My first book on physics

vanity | 07/10/2008 | Free Me

[free me]

My wife just took up an interest in physics. What would be a good book for her to start with?

I've never posted a vanity thread before, but I'm sure there is no better people to ask than my fine freeper friends.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!!

[rface]

I actually like this book a lot -- click the picture:

[ghostkatz]

Feynman’s QED was a required text for one of my grad school classes. Feynman is a hoot..some of his stuff is very funny and entertaining. I recommend him as an adjunct to a more basic intro to physics.

[dalereed]

Even high school physics in the early 50s required completion of algebra and geometry, my college courses required calculus as did chemestry.

She had better start off with some pretty elementary books if she doesn’t have a math backround.

[mdittmar]

I thought was figured out,I saw a show on it once,isn’t that E=mc2.

[ghostkatz]

Oh this is a funny book! Feynman was such an interesting character. Love his humor!

[Conan the Librarian]

I am glad someone put the Good Doctor in this list. While dated, he makes basic concepts quite understandable.

Another vote for Understanding Physics.

Then there is A Brief History of Time.

[cephalopod]

You might look at the Learning Company’s lectures. They have a few physics courses designed for adult students that don’t require heavy math.

Although I haven’t seen the physics courses, I have bought many courses from them and they’ve all been excellent.

Here is a link to a course on sale which sounds like it might be the right level. (also check e-bay and your library, they might have it)

http://www.teach12.com/ttcx/coursedesclong2.aspx?cid=1295&pc=SaleScience%20and%20Mathematics

[free me]

She is competent in algebra and geometry, just not calculus.

But thanks.

[maine-iac7]

THE FIELD by
Lynne Mctaggart

and

ZERO POINT ENERGBY, The Fuel of the Future

by Thomas Valone

[mmichaels1970]

That “OpenCourseWare” looks pretty cool. I’m going to book mark it and check it out.

[dr_lew]

Physics is the study of the fundamental laws of Nature.

[Amelia]

Conceptual Physics discusses the concepts and is fairly light on the math...

I like the MIT lectures on the web, too.

[dr_lew]

She is competent in algebra and geometry, just not calculus.

Reminds me of a story about P.A.M. Dirac. He was to give a lecture on Quantum Mechanics and the host asked him if they would need to know Group Theory to follow the lecture, and Dirac assured him they would not. When he gave the lecture it was Group Theory, Group Theory, Group Theory. The host enquired afterward, "Didn't you say there would be no Group Theory?" Dirac replied, "No, I said you would need no PRIOR KNOWLEDGE of Group Theory."

[dalereed]

Not sure but I think I still have one of my college texts in physics.

Next time I go to my home in Glendale I’ll look.

If I still have it you can have it.

At 71 I don’t thinl I’ll still need it!

[AZLiberty]

I like the Feynman Lectures in audio, available in many public libraries.

[dalereed]

If youn get a rel old text just remember that in the 50s they still taught that electricity flowed from negative to positive.

With the invention of the diode they had to reverse that.

[Sacajaweau]

Go to a college book store and get the text for Physics 101. Better than that...Take the course at your community college if you can. It's a grand course. You need some math background. Some colleges have tech math courses.

I brushed up on my math before returning to college at the local high school....evening classes....then took the college courses.

It took some time (3 children to raise simultaneously) but I eventually got a degree in Civil Engineering.

[Democrat_media]

I read a book on Quantum theory and it really messed me up lol. It really freaked me out.

Tell her not to read about Quantum theory or at least not this article. I am still wondering If the universe is here or not. lol.

http://www.integralscience.org/sacredscience/SS_quantum.html

“The primary purpose of this essay is to explain how quantum mechanics shows that the materialistic common sense notion of reality is an illusion, i.e., that the objective existence of the world is an illusion”

http://www.integralscience.org/sacredscience/SS_quantum.html

[Drango]

http://webcast.berkeley.edu/course_details.php?seriesid=1906978517

http://webcast.berkeley.edu/course_details.php?seriesid=1906978518

http://webcast.berkeley.edu/course_details.php?seriesid=1906978515

Here are some of the UC Berkeley classes

[grey_whiskers]

Richard Feynman, "Six Easy Pieces".

Cheers!