introduction
so what are the best physics textbooks for college right now?
We’ve been asked this a couple of times, and decided to dive in and check them out for you. You will benefit most from these books if you are at the undergraduate level. but even if you’re also looking for the best physics book for self-study, you shouldn’t be short of one that fits perfectly below.
You are reading: Best intro physics books
and let’s get started!
1. fundamentals of physics i & ii by r. shankar (better under $100)
Professor R. Shankar is a remarkable physicist and a highly effective educator. in the first book he explains the concepts of mechanics, relativity and thermodynamics.
In the second, he discusses the concepts of electromagnetism, optics, and quantum mechanics.
These books are concise and together add up to about 1000 pages. but they still weigh much less than other physics textbooks, so they won’t be a problem to carry in your college backpack.
let me tell you what makes them one of the best physics textbooks for college.
what we liked:
First, it has to do with the way books approach learning. They start at the easiest and simplest levels. and then gradually and carefully pick up the pace while strengthening the fundamentals.
As a student, you can interact with different sets of problems as you learn about current research findings. Ultimately, the author makes sure that you develop a solid foundation in the principles of physics.
for example, the electromagnetism section introduces gauge variation, which is not normally covered in other more popular textbooks.
second, shankar makes physics interesting. injects humor throughout the pages. look at this excerpt from the second book
“this gives you two options if you have secretly managed to build a quantum computer. Either you can become famous and win the Nobel Prize (or even get an NSF grant), or you can go on the biggest shopping spree of your life, because you can get anyone’s credit card number. when you get to that fork, you can decide which way you want to go. maybe you can take both options, if you’re small enough.”
Thirdly, these books are under $100, which is totally cheap compared to the rest.
2. conceptual physics by paul g. hewitt
This book will help you connect physics with your everyday experiences and the world around you. hewitt excels at engaging readers with examples of real life situations and analogies.
He helps you build a formidable conceptual understanding of physical principles and methods, from classical mechanics to modern physics.
While it may be quite simple for you, don’t underestimate its effectiveness. simplicity is supposed to prepare you for the complex concepts that follow.
For example, when you start learning about magnetism, you’ll be glad you took the time to study simple acceleration.
See Also: Kristi Ann Hunter – Book Series In Order
what we like:
- very readable and easy to follow
- each section is followed by a “checkpoint”, which tests your understanding of the material
- the text includes qr codes, which send you to online videos and other mini-lectures
- features cartoon illustrations with photos that are quite endearing
- if math isn’t your best bet, then this should be your go-to college physics textbook. delves into concepts without the need for more complex math foundations than your algebra and trigonometry can handle.
what we don’t like:
- although each chapter has many questions towards the end, the book only answers half of them
3. university physics with young and freedman’s modern physics (best overall)
See Also: Bruce Robert Coffin – Book Series In Order
This book is probably the only college physics textbook you’ll need for your entire sophomore year. reading this book thoroughly will definitely prepare you for your degree.
university physics tends to break down and explain concepts very well; it might bother you if you have a very high IQ. however, it is designed to go to great lengths to make sure the concepts sink in.
You have an astronomical number of problems to solve. make sure you do at least a third of them, especially if you’re at the college level. The book also has student solution manuals that present solutions to some of their problems.
here are the manuals below:
College physics changes your view of physics from something complex and frustrating to concepts that are easy to digest.
We’ve also determined that you can use this book as a reference long after you’re done with your studies, unlike most other texts that tend to take a fairly linear approach to teaching physics.
It’s one of those books you can always come back to, that is if you don’t mind the now common college practice of selling books at the bookstore!
what we don’t like:
- it is large and quite bulky, which can be unwieldy
4. fundamentals of physics by halliday, resnick and walker
Unless you haven’t, you’ve probably heard of Resnick Halliday’s physics book. well, this is it, but with walker as a co-author. is one of the most famous physics textbooks.
This book is unmatched because it helps you learn physics just by solving unsolved problems. each chapter of this textbook feels like a new experience, an adventure if you will.
You won’t hate physics if you have this as your undergraduate textbook.
