (whatever that means) compared to others in the same category. Maybe you can check the syllabus of the class you are looking into and check what book they are using?

 

[Frabjous]

How about Weinberg?
https://www.amazon.com/Foundations-Modern-Physics-Steven-Weinberg/dp/1108841767/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[jtbell]

What is 300+?

In the US, many universities and colleges assign (or have assigned in the past) undergraduate courses with numbers as follows:

100s: first year (freshman)
200s: second year (sophomore)
300s: third year (junior)
400s: fourth year (senior)

These course numbers are intended only as general classifications. Students can usually take courses ahead of their classification, if they have taken the pre-requisite courses which are normally listed in the course descriptions.

 

[PhDeezNutz]

I believe OP is referring to upper level bachelors/undergrad books

Here is what my books were

Mathematical Methods - Boas
Thermal Physics - Daniel Schroeder
Classical Mechanics - Marion and Thornton
Electricity and Magnetism - Griffiths
Quantum - Griffiths

Modern Physics - I forget, I think it was Eisberg

I would recommend doing Quantum before Modern Physics.

I’d like to add that Griffiths E&M has an extensive math introduction and I believe Marion and Thornton does as well.

 

[vela]

In my experience, modern physics is usually covered in the sophomore year as part of the intro physics sequence. It includes topics like special relativity and quantum mechanics.

I've never heard of an upper-division course on modern physics, which is probably why you're having difficulty finding a book for one. Instead, you take upper-division courses on classical mechanics, quantum mechanics, statistical mechanics, etc.

 

[PhDeezNutz]

In my experience.

There was a class after freshman mechanics and freshman E&M that covered the remainder of the introductory calculus based textbook. (This was called “contemporary physics”)

Then you take the standard upper level undergrad classes such as classical mechanics, EM, quantum 1 and 2, and thermodynamics/statistical mechanics.

Then there was a class after those standard classes called “modern physics” that covered application topics. Of course topic selection would be highly variable from semester to semester and based on instructor. All I remember was that “Eisberg” was a textbook in that class.

 

[jtbell]

That's basically the way we did it.

Our sophomore modern physics course was mostly an introduction to relativity and QM (Schrödinger equation and "wave mechanics"), with a taste of some application areas, mostly atomic and nuclear physics. I taught this course for many years using Beiser's textbook which I think is now out of print. Then we changed our intro physics sequence from two to three semesters, using an "extended" edition of (I think) Tipler/Mosca that included introductions to relativity and QM.

The QM course was a "pure" QM course, more in-depth than the material in sophomore modern physics. Bra-ket notation was introduced and developed here. I considered Griffiths for this course, but used Morrison instead because I thought the increased detail and slower pace was more appropriate for our mostly non-elite students.

The junior/senior modern physics course was more focused on applications: atomic, nuclear, solid state, whatever the instructor was interested in. There was some review of QM as necessary. I taught this a couple of times using Eisberg/Resnick.