What are the best physics and math books for high school?

In summary, the conversation discusses the best physics and math books for high school students, specifically those who plan on studying physics in university. It is mentioned that there is no one set of books that is universally recognized as the best, as each country has its own curriculum and final exams. It is recommended to focus on individual goals and current knowledge when choosing books, and to consider universities outside of the US. The conversation also touches on the idea that high school physics books are generally not very good and it may be more beneficial to use a university textbook.
  • #1
ricky33
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What are the best physics and math books that countains all the information needed for high school I need internationals books that have the best curriculum from the grade 9 to 12 . The main thing is when I will learn physics in the university I don't want to stop on anything without knowing it .
 
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  • #3
ricky33 said:
What are the best physics and math books that countains all the information needed for high school I need internationals books that have the best curriculum from the grade 9 to 12 . The main thing is when I will learn physics in the university I don't want to stop on anything without knowing it .
This post has uncanny similarity with the following
https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/international-math-and-physics-high-school-books.869324/
 
  • #4
It's not an easy question, because every school system prepares the students for a specific final exam which can be very different from a country to another (graduation in the USA, gaokao in China, abitur in Germany, baccalaureat in France, etc ... ). It would not surprise me that an excellent student in one country fails miserably in another. So your choice should depend on the exam that you are passing.
 
  • #5
geoffrey159 said:
It's not an easy question, because every school system prepares the students for a specific final exam which can be very different from a country to another (graduation in the USA, gaokao in China, abitur in Germany, baccalaureat in France, etc ... ). It would not surprise me that an excellent student in one country fails miserably in another. So your choice should depend on the exam that you are passing.
I am asking this to not fail in other countries I want the books that are confirmed from the international physics departement as the best books for high school grade 9-10-11-12
 
  • #6
You really can't compare. Try to take these exams and you'll see that the expectations are very different. You should ask ' I'm chinese, what are the best books to prepare university in China ? '.
 
  • #7
ricky33 said:
I am asking this to not fail in other countries I want the books that are confirmed from the international physics departement as the best books for high school grade 9-10-11-12

There are no such books. You're asking the wrong questions. You should tell us what your goal is. You should tell us your current knowledge. Then you should ask for the best books which would take you towards your goal given your current knowledge. You seem overly focused on some kind of "international system", which doesn't exist.
 
  • #8
micromass said:
There are no such books. You're asking the wrong questions. You should tell us what your goal is. You should tell us your current knowledge. Then you should ask for the best books which would take you towards your goal given your current knowledge. You seem overly focused on some kind of "international system", which doesn't exist.
+1
 
  • #9
micromass said:
There are no such books. You're asking the wrong questions. You should tell us what your goal is. You should tell us your current knowledge. Then you should ask for the best books which would take you towards your goal given your current knowledge. You seem overly focused on some kind of "international system", which doesn't exist.
I am in grade 11 when I will finish high school I am going to study physics at university in USA (I am not fro USA) all I need is the best physics textbooks for grade 9-10-11-12 and the best math textbooks for each of these grades because physics and math books in my country (middle east) are not good compared to USA so I will go to university with a lot of thing that I haven't seen them in my high school books . So I think USA has the best physics and math books curriculum in the world I want the books used in high school there and if its not USA then which country ? And what are the books used there ?
 
  • #10
ricky33 said:
So I think USA has the best physics and math books curriculum in the world

Think twice there. The usual US high schools are not very good. And the average US university is not good. There are many European or Asian universities which are definitely up to par or even better than US universities. Not to mention that they're a LOT cheaper. But ok, your dream is to go to US universities. Sure. I'm not going to answer your question because I don't know which books they use in the US high schools (they're probably very bad books), and because I don't think you're asking the right question.
 
  • #11
micromass said:
Think twice there. The usual US high schools are not very good. And the average US university is not good. There are many European or Asian universities which are definitely up to par or even better than US universities. Not to mention that they're a LOT cheaper. But ok, your dream is to go to US universities. Sure. I'm not going to answer your question because I don't know which books they use in the US high schools (they're probably very bad books), and because I don't think you're asking the right question.
I want the physics book for grade 9 that can contain all to let me be ready for higher . what's wrong with this question ? Forgot about USA . IT can be from any country
 
  • #12
You should tell us in detail what you know of physics and math.

I personally think all physics books from high school are crap. You're better off going with a university textbook.
 
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  • #13
micromass said:
You should tell us in detail what you know of physics and math.

I personally think all physics books from high school are crap. You're better off going with a university textbook.
so it's better to finish high school using books of my country (middle east) then get a university textbook ?
 
  • #14
ricky33 said:
so it's better to finish high school using books of my country (middle east) then get a university textbook ?

No, it's better to get a university textbook right now if you're ready to handle it.
 
  • #15
micromass said:
No, it's better to get a university textbook right now if you're ready to handle it.
and which one is good ?
 
  • #16
ricky33 said:
and which one is good ?

Sigh... That's where you tell us your current background in physics in math. And no, saying you're in grade 11 is not a detailed explanation. Actually list the topics you know of math and physics.
 
