Want to study physics? Read these 10 books
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ส.ค. 2024
- Books for physics students! Popular science books and textbooks to get you from high school to university. Also easy presents for physics students :P
Check out my video with Socratica here: • How to Study Physics -...
6 Easy Pieces geni.us/feynman6easy
6 Not So Easy Pieces geni.us/feynman6notsoeasy
Alex's Adventures in Numberland geni.us/alexadventures
Physics of the Impossible geni.us/physicsimpossible
Quantum geni.us/kumarquantum
In Search of Schrodinger's Cat geni.us/gribbincat
The Elegant Universe geni.us/gribbincat
Mathematical Methods geni.us/mathematicalmethods
Fundamentals of Physics geni.us/hallidayresnickwalker
Grad, Div, Curl and All That geni.us/graddivcurl
Concepts in Thermal Physics geni.us/blundellandblundell
Visual Display of Quantitative Information geni.us/visualdisplayq
Please also comment with your favourite physics books!
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Check out Socratica's video here: th-cam.com/video/tlzIzdJ3Exg/w-d-xo.html
Great fun working with you, Simon! You are an outstanding ambassador for physics. EVERYONE is going to want to be a physicist now. What are we going to do with all these physicists, is the new question.
Ah there are plenty of topics left for PhD theses I can assure you ;)
this video is how I found out about you.... th-cam.com/video/tlzIzdJ3Exg/w-d-xo.html
Simon Clark I am in class 9th and I have already read a briefer history of time the grand design the theory of everything. And right now I am reading the fabric of the cosmos. Plz name some books which will help me master the mathematical part of physics. Name them bearing in mind that I don't have any extra knowledge in maths. Plz help me out
Simon Clark
I never liked Popular Science books. I'm glad you recommended them, but I always enjoyed physics from the textbook perspective.
Simon: A Physics degree is basically a math degree with applications.
Applied Mathematicians: *Bruh.*
Well said 👏👏
It ain't tho advance math move more towards astronomy
An Applied Mathematics degree is like a computer science degree with slightly more math. It focuses on numerical methods, linear programing, optimization and operations research.
A Physics degree has more in common with the typical pure math degree than an Applied Math degree has in common with pure math.
...
Habeshan brother
"I don't know if I have found THE book on quantum mechanics .. I don't think one exists really"
that's the thing about a book on quantum mechanics -- you can't KNOW it exists until you see it
The book is exist and not exist at the same time, until you find it
It's sakurai....
I have the same problem with my cat.
it's the "Schrödinger's" book.
For me it exists independently of whether or not I see it cause someone wrote it and if people cannot see that they are just being dumb.
my goal is to learn and absorb as much fascinating info in a broad range of science fields - classical physics, quantum, chemistry, biology, biochemistry . all of it just fascinates me so much, and I especially love deriving math equations to find their origination! really gets my brain thinking. Thanks for recommending these books! makes my journey a little less complicated :)
You share the same interest of mine buddy
Wow same interest of me bro 😊
@@srinivasasrinivasa3184 ramanujana
Oh me too, I'm only 11 though so it's a bit harder
@@caprisun8425 please start immediately it doesn’t matter a decade from now you will be a master at a young age
I would love to add
"Introduction to electrodynamics" by DJ Griffiths. I foud it very good and it doesnt feel like you are readng a book, instead this book feels like there is a person standing before me and forcing me to think. Definitely a great book
The Bible of electrodynamics
you are completely correct
I was surprised not to see a Griffiths text mentioned.
It's kinda funny how "standardized" physics education has become.
Thanks
griffiths is phenomenal writer. i recomend his quantum mechanics and Elementary particle physics texts too. i would argue these three texts are compulsary for any physics undergraduate.
Me: "shamelessly downloading these books through pdf formats from random websites that says "FREE!!"....''
I would say you are smart. You would be shameless if you never read them even after getting them for free.
Where did you get them free
@@error_-qh7dd Where have you been in my life before thank you soo damn much
which website?
got all of them
I study Maths at university and am in my final year, I cannot overstate how many of my friends became serious about studying maths at uni after having read Alex Bellos's "adventures in numberland". For soooo many of them that book was one of the biggest reasons! Upon reading it, it actually convinced me not to study physics at uni and to study maths instead. So read with caution! :)
Caelan Barnes hi I recently bought the book. I read the first chapter to be incredibly interesting about man’s intrinsic relation to numbers. However the style of the writing very much did not appeal to me and I stopped reading after a few chapters because I found the book to be really boring. This is coming from someone who really loves Maths in school. Do you have any advise to help me enjoy the book like most other people who read it?