See Also: Kristi Ann Hunter – Book Series In Order
what we like:
- many practice problems and homework problems are included
- contains checkpoints after specific concepts are discussed, to reinforce your understanding
- text is clear and concise
- we found the chapters on magnetism and electricity really amazing
what we don’t like:
- does not have modern physics. so if you need one with modern physics, buy the extended version instead. see the extended version here
5. The Feynman Lectures on Physics, Richard P. feynman, leighton and arenas
This new millennium edition is a set of three books, based on Feynman’s remarkable lectures. they are full of depth and take clever approaches to physics concepts.
the lectures were prepared for the fundamental physics course at the california institute of technology (caltech). however, they can also stimulate an experienced physique.
feynman uses a simple, conversational approach, which tends to mask the breadth of thought in his lectures.
Unfortunately, you must have lived and breathed physics for a few years before jumping into these lectures. maybe supplement it with a standard college physics textbook or learn some introductory physics from books like resnick halliday.
what we don’t like:
- not recommended for beginners
- no problem. however, there is a separate problem book for feynman lectures that might or might not work for you. see problem book here
6. modern physics by krane (best for modern physics)
If you are looking for an introduction to modern physics, this is the book for you. covers enough concepts in detail rather than being too superficial on a variety of topics.
The book easily demonstrates how to derive formulas. while not quite as mathematical as some of the other modern physics textbooks, we found its concepts, such as quantum mechanics and astrophysics, to be helpful.
His topics are great for a typical college freshman modern physics course or even a sophomore science and engineering student.
See Also: Kristi Ann Hunter – Book Series In Order
what we like:
- Each chapter has helpful illustrations and a large number of problems. Plus, it has answers to problems on the back! How exciting!
7. college physics by serway and vuille (second best overall)
College Physics is an introductory text for first-year students, presenting the fundamental principles and concepts of physics in a simple and rational manner. The topics covered here are:
- Newtonian mechanics and fluid physics
- heat and thermodynamics
- wave motion and sound
- electricity and magnetism
- properties of light and the field of geometric and wave optics
- introduction to special relativity, quantum physics, and atomic and nuclear physics
See Also: Kristi Ann Hunter – Book Series In Order
what we like:
- From a teaching perspective, we find that Serway places higher demands on the student than other texts such as University Physics for Juniors. the text itself and the difficulty of the problems will challenge you well.
what we don’t like:
- Advanced students of modern physics may not find this book very useful, as it seems to be geared toward college beginners in physics. may seem vague, particularly when showing equations without showing differentiation.
8. introduction to electrodynamics by griffiths
Griffiths’ book has that easy-to-read vibe that some students might like and is intended for a college physics beginner learning electromagnetism.
Although the concepts may not be as meaty as in other texts, we found the book to be quite comprehensive.
includes the following topics:
- use the pf laplace equation to deal with problems
- electromagnetic waves
- relativity
- etc
If you don’t have a proper math background, you may need to meet the prerequisites to keep up with the math here, such as multivariate calculus, ordinary calculus & partial differential equations.
basically, if you have a good understanding of curl, divergence, green’s theorem, stokes’ theorem, you’ll be good to go.
See Also: Kristi Ann Hunter – Book Series In Order
what we like:
- griffiths feels like attending a good classroom lecture
- the book makes you visualize and imagine the concepts
- griffiths adds some clever jokes to make the things are interesting
what we don’t like:
- griffiths e&m (electricity and magnetism) examples may seem a bit shallow if you have more knowledge of physics
9. physics for scientists and engineers: a strategic approach by knight
with knight, you get a teacher who uses physical education research in his many explanations and exercises.
With its meticulous approach to breaking down and delivering concepts, we believe it to be one of the best introductory undergraduate physics textbooks.
See Also: Kristi Ann Hunter – Book Series In Order
what we like:
- the books in the set have impressive images to help you visualize the concepts
conclusion
While we’ve taken the time to make sure these are the best physics textbooks for college, each of the books may feel different from the other.
Overall, we believe that junior college physics & freedman meets all your undergraduate physics needs without the need to rely on any supporting text. grab it below:
However, you may enjoy Feynman’s conversational style, while others may feel that Feynman’s lectures are too shallow. We encourage you to use the “look inside” option while checking prices on amazon.
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