Best physics book

Chuchoter

I'm struggling a lot with physics atm as I discussed in the 5th year thread, I@m wondering if anyone has any books they found really helpful, specifically for the maths-y parts of the course and the experiments? I'm using Real World Physics which although explains theory well, is laid out kind of chaotically, doesn't have enough examples and the questions aren't like the papers. Also, there are no lists of why you do certain things in experiments. Suggestions?

Exothermic

I wouldn't go buying a whole other textbook anyway!
A revision book would be the most suitable thing I guess. Head down to your local bookshop, have a flick through a couple and get one.
I don't actually do physics but I have a friend who does and he was telling me about the Exam Edge book by Folens, he said it was brilliant and suggested I get one for Chemistry. I think they have sample pages online. Just do a google search
Alternatively, you could get one-on-one grinds for the bits you find difficult.

Neodymium

I use the book "Investigating Physics" but I have a copy of real world physics too. I do physics outside school and I think investigating physics is a much better book.

It is laid out very well. The experiments are laid out and explained very well explaining the graphs very well and giving you a list of precautions for every experiment.

Real world physics rambles on forever explaining things in big long paragraphs. Investigating physics presents it's information very clearly and concisely and explains it very well.

Also it has plenty of worked examples and questions throughout each chapter with answers at the back of the book. Also at the end of each chapter there is a sort of exam paper 2 or 3 pages long which has exam type questions on the experiments and everything else in the chapter, however they don't have answers for these exam type questions at the back of the book

Maybe you could get a look of the book in some bookshop or ask your teacher if he/she has a copy that you could borrow.

AlanBr

Well whatever you do do not get revise wise physics it it an awful book IMO...I also found exam edge rather helpful and would recommend it or various websites such as http://www.cyberphysics.co.uk/

brownlad

crayolastereo wrote: »

I'm struggling a lot with physics atm as I discussed in the 5th year thread, I@m wondering if anyone has any books they found really helpful, specifically for the maths-y parts of the course and the experiments? I'm using Real World Physics which although explains theory well, is laid out kind of chaotically, doesn't have enough examples and the questions aren't like the papers. Also, there are no lists of why you do certain things in experiments. Suggestions?

that book is a load! waay too much info

Chuchoter

It just doesn't seem to have any worked examples or even questions like the ones in the papers. I can do the workbook and the ones in the book grand, then I get to the papers and I'm like holy ****. And everything is different colours and there are little chunks of information dotted all over the place, its impossible to find anything!! How are people studying for physics?

brownlad

crayolastereo wrote: »

It just doesn't seem to have any worked examples or even questions like the ones in the papers. I can do the workbook and the ones in the book grand, then I get to the papers and I'm like holy ****. And everything is different colours and there are little chunks of information dotted all over the place, its impossible to find anything!! How are people studying for physics?

its fecking ridiculous ..... that was my problem was the definitions were longer the they needed to be..... im studying with exam papers..... what about you?

oh and electricty is woeful!:mad:

Neodymium

How are people studying for physics?

What I do for the definitions anyway is make flashcards. Write the term on one side and the definition on the other. This in my opinion is by far the best way to remember the definitions once you understand what they mean. Test yourself once and a while with the flashcards and the definitions will go into your head much better.

For the maths/problem solving questions you just have to keep practicing them until you understand them and you understand all the concepts behind the questions.

The main thing I think with physics is that you really have to understand the information not just learn it off.

Chuchoter

Neodymium wrote: »

What I do for the definitions anyway is make flashcards. Write the term on one side and the definition on the other. This in my opinion is by far the best way to remember the definitions once you understand what they mean. Test yourself once and a while with the flashcards and the definitions will go into your head much better.

For the maths/problem solving questions you just have to keep practicing them until you understand them and you understand all the concepts behind the questions.

The main thing I think with physics is that you really have to understand the information not just learn it off.

I should make them, actually have a huge pile of blank ones beside me!!

brownlad wrote: »

its fecking ridiculous ..... that was my problem was the definitions were longer the they needed to be..... im studying with exam papers..... what about you?

oh and electricty is woeful!:mad:

I'm mainly working from the book for all the maths problems and the papers for theory questions, but I can't do the maths questions in the papers because they're so dissimilar. I've downloaded a load of notes with shorter definitions of thephysicsteacher.ie as well.

Fad

Institute notes are the dogs bollócks for physics >_>

I found thephysicsteacher.ie to be quite useful too, rapid revision physics id probably good if it's anywhere nearly as good as the chemistry one.

HxGH

http://physics.slss.ie/resources/downloads/ph_pr_alllistedphysexpr.pdf
+
http://www.thephysicsteacher.ie/
+
Real World Physics
=
Success.

However, I did find the layout of Real World Physics quite caotic also.

Good luck

spurious

The syllabus is better than any text book. It tells you exactly what you need to know and what can be asked. Text books are there to make money for publishers.

brownlad

spurious wrote: »

The syllabus is better than any text book. It tells you exactly what you need to know and what can be asked. Text books are there to make money for publishers.

where do i find it?

spurious

Physics syllabus.pdf file

soup1

unfortunately, the best book out there is probably folens real world physics, but even it has left out small parts of the syllabus that have crept up in recent years. I suggest using that book, combined with the syllabus, and the odd google search, and you should be ok!

soup1

i forgot to mention an example actually! Real World Physics dose not have one question on the maths aspect of x-rays which has come up numerous times in the past 9 years! Just some food for thought!