HyperNova I personally found you just had to persevere. With most books, you adjust to the writing style over time - where it really picked up for me personally was the developments of geometry and Euclid's proofs in particular (chapter 2, I think).
That said, it isn't a magic switch that will make you like maths; what it really taught me to do was play with maths, to experiment with it - because, ultimately, that's how it was developed!
As someone who's had a bit of a rollercoaster relationship with the subject, it really solidified my passion for it, but it may not work for everyone.
It's a good book for sure but you don't have to like it, it's a matter of taste... It was just in my experience a lot of my good friends did really like it. I'd recommend persevering a little further with it though, I remember the later chapters being much more interesting and more "mathematical" than the first one which is essentially just anthropology. If you wanted to really wanted to "force" yourself to enjoy it, you could try getting a pen and paper out and playing around with the concepts introduced in each chapter.
Another few books I read as I was discovering maths were: 17 equations that changed the world by Ian Stewart (which on reflection is basically all applied maths which isn't really what I get excited about these days), Perfect Rigour by Masha Gessen (which is basically a biography) and Fermat's Last Theorem by Simon Singh.
Caelan Barnes There's nothing in physics comparable to Topology, and Galois theory. Not even comparable to the great Linear Algebra
I felt the same. Try "How Not to Be Wrong" by Jordan Ellenberg.
I am 26 and basically studied politics in my undergrad. To some degree, I do regret not going the stem, particularly physics path. My insecurity with math played a big role, but I've come to terms that we all will die and I'd rather go understanding the world a bit better via math than not at all. Thanks for these recommendations.
Same here. Have you started your physics study?
Im the same, are you guys going to study independantly or are u actually aplying to a uni and getting a degree?@@newnami7620
I am actually doing a PhD in Sociology. And exposure to other fields of science made me realise that there are far more similarities between scientific fields (STEM or social) than mentioned. Now, I was interested in if it the case with physics as well.
If you want to go back to university and do physics instead it’s not too late. Your still relatively young and I know know people that have started much later in life than you. One of them on the younger side is a 29 year old veteran in Wisconsin who was already successful in another career and has settled down with a family. He’s stuck taking terrible accelerated online courses at my school, while having to work and or be a stay at home dad. So if he can do it almost anybody can.
@@jacobharris5894 Do you happen to be in ASU?
Thank you for the book suggestions. As an engineer who has always been passionate about math and physics, I was intrigued by modern physics, despite neither relativity nor quantum mechanics were part of any course syllabus at my university. I studied these subjects on the side and found them really inspiring, I would go as far as to say that they gave me a novel perspective on life itself. That prompted me to create some online courses on Udemy on Quantum Mechanics, Quantum Field Theory, special and General Relativity. It’s not my job of course, but I love talking about these topics while using some mathematics for “intuition”.
1. Feynman Lectures on Physics (3 vol.)>Feynman
2. The Theoretical Minimum>Leonard Susskind
3. Relativity:The Special and General Theory>Albert Einstein
4. Concepts of Modern Physics>Arthur Beiser
5. History of Physics>Albert Einstein
6. The Road to Reality>Roger Penrose
7. A Brief History of Time>Stephen Hawking
8. Black Holes>Jayant Narlikar
9. A Universe From Nothing>Lawrence Krauss
10. The Dreams That Stuff Is Made Of>Stephen Hawking (editor)
#1 you listed is the text I had for 1st semester physics. A monster physics book.
Thank you
Yes, absolutely. I have studied 1, 2, 7 and they all are really nice.
Road to reality is one beast of a book
That's a far, far better list than the ones put forward in this video. How any list of essential physics books can fail to include the complete Feynman Lectures is beyond me. Six Easy Pieces is great but it's an appetiser not a meal. Why settle for six easy pieces when you can have the whole jigsaw?
I suspect you mean 5. The Evolution of Physics by Einstein and Infeld.
Susskind's books are fun but Penrose's tome, The Road to Reality, is almost unbelievably good.
I don't know the Arthur Baiser book at all.
Hawking edited a book of collected physics papers called The Dreams that Stuff Is Made Of which is genuinely excellent too. I personally prefer that to A Brief History of Time.
I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR THIS.
Really ,.......true
I also thankful :)
Same💜
i love this man
No
Knowledge speaks, wisdom listens. Its good to see someone so passionate about learning. Thanks man.
I'm hoping my textbook "On the Temperatures of Terrestrial Planets" will be helpful to people. Now if I can only get it published!
Sounds very interesting. I look forward to its release
I'll be waiting for it.
any updates?
any updates?
