New students guide to Maxwell's Eqs

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the effectiveness of Daniel Fleish's book, "Electromagnetism," published in 2008, as an introductory resource for understanding Maxwell's Equations. Participants unanimously agree that it surpasses other texts, such as "Div, Grad, Curl, and all that," in clarity and consistency. The book serves as an essential companion to Griffith's materials and stands alone as a valuable study resource for newcomers to classical electromagnetism (EM).

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of classical electromagnetism concepts
  • Familiarity with Maxwell's Equations
  • Basic knowledge of vector calculus
  • Experience with academic physics textbooks
NEXT STEPS
  • Explore "Div, Grad, Curl, and all that" for comparative analysis
  • Study Griffith's "Introduction to Electrodynamics" for deeper insights
  • Read Feynman's Lectures on Physics for advanced understanding
  • Investigate supplementary online resources on Maxwell's Equations
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for students of physics, educators teaching electromagnetism, and anyone seeking a solid foundation in Maxwell's Equations and classical EM principles.

jackiefrost
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https://www.amazon.com/dp/0521701473/?tag=pfamazon01-20 by Daniel Fleish (2008) is by far the clearest and most consistent introductory material on Maxwell's Equations that I've ever read. In fact, I'd rate it higher than "Div, Grad, Curl, and all that" for its explanations of background mathematical concepts. Anyone approaching classical EM for the first time won't be wasting a cent in the purchase of this book! It makes an indispensable companion to Griffith or any other introductory text but is also a great stand-alone study.

Check it out...

jf
 
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jackiefrost said:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0521701473/?tag=pfamazon01-20 by Daniel Fleish (2008) is by far the clearest and most consistent introductory material on Maxwell's Equations that I've ever read. In fact, I'd rate it higher than "Div, Grad, Curl, and all that" for its explanations of background mathematical concepts. Anyone approaching classical EM for the first time won't be wasting a cent in the purchase of this book! It makes an indispensable companion to Griffith or any other introductory text but is also a great stand-alone study.

Check it out...

jf

I just looked at his definition of an electric fiedl on p.3. He warbles on a lot about it all being very philosophical instead of giving us a concise definition. Then he gives us a bad definition. I'm not impressed. This is better:

"An electric field is a property of space. The electric field at a point is the force per unit charge which would be felt by a sufficiently small test charge at that point. "
http://www.people.vcu.edu/~rgowdy/mod/080/s.htm

Feynman's Lectures are also (of course) better, but you have to dig deep -- look up field and related terms in the index, put the reading & thinking cap on, and read & think hard.
 
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