Mechanics Book for self learner?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on recommendations for classical mechanics textbooks suitable for self-learners, particularly for those progressing through advanced calculus courses. Participants explore various options, including their perceived difficulty and availability of solutions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses a desire for a higher-level mechanics book than University Physics and Resnick/Jearl, considering options like Kleppner/Kolenkow (K&K), Morin, French, Spivak, Goldstein, Taylor, and Feynman.
  • Another participant recommends French's Newtonian Mechanics and K&K, noting that K&K lacks a solutions manual and may be challenging for self-study.
  • A participant mentions ordering French's mechanics book, which includes answers, and plans to use it alongside other texts like Morin for a comprehensive understanding.
  • Some participants suggest that Landau/Lifshitz's trilogy and V. Arnold's "Mathematical Methods in Classical Mechanics" provide a significant challenge and may require a solid foundation in mathematics.
  • One participant emphasizes the importance of having a knowledgeable supervisor when tackling complex texts like Landau/Lifshitz and Arnold, sharing personal experiences of needing guidance to clarify concepts.
  • There are suggestions to study additional mathematical topics, such as calculus of variations and linear algebra, to better prepare for advanced mechanics.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of opinions on which textbooks are most suitable for self-learning, with no clear consensus on a single recommended book. Some participants agree on the value of French's mechanics book, while others advocate for more challenging texts like Landau/Lifshitz and Arnold, indicating a diversity of perspectives on the appropriate level of difficulty.

Contextual Notes

Some participants note the absence of solutions for certain recommended texts, which may impact self-study. Additionally, the discussion highlights the varying levels of mathematical background required for different books, suggesting that prerequisites may influence the choice of text.

CrunchBerries
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I am planning on doing physics as I go through calc2/3/ODE/PDE.

I bought University Physics and the Resnick/Jearl Physics book, and frankly I want something a bit higher level.. more like Kleppner/Kolenkow.

I was thinking about getting the K&K book, but some people are suggesting Morin, French, Spivak, Goldstein, Taylor, Feynman etc..

I guess I'm asking which classical mechanics book would be a better self learner book, with available solutions somewhere.

Thanks
 
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My personal choices are French' Newtonian Mechanics and K&K. I don't believe a solutions manual for K&K exists, and it is a challenging book. Self-study may be difficult but it is well worth going through.
 
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Thank you, ordered the AP French Mech book. It does have all the answers. Ill go through it slowly over time, if there are any issues with my attempts i might refer to another book to compliment. Maybe a more modern treatment like Morin.. looks like they are good complementary texts.
 
If you want a real challenge, I recommend the first volume of Landau/Lifshitz's trilogy in theoretical physics or V. Arnold's "Mathematical Methods in Classical Mechanics". They can be served as an excellent introduction to mechanics if you are willing to learn necessary concepts in mathematics as you go along the book.
 
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Thanks, looks like a good book in preparation to what I want to do, cheers!
 
bacte2013 said:
If you want a real challenge, I recommend the first volume of Landau/Lifshitz's trilogy in theoretical physics or V. Arnold's "Mathematical Methods in Classical Mechanics". They can be served as an excellent introduction to mechanics if you are willing to learn necessary concepts in mathematics as you go along the book.

This is probably going to be something I do after I complete French's mechanics. Looks like Landun/Lifshitz really turn the dial up, I think I'll need a solid basic physics/math background before I can tackle that. I think I will end up getting this and Purcell's E&M book when I finish my ODE/PDE courses.
 
CrunchBerries said:
This is probably going to be something I do after I complete French's mechanics. Looks like Landun/Lifshitz really turn the dial up, I think I'll need a solid basic physics/math background before I can tackle that. I think I will end up getting this and Purcell's E&M book when I finish my ODE/PDE courses.

By any chance, do you have a teacher, professor, or even graduate student who can invest his/her time to supervise your reading? L/L and Arnold were my first exposure to physics (except for AP Physics), and I did not have much trouble understanding the mechanics. Of course, I read the book under a supervision of a faculty member who can provide a high-quality explanation and derive equations. Although it is my personal opinion, L/L made basic concepts not precisely clear, which made me to actually come up with my own definitions and adjusted them with a supervisor's help. If you have someone very experience in physics that might be interested in doing a reading course with you, I highly recommend re-thinking about postponing L/L.

Also, you might also want to study calculus of variations and linear algebra (including topics such as tensor algebra) now (you seem to have sufficient prerequisites). They are heavily used not only in advanced mechanics but also other branches of physics (at least I know that they are used heavily in QM and relativity). I assume you already completed Calculus I-III?
 

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