@PhantomStranger Yes! Here's a link:
www.amazon.com/Theory-Habitable-Planets-Barton-Levenson/dp/1522046615/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=%22theory+of+habitable+planets%22&qid=1626909405&sr=8-1
Here are some lighter reading choices...
1. The Force of Symmetry, Vincent Icke
2. Deep Down Things - The Breathtaking Beauty of Particle Physics, Bruce A. Schumm
3. Spacetime and Electromagnetism, J.R. Lucas & P.E. Hodgson
I also enjoy books that give you a historical prospective.
4. The Story of Electrical & Magnetic Measurements, Joseph F. Keithly (Yes, that Keithly)
5. The Science of Measurement A Historical Survey, Herbert Arthur Klein
6. Experiments in Modern Physics, Adrian C. Milissinos, Jim Napolitano
And some Textbooks...
7. Laser Physics, Peter W. Milonni, Joseph H. Eberly
8. Solid State Physics, J.S. Blakemore
9. Classical Electrodynamics, John David Jackson (if you're up for a challenge!)
You monster, how dare you casually recommend Jackson to the wayfarers in TH-cam?
When I was studying physics I thought Jackson was brilliant, like climbing Mt Everest. These days I look at it, and it mocks me.
@@probitj.kalita6459 Completely agree. Jackson is boring and intimidating for new-comers. If electrodynamics was all about boundary value problems and special functions, Jackson would have been the book, but it is not. For comparison, Landau & Lifshits 'Classical Theory of Fields' achieves within 100 pages and elegantly, what Jackson struggled over 900 pages !
Jackson? Light reading...
It sounds good! It take note!
I'd also like to add, basically everything written by David J. Griffiths (esp. his electrodynamics book, though his quantum mech book is also one of my favorites right up there with Shankar), and also Introduction to Thermal Physics by Daniel V. Schroeder. I don't know why, but these authors just have this almost magical way of making very complex and rigorous physics intuitive in such a deep and profound way that it's almost like learning it for the first time. Griffiths is pretty much known by every single physics student, so I don't think that there's much more to add about that, but I only discovered Schroeder's book after having graduated, and reading the textbook for the first time, he really makes those ideas so intuitive it's as if I never really truly understood it before - I just knew the equation.
thank you very much for this video.it felt like a great friend who was sharing his favourite books and it felt very friendly and also very well organized and interesting too
Thank you so much for this video! I read Alex's Adventures in Numberland and I HIGHLY recommend it to everyone! I want to study Physics and with this book I finally understood the beauty of mathematics. I actually am thinking about studying math now lol. This book is the perfect example for showing how math should be teached, students should understand how and why they have to learn mathematics and also know its history!
PhD in physics?? Dude, you look 18 😅 nice job! Thank you so much for this!
Solve Everything IQ doesn’t mean anything...
@@satacombre it's a measure of how fast you learn. It doesn't mean you'll be the next Einstein, but it does correlate to advantages in life.
@@themultigamer5682 It's more a measure of how fast you do an IQ test correctly I guess...
Kinda like Denise Richards in that Bond film?
man 18 is even big for him
Wow! So intensely helpful to have the ability to know what books to read, there are so many to choose. Having a concise list is a great answer for all who are interested. Thank you again!!
Thank you for posting this! You have no idea the extent to which this helps me.
great suggestions man.. I am curious to try them out in the sequence you suggested! thank you
Thank you so much for this video. I've recently been on the look out for some physics books to read and study and you really nailed it with the recommendations , I cant thank you more. I'm currently studying A-LEVEL physics and I will definitely pick up Six Easy Pieces as my morning read
Nothing much to do with the actual Physics content, but "Surely you're joking Mr Feynman", a biography about Feynmans life, really inspired me to do a degree in physics. Also, anyone with an interest in particle physics, I would highly recommend "The Cosmic Onion" by Frank Close, it re-enforced greatly my interest in particle physics and it's a great introduction to the topic.
Thanks a ton simon clark!..
For your valueble recommendations.....
Appreciate if you could just give a brief sneeky peek.... Bits and pieces from those books which you really liked.....
Amazing, thanks Simon!
Thank you so much for these recommendations! I am very interested in all of them, and Alex's Adventures in Numberland seems especially interesting. Time to hit the books right away!
