I want to study Physics over the summer, recommend a textbook
 

I'm interested in learning Physics and I'd rather not pay to take it, I'll just take a placement test. I'm looking for a good textbook to do this.

I'm looking for one that is Calc-oriented, I just finished Calc 2. I prefer it to be Math and logic oriented, perhaps with some history of important figures. I don't want a lot of layman's explanations. I guess in a college course, this would be Physics I w/ Calculus, or in Engineering schools perhaps Physics I.

I'd like there to be problems with answers in the back (maybe answers to just the odd questions, like math books have). Unfortunately, I haven't taken Physics since the AP in highschool, but I gave that up because it was Senior year and I didn't care.

Re: I want to study Physics over the summer, recommend a textbook
 

We used University Physics w/Modern Physics as our text book. Calc based, it has odd-answers in the back, a [censored] ton of problems at the end of each chapter and the author works through problems as you go through each chapter. Even though I hate the subject it was a pretty good book.

I think you can get the newest edition for like 40-50 bucks on Amazon.

EDIT: The first half of the book, which deals w/mechanics and some thermo isn't very math intensive. You just need decent algebra/trig skills, knowledge of deriatives, integrals are only used in a few chapters. The last half which deals w/electromagnetism and optics however is fairly math intensive.

Re: I want to study Physics over the summer, recommend a textbook
 

Obviously buy an old version, get the same information and save 80%. But, I'm sure you know that.

Re: I want to study Physics over the summer, recommend a textbook
 

Also you can watch MIT lectures here .

Re: I want to study Physics over the summer, recommend a textbook
 

do they have videos of lectures? i can only find lecture notes

Re: I want to study Physics over the summer, recommend a textbook
 

not all are available on video:
http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Global/OCWHelp/avocw.htm There's a Physics I among them.

Re: I want to study Physics over the summer, recommend a textbook
 

ocw is excellent.

8.01 is classical mechanics.
8.02 is e&m.

both are pretty good.

Re: I want to study Physics over the summer, recommend a textbook
 

That dude is so sick, I almost missed the bus today. I wish all my classes were this fun.

Re: I want to study Physics over the summer, recommend a textbook
 

who?

Re: I want to study Physics over the summer, recommend a textbook
 

Second the OCW suggestion.

But really, there are a lot of good just basic Physics books out there that will tell you what you want. Check out your library, ask your high school for what they use for their AP class if they have one, and if you have a local university check out their library.

Study the 8.022 stuff if you want to be a real man.

Also - check out the 18.022 stuff (under mathematics). Physics and calc go together like peas and carrots and you HAVE to be strong in calc to handle E&M.

I took 18.022 and 8.022 at the same time and learned everything I needed to know for 18.022 the first week of 8.022.