A Question for students at prestigious science/engineering schools (esp. MIT)

[qIat]

For your introductory mechanics course, what textbook did you use?

Although An Introduction to Mechanics (the famous blue textbook by Kleppner of MIT) would indeed be the logical choice for comprehensive content, it is perhaps a little difficult for a general introductory course (here at Georgia Tech the Honours Physics 1 course naturally uses the textbook of the professor's choice, and although 2 of the 3 sections since I've been here have used Kleppner, the professor when I took the class used a different textbook despite the fact he recommend's Kleppner's book 😕 ).

And for those of you who took a subsequent "real" classical mechanics sequence (2 semesters one would assume), which textbook did you use there? It seems Marion and Thorton's Classical Dynamics is the old favorite here, although many have complained about its method of using mathematics (but hey, if you've taken "real" classical mechanics, you already know that).

 

[huesmann]

Huh?

 

[ggavinmoss]

Have you tried browsing the course Web site of the Intro Mechanics classes at MIT?

Might be easier way to get an answer...

-geoff

 

[Darien]

And for those of you who took a subsequent "real" classical mechanics sequence (2 semesters one would assume), which textbook did you use there? It seems Marion and Thorton's Classical Dynamics is the old favorite here, although many have complained about its method of using mathematics (but hey, if you've taken "real" classical mechanics, you already know that).

I heard normally that's what's used here at SC, but the year I took classical mechanics, the prof decided to use a book by symon. he said he liked it more. (no explanation given as to why)

Classical mechanics...

/shudder.

curses you! moving spinning top!

*shakes fist*

 

[HokieESM]

This really, really, really depends on how advanced you want to get. There are some GREAT survey books out there... but they're intended for the first GRADUATE level course (Kleppener is one). And it all depends on if you're going to teach a more "engineering" mechanics or a "physics" mechanics (which is basically a math content question). I personally really like Kleppener (its on my shelf here)... of course I'm a PhD student in Engineering Mechanics (although I do more of solid mechanics).

Do you need a reference? Is that the motivation behind the thread? The best references, in my opinion, are a good set of class notes from an involved professor. The notation is consistent..... they tend to explain things better. The examples are frequently better. Oh..... and when you're talking mechanics... don't forget, there are several "schools of thought"... so you kind of have to pick one first. 🙂

 

[Paul Ma]

we used the intro to mechanics book here at university of chicago for the honors physics intro.

 

[Paul Ma]

we used the intro to mechanics book here at university of chicago for the honors physics intro.