Yup
(1) Fundamentals of Physics - Shankar
(2) Essential Graduate Physics - Likharev
(3) Nuclear and Particle Physics - Martin
(4) The Oxford Solid State Basics - Simon
(5) An Invitation to Astrophysics - Padmanabhan
(6) Modern Classical Physics - Thorne
(7) Cosmology - Weinberg
(8) Lectures on Quantum Mechanics - Weinberg
(9) Quantum Field Theory and The Standard Model - Schwartz
(10) Mathematical Physics - Hassani
Comentary
(1) Shankar's books cover introductory calculus-based physics (Newtonian mechanics, special relativity, oscillations and waves, fluids, thermodynamics, electricity & magnetism, optics, introductory quantum mechanics).
(2) Likharev's books (also freely available as lecture notes) cover the core of undergraduate theoretical physics: analytical mechanics, two further semesters of electromagnetism, undergraduate quantum mechanics, and statistical physics.
(3) Martin's book introduces nuclear and particle physics at undergraduate level.
(4) Simon's book introduces solid state physics at undergraduate level.
(5) Padmanabhan's book is a mature introduction to astrophysics, and completes your undergraduate physics education.
(6) Thorne's book covers classical statistical mechanics, optics, solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, plasmas, special relativity and general relativity, all at graduate level.
(7) Weinberg's Cosmology is a thorough textbook in cosmology.
(8) Weinberg's Lectures on Quantum Mechanics is a great textbook for graduate level quantum mechanics.
(9) Schwartz's book covers quantum field theory and the standard model of particle physics.
(10) Hassani's book helps with all the advanced mathematics along the way.
I love Shankars books and youtube lectures, hes great
Im a third year physics student and I have quite a few here that I will look into
@@deadmeat1471 Looking back at these, I would probably use a different book for cosmology because Weinberg's Cosmology is an advanced book. Perhaps Dodelson's Modern Cosmology.
@@deadmeat1471tell me nsme sankar's youtube channel.
Great video. Thanks for the suggestions. I’ll definitely be making an Amazon order soon!
Thank you so much Simon. I have my hands on all of these recommended books, you're 💯 percent right.
The most useful 15 mins of my life ;-) Thanks for the video, my friend!
Leonard Susskind's 'The Theoretical Minimum' - I read this in school before doing physics at university and it was the real turning point for me where I became really excited by physics and was sure I wanted to do it for a degree. It's fully mathematical and gets you to some quite advanced places (topics in 2nd year undergrad) but also has an accessible, gentle approach. Recommend for sixth-form/pre-uni students already interested in physics :)
You can find those lectures at theoreticalminimum.com as well. I'd say it's very good. Teaches quickly and you definitely have to do some exercises by yourself, but it does go deep into the topics.
I have this book. And I would recommend it too. Although I still am a highschooler. But I an say that this book is really amazing. It starts from scratch and builds every basic requirement for studying physics and gradually completes many of the concepts, along with some of the maths. It is short for it explains the main concepts of a particular sub field (classical mechanics, quantum mechanics, relativity) to advance to the next level. It exponentially increased my love for physics.
U FOREIGNER RECOMMEND THIS TYPES OF BOOKS
I M AN INDIAN BUT I LOVE PHYSICS BOOK BY A RUSSIAN WRITER I E IRODOV
GOD PROMISE QUESTION OF IRODOV ARE REALLY VERY TOUGH
There are quite a few TH-cam lectures given by Leonard Susskind. He can make the subjects discussed pretty understandable given the advanced level his audience is at. In fact, I've been looking for Physics books to help understand the math, it's incredible to hear him describe what scientists believe it happening very near and at the boundary of black holes, not to mention the kinds of things they speculate goes on inside them.
It's kind of an exciting time in astrophysics because of the detection of gravitational waves. To think that everything else detected has been particles traveling inside the universe. We are at the beginning of measuring what happens to the universe itself when objects like black holes collide.
It reminds me of the first time I experienced an earthquake in California. There was a ripple traveling across a field - it was the strangest thing to see the earth itself liquify while a fast traveling wave approached and passed underneath everything. You could also hear the Earth's mantle grind deep down with an eerie metallic sound - it sounded like it came from miles and miles deep where a high pressure rocky material was grinding past another plate of the earth.
All Susskind's books are excellent! They're not pedantic in details but show you the genuine physics from a very beginning level, and so do all of A. Zee.
For those of you interested in electromagnetics waves I'd strongly recommend electromagnetic waves by Someda, it goes pretty deep into details (I'm using it for 3d year of uni) but still remain understandable and easy to follow
Thanks for making the video.😊
Some of my recommendations: Griffiths - Electrodynamics, Griffiths - Quantum Mechanics, Goldstein - Classical Mechanics, Hartle - Gravity, Resnick, Halliday, Walker, the Landau Lifshitz series, Thompson - statistical mechanics.
