An Introduction To Mechanics

But here's the real point: this book, and its wonderful set of homework problems, was written for freshman completely and thoroughly trained in differential and integral calculus. After all, mechanics is all about calculus. I have read many science book reviews here at Amazon, and I am getting the impression that there are many well-prepared students out there, and that calculus is a second language by high school graduation. If this is true, then forget Halliday/Resnick. Forget Serway, forget Giancoli. If you know your calculus well (and I mean well) and you take Freshman Physics using those books, you have wasted a perfectly good semester.

It's as simple as this: Does F = ma? Or does F = dP/dt? (Where, of course, F, P and a are vectors.) The problems are, indeed, challenging. They require thinking, reasoning and excellent mathematical skill. They do not simply ask you to draw a force diagram, plug in some masses, resolve some vector components and ask you what the net motion is. From my own personal experience, it is difficult to learn calculus and study this book at the same time. Do your calculus first, and maybe even some differential equations. I think this book is not widely used because it is not easy to ensure that 100% of the class comes in with a good grounding in calculus. That is perhaps why it is sometimes spoken of here as an "honors" level textbook.

I will add that Dan Kleppner and his colleague at MIT, David Pritchard (who taught this course for many years) are excellent scientists and teachers. They are not satisfied with the "tried and true" ways of looking at things, and are always searching for new ways to delve into the subject matter. Thus, you will find this to be an intriguing book, with lots of unique approaches and viewpoints. It is very much worth the effort.


Building from basic foundations self teach physics   July 6, 2005
Rehan Dost (Canada)
13 out of 13 found this review helpful

So much is lost in reading the multitude of physics books for the "layperson". A true understanding of physics requires not only the ideas of physics but how these ideas are formulated in mathematical terminology and most importantly it's applications.

This text is for the beginner in physics or the physics buff like myself who has no background in the field.

Starting with basic principles, and presupposing highschool math only, the author begins with a study of linear motion in the form of Newton's law reformulating them into the concept of momentum and eventually the work energy theorem and conservation of energy laws. He then adds the complication of extended bodies and center of mass concepts. Rotation is duly added and the appropriate rotational analogs of angular momentum and torque are introduced in an intuitive yet mathematical format using simple vector operations. He starts with fixed axis rotation and then adds linear motion and then considers non-fixed axis rotation adding some tensor concepts as he goes.

Nice examples of fictitious forces are added in non-inertial reference frames concluding with a chapter on special relativity.

A very well written concise and easy to understand intoduction to mechanics. The problems are a requirement for any serious understanding and I suggest attempting at least every other problem. These range from very easy to challenging.


Extremely hard, but rewarding and comprehensive text   August 18, 1999
14 out of 15 found this review helpful

I borrowed this book form one of my professors at Cal State L.A. to help me prepare for upper-division mechanics. I figured it would be an easy summer read after having mastered Serway's book, but instead it was the most demanding text in any subject I have ever used. Many unique and useful examples not easily found elsewhere are one of this books strengths. Another is the use of polar coordinates, complex numbers, and vector calculus to sove problems. These mathematical tools are usually reserved for upper-level texts. The greatest virtue of this book is its coverage of rotational dynamics. This is a difficult topic to master, especially at the intermediate level, but all is made clear here. There is also a thorough introduction to special relativity. As great as this book is, the problems are mostly in the difficult to very difficult range. To get any benefit from it you have to put in a lot of hours of hard work. It makes Serway, Resnick & Halliday, etc. look like child's play.


A great challenge that's worth it   December 17, 1999
9 out of 9 found this review helpful

I used this book for my Honors Physics- Mechanics course at UC Berkeley which I took my freshman year. I have never been more challenged intellectually in my entire life. This book covers mechanics at a remarkable depth for a lower division course and really gives you a great understanding of mechanics if you put the hundreds of hours into it which it requires. This is a must for any Physics major, especially one who wants to go on to Grad. School. Although, the book can be very intimidating, the key is to stick with it and be patient and eventually you'll really get it- it's a wonderful feeling. The hard work does pay off.


still the best   October 3, 2001
7 out of 7 found this review helpful

This is still the best intro mechanics book. It tries to teach you how the world works. In comparison, most other textbooks are recipe books that show you methods on how to solve important sets of problems but do not really teach physics. Feynman is the exception but is too scattered for use as a textbook. Goldstein gives you more tools but don't explain them. Landau and Lifschitz is very good but does almost everything from path integrals which I believe is not suitable as an intro text. Many people have suggested that the problems are hard. I think the problems are original in trying to teach you physics concepts. Don't use this book if you are trying to satisfy requirements. Don't try to be a physics major if you find this book uninspiring--okay if you find it takes time.