Top Physics Olympiad Books for 11th Graders: Recommendations and Tips

[1st2fall]

I'm an 11th grader finishing Mechanics and Emag and I would like to ask you for your advice on textbooks and material I will need to cover to prepare for next years Olympiad. The book I used for Mech/Emag is by Tipler/Mosca. I have heard Halliday/Resnick is good but I don't know for which topics I could use it. I own Irodov's and have worked through most of the Kinematics and am hoping to start the next section soon.

Thank you in advanced for your time and thoughts

 

[espen180]

Young & Freedman "University Physics" extended edition should cover everything you'll need. It covers all the mechanics, electrodynamics, thermodynamics, relativity and quantum physics which will be on the internation final, to my knowledge.

 

[1st2fall]

Young & Freedman "University Physics" extended edition should cover everything you'll need. It covers all the mechanics, electrodynamics, thermodynamics, relativity and quantum physics which will be on the internation final, to my knowledge.

How can I acquire this book? Also... what does the extended cover that the normal version does not?

 

[jtbell]

How can I acquire this book?

If amazon.com doesn't work for you, it might help if you give us some idea of where in the world you are located.

 

[espen180]

Also... what does the extended cover that the normal version does not?

Modern physics, like relativity theory, quantum physics and particle physics.

 

[Anti-Meson]

Halliday/Resnick & Young/Freedman are very similar. A word of caution, Young & Freedman's University Physics is too similar to Halliday & Resnick, to get a contrast you would need Young & Freedman's University Physics with Modern Physics, to which I have provided a link.

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=cgDDQgAACAAJ&dq=halliday+and+resnick

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...eedman+university+physics+with+modern+physics

Good luck with the Olympiad I only made it pass the first round.

 

[jtbell]

Yes, a lot of textbooks at the level come in versions with and without modern physics. In fact, Tipler/Mosca is one of them, so 1st2fall must have the version without. If he likes what he has already, he might consider getting Volume 3 which contains only the modern physics chapters:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1429201347/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[Anti-Meson]

Ah yes I forgot about Tipler but that does not go into nearly as much depth as it should for physicists. Tipler is more of your engineering/chemistry take on physics.

I would recommend the same as espen180, Young & Freedman University Physics with Modern Physics. Not only would it help you for the olympiad but if you wish to pursue a degree in physics then Young & Freedman will be your reference book for your first two years (freshman and sophomore).