I read “Alex’s Adventures in Numberland” based on your recommendation and thoroughly enjoyed it. To all those non-math persons out there, I’m a member of that group, and yet had no difficulty with this book and strongly recommend it, not even for maths but just as an interesting and enjoyable book.
This video is great and the comments are equally as helpful, everyone is so friendly and great here!
I'm not a student, but I just like physics. I used to love maths and physics in school but somehow drifted into the social sciences. Now after watching a number of youtube videos I decided to increase my familiarity with the concepts and details of physics because it is so much fun, and which is why I'm looking for a book(s). Hopefully, these will be good enough for a mere enthusiast.
Same here. I used to love maths and physics but somehow ended up being a Doctor. I miss the thrill and the excitement so I am taking it up as a hobby :)
@@_iam1533same here bro just the difference is I'm in high school preparing for med school (I'll give my entrance exam in may 2024)
Im in love with physics when I started high school but bcoz of my family conditions I cannot opt for my wishes and go with the medical field (also I dropped maths coz of bio ....I loved all four of them but aspiring for med school left me with PCB only)
I hope when my family's financial conditions would improve (by me becoming a doc) I'll pursue a physics degree for just my immense love for the subject
I also scored 95 in pcb and 93 in maths in my 10th std so I'm pretty good with all four of them just I have that feeling of not being able to study all four or atleast maths and physics 😢
It's not that I hate bio it's just that I didn't had med in my mind from childhood
The Feynman lectures on physics is my introductory book as a high school student who is too excited to do a physics research lol
You covered integral vector calculus in high school?
@@muttleycrew idk he might have, I am doing calc2 in 9th grade right now
@@user-kw2xs5rs2f What is in calc 2? Do you cover multivariate integral calculus? Partial differential equations?
@@muttleycrew WHAT? no!!! It's transcendental functions, techniques of integration, first order differential equations, series, sequences and parametric functions.
Calc3 and DE has all that stuff
I am also 12 and wildly fascinated by physics, and have tons of books to read everyday. I am sure that Simon can agree that physics is absolutely mind-blowing too!
Ayyy 12 year old gang
I am thirteen and I relate. Physics is definitely a interesting subject. It is nice see more people my age interested in it. 🙂 (I rarely ever get to use this emoji.)
@@icannotcomeupwithanything4609 I love how there are other kids who also loves math/physics. Where I live people think that I'm so strange for liking this stuff. It's nice to know how I'm not alone (btw I'ma sub to ur guys channels)
@@logi-operations where ya from
@@abuddyofmine2524 ... why do you need to know ...
As a physics major in college 40+ years ago, I would say you forgot to recommend The Sleepwalkers (1959 by Arthur Koestler). A must read just out of curiosity about the lives of those great names in math, physics and astronomy.
Well I study Physics from Halliday Resnick.
"QED: The Strange Theory of Light and Matter" also by Richard Feynman. It's a great book that covers complicated topics in a condensed and easy to read manner. Anyone interested in science could potentially enjoy it. No advanced degrees or university courses required.
Black Holes & Time Warps: Einstein's Outrageous Legacy by Kip Thorne
How to teach Quantum Physics to your dog by Chad Orzel
Does God Play Dice by Ian Stewart
What is Mathematics by Herbert Robbins and Richard Courant
These are excellent books, recommend to anyone at around Yr11-Alevel and above!
I brought that Kip Thorne one around Australia with me for a year! I'd recommend "God's Equation" by Amir D Aczel if you're into General Relativity
Love the theory of everything and Alex's adventure in number land made me interested in math
Thanks very much!!!! You have saved me so much time and effort to find good books
With time stamps:
#10 00:51 - Richard Feynman - Six Easy Pieces ✅
#9 02:10 - Richard Feynman - Six Not-So-Easy Pieces ✅
#8 - 02:43 - Alex's Adventures In Numberland ✅
#7 - 03:53 - Physics of The Impossible
#6 - 05:04 - Quantum ✅
#5 - 07:05 - Mathmetical Methods for Physics and Engineers (THIRD EDITION)✅
#4 - 08:13 - Fundamentals of Physics
#3 - 09:25 - div grad curl and all that
#2 - 12:13 - The Visual Display of Quantitative Information
#1 - 10:30 - Concepts in Thermal Physics
Hey I am gonna take screensort of this, do u mind it? 😁😂😂
@@intzarmalik4590 Of course not, go ahead! 😊
What’s the tick for?
Thanks man 😀
Thank you
Secrets of Mental Math by Arthur Benjamin and Michael Shermer is also really good. If you’re doing labs where you have to apply the same operations to dozens of pieces of data, or doing a test with a time limit where you have to compute answers, being able to do arithmetic in a split second in your head can really save you a lot of valuable time
Is it the same as how to think like a math genius or is it a different book?
