What should I read next? Advice needed

[horacesilver]

I'm not doing physics at college but I want to dabble in the concepts and the mathematics of it. I already know the basic physics of motion, force and etc. (physics without calculus so far) and now I want to do something more advanced. My mathematics is fine ( basic calculus, complex algebra, linear algebra etc.) even though I have a lot of multi-variable calculus yet to learn. The point is, with mathematics I have all the resources I need and I find it easy to take it to any level I want. With Physics however, I don't know any good books or websites to get me beyond this elementary stage in physics. This is because I am self-taught.

I would be so grateful if people could recommend me some books or websites bearing in mind the following:

- My Physics knowledge is elementary, despite my maths knowledge
- I do not want to become a physicist, I just want to have an understanding of the important equations in relativity and quantum physics. I am not interested in doing long drawn out mechanics problems but I am willing to slog a fair bit to get to my goal (just not too much!). It's having a mathematical understanding of the concepts I'm after.
- The cheaper the better! I'm poor and I can't afford to spend a hell of a lot. This aside, I am willing to fork out a bit if you really think the book is worth the money it's demanding.

Thank you very much!

 

[fasterthanjoao]

- My Physics knowledge is elementary, despite my maths knowledge
- I do not want to become a physicist, I just want to have an understanding of the important equations in relativity and quantum physics. I am not interested in doing long drawn out mechanics problems but I am willing to slog a fair bit to get to my goal (just not too much!). It's having a mathematical understanding of the concepts I'm after.

Firstly, welcome to the forums, horacesilver!

I'm not really sure this is a realistic goal and, to be honest, it sounds as though your math knowledge is fairly basic as well, though forgive me if I misunderstand. But! I am all for trying, and enjoy anyone with enthusiasm.

First of all, you should appreciate that understanding things like relativity (you make no distinction for special or general? special relativity has some mathematics that you might be able to look at) and quantum mechanics require a substantial set of background understanding in physics and so in mathematics also. 'Understanding' mathematical equations isn't as simple as looking at it and knowing what the terms mean or even the ability to use them. True understanding comes from experience and an appreciation for the context of the equation within the overall system. This takes a lot of time and effort for the subjects that you mention.

There are introductory texts to these subjects that you could look at and begin to digest. If you want to pursue some introductory knowledge then parts of special relativity will be good at. For this, and a prelude to quantum mechanics, I would recommend any good intro undergraduate text - particularly (the excellent!) Resnick/Halliday "Fundamentals of Physics" or "University Physics" by Young and Freedman.

 

[horacesilver]

I'm not really sure this is a realistic goal and, to be honest, it sounds as though your math knowledge is fairly basic as well, though forgive me if I misunderstand. But! I am all for trying, and enjoy anyone with enthusiasm.

Thanks for the reply!

Yes, my maths knowledge is basic in the context of quantum mechanics and general relativity but I wanted to make it clear that it's not so basic I can't go beyond basic equations of motion! - if you see what I mean. It's also a discipline I can easily improve along the way.

Thanks a lot for those book suggestions I'll definitely check those out! A good undergraduate text would be great.

 

[fasterthanjoao]

Thanks for the reply!
my maths knowledge is basic in the context of quantum mechanics and general relativity

No problem. Those books are good for getting an idea of the concepts - there is obviously plenty of room for development. If you can first of all look at a text such as that, then let us know how you get on that would be good. And, for the sake of clarity, I recommend restricting yourself to discussions in special relativity - for now, the mathematics of general relativity is much too advanced. I would stick to popular science reading for discussions in GR

 

[rezeew]

I would recommend starting with some introductory books on relativity and quantum physics such as "Relativity: The Special and General Theory" by Albert Einstein or "Quantum Physics for Dummies" by Steven Holzner. These books will give you a good foundation in the concepts and equations of these fields without being too overwhelming.

If you are looking for more advanced books, I would suggest "The Elegant Universe" by Brian Greene or "Quantum Mechanics: The Theoretical Minimum" by Leonard Susskind. These books may be more challenging, but they will provide you with a deeper understanding of the topics.

In addition to books, there are many online resources available for self-study in physics. Websites such as Khan Academy, MIT OpenCourseWare, and Coursera offer free online courses and lectures on various topics in physics. These can be a great supplement to your reading and can also provide interactive practice problems to test your understanding.

Lastly, I would recommend reaching out to physics professors or students at your college for recommendations on textbooks and resources. They may have insight on which books are best suited for self-study and may even have old textbooks they can lend or sell to you at a lower cost.

Remember, learning physics is a journey and it takes time and dedication. Don't be discouraged if you come across challenging concepts or equations, as this is a normal part of the learning process. Keep practicing and seeking out resources, and you will reach your goal of having a solid understanding of relativity and quantum physics. Good luck!