Panofsky VS Nayfeh on "Electricity and Magnetism"

In summary, the books are good, but I would recommend starting with Kip and then progressing to Purcell, Nayfeh Brussel, and finally Panofsky Phillips.
  • #1
Joker93
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Hello,
I will be taking a second course on electromagnetism and I want a book that bridges the gap between Griffith's book and Jackson's book. I have come across Panofsky's book and Nayfeh's book but I don't know which one is better.
Any opinion for these would be much appreciated
Thanks!
 
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  • #2
As an undergrad, I thought Panofsky's book was so difficult I read Jackson instead. Now that I used Jackson, I now understand Panofsky. Although Panofsky is thinner and not as broad as Jackson, I think is ievery bit as advanced as Jackson. I do not know Nayfeh's book.
 
  • #3
Nayfeh & Brussel is definitely an undergrad book at a level lower than Jackson and Panofsky.
 
  • #4
mpresic said:
As an undergrad, I thought Panofsky's book was so difficult I read Jackson instead. Now that I used Jackson, I now understand Panofsky. Although Panofsky is thinner and not as broad as Jackson, I think is ievery bit as advanced as Jackson. I do not know Nayfeh's book.
Well, I have read a few sections of Panofsky and found it to be really good and intuitive. I don't think that is as mathematically oriented as Jackson.
 
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  • #5
Truecrimson said:
Nayfeh & Brussel is definitely an undergrad book at a level lower than Jackson and Panofsky.
I have already studied most sections from Griffiths and I thought that Nayfeh would provide a stepping stone to graduate level EM. What I mean is, I thought Nayfeh's book was at a higher mathematical level than Griffith's. Am I wrong to think that?
 
  • #6
Maybe slightly more mathematical. I used it as a supplementary text when I did an undergrad EM course.
 
  • #7
Truecrimson said:
Maybe slightly more mathematical. I used it as a supplementary text when I did an undergrad EM course.
So will I only if it's more mathematically advanced than Griffith's
 
  • #8
Panofsky Philllips is more theoretical, Nayfeh Brussel is more applicative.
Panofsky can be thought as an intermediate step toward Jackson. It's condensed, but very clear and altough at about the same level as, it is less mathematically oriented than Jackson, IMO.
To me, Nayfeh is the intermediate step between studying EM and applying EM. I love all those solved examples.

To clarify, my ideal path toward EM would be:

Kip as an appetizer.
Purcell as first dish.
Nayfeh Brussel as a salad
Panofsky Phillips as second dish.

And Jackson?
Jackson is sex after that dinner.
 
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  • #9
SredniVashtar said:
Panofsky Philllips is more theoretical, Nayfeh Brussel is more applicative.
Panofsky can be thought as an intermediate step toward Jackson. It's condensed, but very clear and altough at about the same level as, it is less mathematically oriented than Jackson, IMO.
To me, Nayfeh is the intermediate step between studying EM and applying EM. I love all those solved examples.

To clarify, my ideal path toward EM would be:

Kip as an appetizer.
Purcell as first dish.
Nayfeh Brussel as a salad
Panofsky Phillips as second dish.

And Jackson?
Jackson is sex after that dinner.
Well then, after this comment I will be buying both as both are super cheap! Cheers!
 
  • #10
SredniVashtar said:
Panofsky Philllips is more theoretical, Nayfeh Brussel is more applicative.
Panofsky can be thought as an intermediate step toward Jackson. It's condensed, but very clear and altough at about the same level as, it is less mathematically oriented than Jackson, IMO.
To me, Nayfeh is the intermediate step between studying EM and applying EM. I love all those solved examples.

To clarify, my ideal path toward EM would be:

Kip as an appetizer.
Purcell as first dish.
Nayfeh Brussel as a salad
Panofsky Phillips as second dish.

And Jackson?
Jackson is sex after that dinner.
Leave out Purcell and substitute it by Schwartz. That may be more digestable food with the same nourishment ;-).

All these books (except perhaps Schwartz) are also very conventional. For me it's incomprehensible why textbooks about CED in the 21st century in large parts are copied from those of the 19th century. In my opinion one should present CED as a classical relativistic field theory from the very beginning. My favorite book in this respect is Landau/Lifshitz vol. II. Another very good one is vol. II of the theoretical-physics series by Scheck, which now is also available in English translation.
 
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Related to Panofsky VS Nayfeh on "Electricity and Magnetism"

1. What is the Panofsky VS Nayfeh debate about in regards to Electricity and Magnetism?

The Panofsky VS Nayfeh debate revolves around the interpretation and understanding of Maxwell's equations, which describe the relationship between electricity and magnetism. Panofsky argued that these equations should be viewed as fundamental and derived from first principles, while Nayfeh believed they should be understood as empirical laws based on experimental evidence.

2. Who are Panofsky and Nayfeh?

Wolfgang K. H. Panofsky and Ali H. Nayfeh were both renowned physicists in the field of Electricity and Magnetism. Panofsky was a German-American physicist who made significant contributions to particle physics and accelerator technology. Nayfeh was a Palestinian-American physicist who specialized in nonlinear dynamics and applied mathematics.

3. What are Maxwell's equations?

Maxwell's equations are a set of four fundamental equations that describe the relationship between electric and magnetic fields. They were developed by James Clerk Maxwell in the 19th century and are considered one of the cornerstones of modern physics. These equations explain how electric charges and currents create electric and magnetic fields, and how these fields interact with each other.

4. Why is the Panofsky VS Nayfeh debate significant?

The Panofsky VS Nayfeh debate is significant because it highlights the different approaches to understanding and interpreting scientific theories. It also demonstrates the ongoing debate between fundamental theory and empirical laws in physics. Additionally, this debate has led to further research and advancements in the understanding of Maxwell's equations and their applications in various fields.

5. What are some real-world applications of Maxwell's equations?

Maxwell's equations have numerous real-world applications in various fields, including electrical engineering, telecommunications, and optics. These equations are used to design and analyze electrical circuits, develop communication technologies such as radio and television, and understand the behavior of light and its interactions with matter. They also play a crucial role in the development of technologies such as MRI machines and particle accelerators.

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