I learnt physics in high school reading Higher Secondary Physics by Dutta, Pal, Chaudhuri (DPC). This book has topics with solved examples and also exercises. This is available in two volumes.
I don't think you'll ever find that book outside of West Bengal
@@x87-64 🤣😂
He’s so right about Alex’s Adventures in Numberland, completely changed how I see mathematics, amazing book and recommendation!
Simon, I MUST recommend to all viewers starting off their physics degree: How To Ace Calculus, and How To Ace the rest of Calculus
Two fantastic texts for the advanced high-school student, or a struggling first-year university student, which explain the fundamentals of calculus and differential equations with crystal clarity.
After vector calculus and some statistics reading, I recommend prospective students to read a bit about machine learning. It's a lifesaver if you ever have to work with equipment that generates gigabites if data per second to weed out faulty readings for example and in general one will always find use for linear regression and k-means clustering when analysing data. Usually online resources suffice.
I am in mother's womb and I am very facinated about Physics.. I want to do PhD like yours. Thanks Simon for suggesting these books as it will help me once I get born....
I am an HS student from India and here, whether one is aspiring to be an engineer or a physicist, "Concepts of Physics" by Dr. HC Verma is our Bible.
The most important subject, which was never taught, back in the 60's, nor were any books written on the subject, which I never came across or was ever introduced to, is the bonus book, Visual Display of Quantitative Information. Back in the day, I, like others, had to teach themselves how to interpret, develop, and introduce (present) quantitative data. I was fortunate, over most, to figure this out, early in my career. It benefited me and my investigations and programs throughout my career path as a double major prior to military service in Physics and Mathematics, then after military service, Electrical Engineering, and Computer Science both undergraduate and graduate studies. Excellent presentation and very informative too, Dr. Simon Clark. Several of your selections roused my interest and curiosity to the point of making several purchases. Thank you.
I want to be a writer. I am not going to study science. But, I sure as hell am going to be one of the widest readers of my eclectic interests (science is definitely one; I am much like Goethe, minus the intellect). Thank you so much!
Greetings from Serbia.
J am poet.
Ok, you can be Goethe, but J'll be Schiller.
We are poet brothers.
Thank you for recommending me! I am gonna make it! Thank you so much!!
I am 14 and i want to start with my goal now because ever since i was a kid i had this natural love for science and curiosity towards how things work and e.t.c and this is perfect for me start since ik pretty much the basics and a bit more abou the complex parts.
Currently reading the Feynman Lectures on Physics (yeah, the whole thing) as someone who just graduated from high school. Certain parts still seem quite difficult, but surely it is interesting and can be helpful!
I was in your shoes nearly 40 years back ! Just out of high school, and was gifted the three volumes of Feynman lecture. The brilliance of these lectures is that it made sense to me then, as it did on several occasions later (as I continued my studies in physics - undergrad ; grad student ; post PhD and even now as a Professor / teacher). Every visit threw new perspective on the subjects. They are fantastic books - enjoy the journey 1
I'm actually studying physics and I couldn't agree more with your recommendations , specially with "the bible of maths" , it was really helpful with all math subjects. Thanks for making those videos, here's a new subscriber! 😊
Hey! You are amazing Simon. A great presenter of everything. 👍🏻
Thank you very much I really needed suggestions on which book i should start with
My recommendation of physics textbooks:
1. Classical Mechanics - Marion, Goldstein
Marion’s book introduces Lagrangian and Hamiltonian in the proper moment, who are new to these formulations. It also dives deep into oscillation parts, which can be connected to chaos theory. Although some topics such as motion due to central force and scattering is a bit less introduced, these topics can be learnt using Goldstein. Goldstein’s book is probably the most recognized Classical Mechanics book, since it includes concepts related to symmetry that arises from Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics. It also introduces classical perturbation, which isn’t introduced in Marion. Other books out there are Kittel, Fowles, Landau, and more.
2. Electrodynamics - Griffiths, Jackson
Griffiths’s Electrodynamics is one of the most successful undergrad level textbook, since it introduces all the necessary concepts required in a kind manner. It is probably one of the best books to start with. Then moving on to Jackson’s book, which is focused on problems that are challenging, therefore used normally at grad school level. Since Electrodynamics is a subject also learnt in engineering major, it could be a good idea to look at textbooks that are used in engineering classes.
