- #1
BrowncoatsRule
- 6
- 0
Hello all,
First, to tell you a little about my background, I have just finished my undergraduate degree in geology and geophysics. I also attained two minors in astronomy and mathematics. Thus, my physics and math background includes a year of freshman physics (mechanics & E&M) plus a handful of astrophysics courses, and math courses up through vector/complex analysis, PDE's, Fourier, Laplace, etc. We also went over tensor analysis, signal processing, and continuum mechanics in my seismology and geodynamics courses.
Although I am not going to study physics at the graduate level (I will be doing geophysics/planetary science) I would like to get a stronger background in the Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalisms of classical mechanics as well as a more advanced treatment of electrodynamics. I wish I had taken intermediate mechanics and E&M, but I simply just couldn't fit them into my schedule. Therefore, I am seeking some textbooks that will teach classical mechanics and E&M at the advanced undergraduate/beginning graduate level. For C.M., I have seen strong recommendations for Marion & Thornton, Taylor, and Goldstein. For E&M, I have seen Wangsness, Schwartz, Griffiths, and Jackson. I'm already well aware that I probably don't want Jackson, and I'm not really a fan of Griffiths -- I don't mind the tone of his books but he tends to lack depth. I don't mind a mathematically rigorous text, so long as the author explains it well (if the book is a fun read that's a plus!).
One last question: I adored using and learning from Boas' Mathematical methods book. That book is an absolute gem and I strongly recommended it to my classmates. Will Boas suffice for grad level math and physics, or do you recommend getting a higher level math methods book?
What are your thoughts people? Thanks in advance!
First, to tell you a little about my background, I have just finished my undergraduate degree in geology and geophysics. I also attained two minors in astronomy and mathematics. Thus, my physics and math background includes a year of freshman physics (mechanics & E&M) plus a handful of astrophysics courses, and math courses up through vector/complex analysis, PDE's, Fourier, Laplace, etc. We also went over tensor analysis, signal processing, and continuum mechanics in my seismology and geodynamics courses.
Although I am not going to study physics at the graduate level (I will be doing geophysics/planetary science) I would like to get a stronger background in the Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalisms of classical mechanics as well as a more advanced treatment of electrodynamics. I wish I had taken intermediate mechanics and E&M, but I simply just couldn't fit them into my schedule. Therefore, I am seeking some textbooks that will teach classical mechanics and E&M at the advanced undergraduate/beginning graduate level. For C.M., I have seen strong recommendations for Marion & Thornton, Taylor, and Goldstein. For E&M, I have seen Wangsness, Schwartz, Griffiths, and Jackson. I'm already well aware that I probably don't want Jackson, and I'm not really a fan of Griffiths -- I don't mind the tone of his books but he tends to lack depth. I don't mind a mathematically rigorous text, so long as the author explains it well (if the book is a fun read that's a plus!).
One last question: I adored using and learning from Boas' Mathematical methods book. That book is an absolute gem and I strongly recommended it to my classmates. Will Boas suffice for grad level math and physics, or do you recommend getting a higher level math methods book?
What are your thoughts people? Thanks in advance!