What chapters of Munkres Topology are essential?

In summary, a physicist does not necessarily need to read Munkres or any equivalent book on topology. Books specifically geared towards topology for physicists should be sufficient. However, if you want to delve deeper into topology, you are welcome to read Munkres or any other interesting texts. For learning differential geometry the mathematician's way, it may be helpful to review chapters 1, 2-4, and 6 of Munkres and check the preface for recommendations. Overall, learning math in a non-physicist way may be useful but is not essential for physics.
  • #1
cpsinkule
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I would like to know which chapters in Munkres Topology textbook are essential for a physicist. My background in topology is limited to the topology in baby Rudin, Kreyzig's functional, and handwavy topology in intro GR books. I feel like the entire book isn't necessary, but I could be mistaken.
 
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  • #2
A physicist, even a mathematical physicist, can live without ever reading Munkres or anything equivalent. Books entitled "Topology for physicists" or something alike should be sufficient, and such books do not pay much attention to things studied in Munkres-like books. But of course, if you want to know more topology than a physicist really needs to know, you are welcome to read Munkres or anything else which you find interesting.
 
  • #3
Demystifier said:
A physicist, even a mathematical physicist, can live without ever reading Munkres or anything equivalent. Books entitled "Topology for physicists" or something alike should be sufficient, and such books do not pay much attention to things studied in Munkres-like books. But of course, if you want to know more topology than a physicist really needs to know, you are welcome to read Munkres or anything else which you find interesting.
I would like to learn differential geometry the mathematicians way, not the physicists way. I usually just gloss over passages about Hausdorff spaces, second countable, paracompact and things of that nature and I would like to stop doing that.
 
  • #4
Note that I don't have a physics background, but I'm buried in Munkres right now.

Based on what you've said here I'd think you'd want 2-4 of Munkres and then maybe 6 (since you mentioned paracompact). 6 is not dependent on 5, but 5 is short.

Chapter 1 is a review of set theory and logic and might still be helpful if not for the review itself then to know what conventions he uses later.

It doesn't sound like you need algebraic topology, but the essentials are in chapter 9.

Check his preface for some of his own recommendations.

-Dave K
 
  • #5
cpsinkule said:
I would like to learn differential geometry the mathematicians way, not the physicists way.
That's fine, but I don't think that learning math the non-physicist way can be essential for physics. Maybe useful, complementary, or deepening, but not essential.
 

1. What is the purpose of studying Munkres Topology?

The purpose of studying Munkres Topology is to gain a solid understanding of the fundamental concepts and principles of topology. This branch of mathematics is concerned with the study of properties that are preserved through continuous deformations, such as stretching or bending, and has applications in many areas of science and engineering.

2. Which chapters of Munkres Topology are considered essential?

The essential chapters of Munkres Topology include Chapter 1: Set Theory and Logic, Chapter 2: Topological Spaces and Continuous Functions, Chapter 3: Connectedness and Compactness, Chapter 4: Countability and Separation Axioms, and Chapter 5: The Tychonoff Theorem.

3. What topics are covered in Chapter 1 of Munkres Topology?

Chapter 1 of Munkres Topology covers set theory and logic, including topics such as sets, functions, relations, and cardinality. These concepts are fundamental to understanding topology and provide a solid foundation for the rest of the book.

4. Why is it important to study connectedness and compactness in topology?

Studying connectedness and compactness in topology is important because these concepts play a crucial role in understanding the structure of topological spaces. Connectedness refers to the property of a space being in one piece, while compactness refers to the property of a space being finite in some sense. These concepts have important applications in analysis, geometry, and other areas of mathematics.

5. What is the Tychonoff Theorem and why is it significant?

The Tychonoff Theorem, also known as the Tychonoff Product Theorem, states that the Cartesian product of any collection of compact spaces is compact in the product topology. This theorem is significant because it provides a powerful tool for constructing new compact spaces from existing ones, and has important applications in functional analysis and topology.

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