3. Quantum Mechanics - Shankar, Sakurai, Jackson
Griffiths also wrote a Quantum Mechanics textbook, but it only fits when someone doesn’t know anything about quantum mechanics at all. It is good for grasping the basic ideas behind the formalism, and once you did, you should probably move on to Shankar. Shankar’s book gives a good explanation of the mathematical basis of quantum mechanics, and shows diverse theoretical examples. It also contains a lot of subjects, including the path integral formulation. Now, if you want to be a particle physicist (especially theorist), Sakurai is the go to. It introduces basic particle physics theory, and the mathematics behind it, such as Lie algebra. If you want to be in the experiment field, the new book from Jackson would suit you. Personally, I think if you are somewhat familiar with quantum mechanics, studying both Sakurai and Jackson would be great. Other books that are decent would be Ashok Das or Landau. A more historical approach would be Dirac or Schiff. From what I heard, Gasiorowicz or Townsend are quite bad to read.
4. Statistical Mechanics - idk
I haven’t read many books, and the books that I read wasn’t very good in my opinion (it’s probably because the subject is hard). My textbook in undergrad was Hardy and Binek, but it was very hard to understand, and the structure of the book was a bit weird to me. Perhaps others could recommend a good Stat mech book down below.
Hi Simon, i've been a math teacher for 2 years now and my principal saw the potential in me to teach physics for middle school (O levels). Can you recommend some great text books for physics? or any books that will get my students (and me) more interested in the subject? thanks so much. love you simon!
I'm a feynman lectures supporter 🔥🔥, helped me so much during physics c E&M in high school
Thank you for this video, I am looking forward to start a Physics degree while accomplishing an engineering degree (im in second year), in Belgium. I think i'll read a couple of those books in the summer :)
In the first category for quantum physics I can recommend Brian Cox’s The quantum universe, I enjoyed it a lot, it helped me understand and give me a base in a field about which I never learned before.
I hated thermodynamics when I was studying physics. But the way you present it,this book sounds fun indeed.
We studies physics from Giancoli's books. I liked those a lot. And while I'm working as an engineer and not in physics, I still go back to the book every now and again.
Well I study Physics from Halliday Resnick.
Giancoli, really? I remember we used those for high school physics, does he make college-level books as well?
@@tretolien1195 Really???? you think that High School Physics is Very Easy?????
Take Physics Olympiad or JEE Advance... (Physics Paper)
You will get to know how easy is Physics.😂😂😂😂
@@JokerJoker-xc7xb Ehh no such claim was made. I study physics at graduate level currently, I am not Indian and as so have as such never taken a JEE or JEE advanced exam.
@@tretolien1195 But Olympiad Exam is in all over the World..
Right.
Simon you have the ideal personality to attract people to pursue serious study work in physics, the most beautiful subject by far.
Thanku very much sir
I watched your vedio in too late to upload but you're a genuine good guide & teacher for me.
Thanku very much professor Simon Clark
I love these videos!
"What is real?" is a very good and new quantum book that also presents the material chronologically as well as the philosophical convictions of the key players
Only if there was a mathematical version as well it would be more awesome
Thank you so much for this :)
this really helped me and inspired me in some way but i’m planning to buy six easy pieces !!
The Quantum Universe (textbook) by Tony Hey and Patrick Walters. From quantum tunnelling to Hawking radiation, the book covers all you need when it comes to studying physics. I have a copy, from my dad. It was the textbook he used in university (at Oxford).
I would ABSOLUTELY recommend "Seven Brief Lessons in Physics" by Carlo Rovelli. It really kickstarted my love of physics. Also "Computing with Quantum Cats" by John Gribbin for quantum physics (especially quantum computing). Pretty much anything by John Gribbin and Carlo Rovelli. A. Zee also has some really good books such as "on gravity".
Same it is what made me interested in quantum physics
Thanks for this, Simon
5:50 the memories! I read In Search of Schrodingers Cat when I was 12! First book on the quantum and I absolutely loved it, got me into physics, and from on there I read countless other books but none compare to my first
Feynman is a legend
Tim Hare We know.
I recommend for you,hum,George Lucas ,stars wars,nnnkkkkkkkkm
For the gays I reco.humthe finite rainbow,for Christian's ,humthe little marmeid,for submariners,hum 12 thousand leagues...
Feynman is my role model
He didn't even score high on iq test. That guy proves that you don't need to be super intelligent to be great!
H M Schey was one of the Math professors at my college. He had a good sense of humor. He always made cookies to bring in on Fridays when the Math Department just chilled out for an hour. May he Rest In Peace.
