Textbooks and References
Fundamentals of Physics (4th ed) by Halliday, Resnick and Walker,
J. Wiley, 1993. ISBN 0-471-57578-X.
The earlier editions of this text have been around for many years , so it
is fairly de-bugged. The new addition is colorful and timely. There are
many, many good problems. You can get a student solutions book. An accompanying
CD-ROM is available for PC's and I think one is being prepared for the Mac.
The Feynman Lectures on Physics Vol 1 by Feynman, Leighton
and Sands, Addison-Wesley, 1963. ISBN 0-201-51003-0.
This volume (along with volumes 2 and 3) are classics. Most physicists I
know used these to get ready for their Ph. D. qualifiers and refer to them
time and time again.
Newtonian Mechanics (The M. I. T. Series) by A. P. French,
W. W. Norton, 1971. ISBN 0-393-09970-9.
Vibration and Waves (The M. I. T. Series) by A. P. French, W. W. Norton,
1971. ISBN 0-393-09936-9.
Mechanics (Vol 1 of the Berkeley Physics Course) by Kittel, Knight and Ruderman,
McGraw-Hill, 1968.
Waves (Vol 3 of the Berkeley Physics Course) by Frank Crawford, Jr., McGraw-Hill,
1968.
During the 60's, there was a revolution in the way introductory physics
was taught. There were attempts to make the subject more lively and relevant.
The above books, along with the Feynman Lecture, are superb.
Mathematica (2nd ed) A System for Doing Mathematics by Computer
by Stephen Wolfram, Addison-Wesley Publishing, 1991. ISBN 0-201-51502-4.
Used Math (2nd ed) by Clifford Swartz, American Association
of Physics Teachers, 1993. ISBN 0-917853-50-4.
This is great for the student who needs a quick explanation of the mathematics
you need in introductory physics. It is also great for the instructor.
The Cosmological Milkshake by Robert Ehrlich, Rutgers University
Press, 1995 (second printing) ISBN 0-8135-2045-2.
This is a fun book, written in the spirit of the Fermi problems. There are
135 questions answered, each in about one to two pages. Here are two examples:
What is the smallest suction cup you could use to walk on the ceiling ?
How fast can chemical rockets travel ?
Turning the World Inside Out and 174 Other Simple Physics
Demonstrations by Robert Ehrlich, Princeton Paperbacks, 1990. ISBN 0-691-02395-6.
This book describes lots of neat demonstrations, most of which you can do
with things found in your home (or a cluttered dorm room).
Numerical Methods for Physics by Alejandro L. Garcia, Prentice
Hall, 1994. ISBN 0-13-151986-7.
This book shows you how to apply numerical techniques, starting with problems
in elementary physics and going on to more advance problems.
A Practical Guide to Data Analysis for Physical Science
Students by Louis Lyons, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 9-780521-424639.
This is a succinct, compact book with a good discussion of measurement errors
and how to handle them.