Maybe_Memories

soup1 wrote: »

i forgot to mention an example actually! Real World Physics dose not have one question on the maths aspect of x-rays which has come up numerous times in the past 9 years! Just some food for thought!

You don't need an example done on every little thing. If you understand the properties of x-rays, waves, force/momentum and motion then you'd be grand.

Maybe_Memories

Also, the RWP workbook is amazing.

If you can do all the maths questions in it you're sorted. some of the questions are pretty hardcore and require knowing the material inside out.

Junai_Dahma

I'd say at this time of year, Exam Edge by Folens is the best. It has exam paper answers and covers everything.It's probably the most concise!

Just Like Heaven

Junai_Dahma wrote: »

I'd say at this time of year, Exam Edge by Folens is the best. It has exam paper answers and covers everything.It's probably the most concise!

Yeah i'm in shtuck in fifth year, but I have the exam edge books for physics and chemistry and they're wonderful, especially if your looking for examples relevant to the exam paper questions, it doesn't get much closer than the the actual past questions with solutions. They don't just give you the solutions either they break them down and point out where your going to lose marks, which is a lifesaver when it comes to experiments.

soup1

Maybe_Memories wrote: »

You don't need an example done on every little thing. If you understand the properties of x-rays, waves, force/momentum and motion then you'd be grand.

For the majority of students, if they have never seen a certain type of maths question, they wont be able to apply their knowledge of the theory to numbers! However, maybe you are one of the select few that can. Either way, i'm trying to help.
P.S force/momentum/motion has nothing to do with xrays

brownlad

soup1 wrote: »

For the majority of students, if they have never seen a certain type of maths question, they wont be able to apply their knowledge of the theory to numbers! However, maybe you are one of the select few that can. Either way, i'm trying to help.
P.S force/momentum/motion has nothing to do with xrays

exactly what i was thinking...:pac: perhaps we skipped a chapter:eek:

Maybe_Memories

soup1 wrote: »

For the majority of students, if they have never seen a certain type of maths question, they wont be able to apply their knowledge of the theory to numbers! However, maybe you are one of the select few that can. Either way, i'm trying to help.
P.S force/momentum/motion has nothing to do with xrays

I did my LC last year, so forgive me if my knowledge is a bit rusty, but aren't x-rays formed by cathode rays hitting a metal target? And I believe cathode rays are formed by a stream of electrons? Well, perhaps you'll be asked to find the velocity that an electron strikes a target given that the x-rays produced have a given energy or whatever? Hence it involves motion, which is caused by a force, and force is the rate of change of momentum, hence force/momentum/motion

brownlad

Maybe_Memories wrote: »

I did my LC last year, so forgive me if my knowledge is a bit rusty, but aren't x-rays formed by high speed electrons hitting a metal target? And I believe cathode rays are formed by a stream of electrons? Well, perhaps you'll be asked to find the velocity that an electron strikes a target given that the x-rays produced have a given energy or whatever? Hence it involves motion, which is caused by a force, and force is the rate of change of momentum, hence force/momentum/motion

but it has never been broken down THAT far!:P

Maybe_Memories

You've never seen it explained that x-rays are formed when electrons accelerate across a potential difference to a high speed and strike a metal target, and a small amount of their energy is converted to x-rays? So what, you're teacher/book is like "here's x-rays, i wont tell you what they are, just know that they exist"?

I don't care if a question on this wont come up, at this point I'm just trying to dispel the belief that x-rays have nothing to do with force/motion, which I clearly did in bold.

soup1

Maybe_Memories wrote: »

You've never seen it explained that x-rays are formed when electrons accelerate across a potential difference to a high speed and strike a metal target, and a small amount of their energy is converted to x-rays? So what, you're teacher/book is like "here's x-rays, i wont tell you what they are, just know that they exist"?

I don't care if a question on this wont come up, at this point I'm just trying to dispel the belief that x-rays have nothing to do with force/motion, which I clearly did in bold.

Obviously I'm talking about leaving cert physics : / God, I hope someday il have a fraction of your wisdom!

Maybe_Memories

In 2003 Q9 they did actually ask that type of question, except on a CRT instead of x-ray tube.. same principal. So if you understand that you'd be grand

Gordon Gecko

Use the exam papers and the marking schemes you shouldn't even need a teacher if you're using them well enough

Maybe_Memories

Gordon Gecko wrote: »

Use the exam papers and the marking schemes you shouldn't even need a teacher if you're using them well enough

Marking scheme's can often be pretty vague, and there are often be more than one way to answer a problem, which the MS might not make reference to.

For example, this whole issue of whether or not it is valid to prove newton's equations of motion using Calculus or not. Realistically, it's perfectly valid, because newton derived his equations that way in the first place.
However, the examiner might be the type to stick strictly to the MS, or might not even understand what you're on about..