  • #17
micromass said:
Sigh... That's where you tell us your current background in physics in math. And no, saying you're in grade 11 is not a detailed explanation. Actually list the topics you know of math and physics.
I think that it's not a lot of things that's why I want a high school book . physics : Newton laws , motion , DC ,AC voltage , waves , optics
 
  • #19
micromass said:
And math?
vectors , linear system , scalar product , absolute value , trigonometric functions , cartesian product
 
  • #20
ricky33 said:
vectors , linear system , scalar product , absolute value , trigonometric functions , cartesian product

You're really not putting in much effort in this, are you?

OK, so you know about trigonometry? Trig functions, trig identities, manipulation of trig identities, trig equations, applications to triangles and circles?
You know about analytic geometry? Equations of lines and planes? Dot product? Vectorial product?
Algebra? Solving polynomial equations? Solving inequalities? Roots, powers, logarithms? Parabolas and quadratic equations? Sketching functions? Systems of equations? Systems of inequalities?
Calculus? Limits? Derivatives? Integrals?
 
  • #21
micromass said:
You're really not putting in much effort in this, are you?

OK, so you know about trigonometry? Trig functions, trig identities, manipulation of trig identities, trig equations, applications to triangles and circles?
You know about analytic geometry? Equations of lines and planes? Dot product? Vectorial product?
Algebra? Solving polynomial equations? Solving inequalities? Roots, powers, logarithms? Parabolas and quadratic equations? Sketching functions? Systems of equations? Systems of inequalities?
Calculus? Limits? Derivatives? Integrals?
yes
 
  • #22
So you know all of what I listed?
 
  • #23
micromass said:
So you know all of what I listed?
yes
 
  • #24
Good! Then you should be able to handle a university physics book. You can either try Halliday & Resnick: https://www.amazon.com/dp/111823071X/?tag=pfamazon01-20 which gives a thorough introduction to all kinds of physics. This should cover all you see in high school and also the first few courses in university.

Or you can give yourself a challenge and try Kleppner and Kolenkow. This is the intro physics book at top universities. You seem to have the mathematical prerequisites already, so you can start the book! https://www.amazon.com/dp/0070350485/?tag=pfamazon01-20
 
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  • #25
micromass said:
Good! Then you should be able to handle a university physics book. You can either try Halliday & Resnick: https://www.amazon.com/dp/111823071X/?tag=pfamazon01-20 which gives a thorough introduction to all kinds of physics. This should cover all you see in high school and also the first few courses in university.

Or you can give yourself a challenge and try Kleppner and Kolenkow. This is the intro physics book at top universities. You seem to have the mathematical prerequisites already, so you can start the book! https://www.amazon.com/dp/0070350485/?tag=pfamazon01-20
okay thank you
 
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  • #26
I recommend "Fundamentals of Freshman Mathematics" by Oakley/Allendoerfer and "Basic Mathematics" by S. Lang to rigorously learn the algebra, geometry, and trigonometry.
 
  • #27
Look at Randy Knight's textbook. It teaches a lot of the math that is needed along the way. It is easy to read. A used edition is not very expensive. https://www.amazon.com/dp/0805327363/?tag=pfamazon01-20

another option is https://www.amazon.com/dp/0300192207/?tag=pfamazon01-20

I have not read the book, but I have watched his lectures at https://campuspress.yale.edu/rshankar/selected-lectures-talks/

I do not have a degree in either math or physics and I can read and understand physics for scientists and engineers. This book may not be a popular as others, but it is a good place to start. and as I said it teaches you the math from the point of view of a physicist. Good luck.
 
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  • #28
There are many books you can refer, but why don't you check some best online content.
Like Physicsclassrom.com , best site for high school physics.
Books like Concept of physics(volume 1& 2)
This book will help you a lot.
 
  • #29
I have been doing some research. Please check the excel sheet attached. If you study UK English in your school, I would be partial to GCSE/IB textbooks and problem books. But then again..
 

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1. What are some good introductory books for high school physics?

Some popular options for introductory high school physics include "Conceptual Physics" by Paul G. Hewitt, "Physics for Scientists and Engineers" by Douglas C. Giancoli, and "The Feynman Lectures on Physics" by Richard P. Feynman.

2. Are there any math books that can help with understanding physics concepts?

Yes, "Mathematical Methods in the Physical Sciences" by Mary L. Boas and "Mathematical Methods for Physics and Engineering" by K. F. Riley, M. P. Hobson, and S. J. Bence are both highly recommended for students looking to strengthen their mathematical skills for physics.

3. Are there any books that cover both physics and math topics?

Yes, "Mathematical Concepts of Physics" by V. P. Singh and "Mathematical Methods for Physics" by James Nearing are both comprehensive books that cover both physics and math concepts in depth.

4. What are some books that can help with preparing for physics competitions?

"200 Puzzling Physics Problems" by P. Gnädig, G. Honyek, and K. F. Riley and "Schaum's Outline of College Physics" by Frederick J. Bueche and Eugene Hecht are both popular choices for students looking to prepare for physics competitions.

5. Are there any online resources for high school physics and math?

Yes, there are many online resources available for high school physics and math, such as Khan Academy, Physics Classroom, and Mathplanet. These resources offer interactive lessons, practice problems, and videos to help students better understand the concepts.

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