Thank you so much for this video! I'm in the 9th grade, and I find physics very interesting...I'll be reading the books that you've shown..I guess, my bucket list is full for a few months😄😋
Upvoted because you recommended Blundell and Blundell (Concepts of Thermal Physics), a book I discovered for myself by browsing in the library for good textbooks. Of course, it never got a mention by my tutors and lecturers, probably because it outclassed them all when it came to teaching. I would have upvoted you again if it was possible, because of the Tufte recommendation - he thinks deeply about information, one of the most misunderstood concepts in our modern world (esp. in a world that continually bangs on about "data"). So thank you Simon, well done. I do hope that your recommendations are independent of the influence of any publishing marketers - thankfully, it seems like it.
Highly⁴ recommended for high school student
Concepts of physics-H C Verma
For the love of physics-walter
lewin
@@mhc6148 1st and 4th the are the best choice for learning physics, I will say choose any one between two and start to read with Feynman technique, I am sure if you will do so,your basic physics will strong ,you can also read the character of physical law by Richard Feynman ,after mastered in all of these your physics will strong
@@mhc6148 4 is best
Hc verma - most iit aspirants
Thank you so much for creating this list of books. I'm starting my physics degree next year but I haven't been in school for 5 years so definitely needed somehwhere to start
what are your plans upon graduation? Industry or academia? Good luck, sophomore year Phys student here, Vector calculus was one hell of a ride back in freshman year.
thank you so much, simon ... it's good modal for me.
A late comment but for any looking to learn about topics pertaining to Astrophysics, I recommend "We have no idea" as a general intro to a lot of oldish-newish ideas and concepts. The "Little Book of Cosmology/Black Hole" books seem to be good, but they do require a little background in general physics for some parts. Overall I'm still only a fourthway into my own reading list but these two will get you properly started with astro.
"Theory of Everything" by Hawking & also "Brief History Of Time" by Hawking. Then "The Man Who Knew Infinity"(Ramanujan's biography) by Robert Kanigel
Somnath Dash love theory of Relativity
Road to Reality by Rodger Penrose!
I saw the movie about Ramanujan and I liked it very much. I didn't like Hawking's books though, too "divulgative" for my taste, I didn't quite understand the concepts without any analytical expression.
This got recommended to me on the right time! I am 19 and my dream is to become a surgeon but physics interests me alot, space is always on my mind and the universe pops up in all my discussions with my friends....but maths was always intimidating to me since the very first days of my school life but physics is beautiful and I wanna understand it as much as I can and dig deeper.
Thanks a lot for this. I'm in high school, and I wasn't able to take the advanced courses in math and physics, so this is extremely helpful to allow me to expand my knowledge on my own.
@@geek2145 yeah, but given that I'm still at the level I'm at, I don't want to bite off more than I can chew.
Universe in a nutshell,hyperspace,brief history of time are my favourites.
Physicist here. You had my absolute favourite book in the pile - The Fabric Of The Cosmos, by Brian Greene - and you didn't mention it. I'm a bit sad haha. But great video!!
At 5:54 he does mention some book by Brian Greene
And now Greene has a newer book from 2020 called "Until the End of Time."
physics of the impossible and the elegant universe are my favorite books too. will check out the rest of the book on your list. thanks!
I shared this video to the FB group of Association of Filipino Science Teachers in Thailand.
In behalf of our association members, thanks for the recommendation.
The Feynman Lectures are definively missing. Although I too would find it hart to catergorize them. The maths gets harder every chapter, but the approach Feynman takes is phenomenal. I guess it would be suitable for shortly after High School
Sir I read irodov's problems in physics and found it challenging and I think it is a good book.
Thank you! These books look really good.
Thank you for the list. For QM, I enjoyed very much Helgoland, by Rovelli. Hope it helps.
'A brief history of time' by Stephen Hawking is also great.
Yeah
Love that book
I disagree. The first part is a lukewarm review of the History of Physics, sprinkled with digressions about God; and the second part, a half-cooked melange of Scientific American articles. Hawking capitalized fame and personal impairment, to deliver a true smelly red herring.
@@MiguelGarcia-zx1qj He's an atheist and as for his personal impairment he's not the only one in the world with that impairment. He's very renowned in the world of physics. Some of his notable work includes that on black holes { Ever heard of Hawking Radiation}
@@malkisehgal2481 of course I've heard of Hawking Radiation. But you miss my point (apart from what I opine about Hawking ¿have you heard of Roger Penrose?). My point is that the book was really bad, as I said at the beginning of my comment, and why I think that.
Hc verma kidhar hai
As a Physics❤lover finally I can say that finally TH-cam is recommending me some good stuffs😍Thanks alot brother
Really impressed, keep going 👏🏻👊🏻