1 Introductory Physics v2

Theoretical Physics with Mark Weitzman

28 May 202211:52

EducationalLearning

32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRIn this video, Mark Weitzman revisits his playlist on textbook suggestions, focusing on advanced placement physics for high school students. He recommends classic textbooks like Halliday and Resnick, along with alternative resources such as 'The Mechanical Universe' series. Weitzman also introduces 'Physics and Technology for Future Presidents' for a unique physics perspective and emphasizes the Feynman Lectures on Physics as an invaluable resource. His summary includes other notable books like 'Thinking Physics' and 'Electricity and Magnetism' by Edward Purcell, promising to cover more advanced topics in future videos.

Takeaways

📚 Mark Weitzman is remaking his playlist on textbook suggestions to improve production quality.
🌐 He has a YouTube channel with various playlists on topics including quantum field theory.
🔗 Links to his Piazza courses are provided in the video description, where he offers free resources on theoretical physics.
📘 He recommends 'Physics' by Halliday and Resnick for first-year high school advanced placement physics, suggesting earlier editions for affordability.
🎓 The 'Mechanical Universe' series and its accompanying textbooks are suggested as alternative introductory physics resources.
🧠 'Physics and Technology for Future Presidents' is recommended for its unique perspective on physics relevant to policy-making.
📚 'Feynman Lectures on Physics' is highly recommended as a comprehensive resource for undergraduate physics, available free online.
📝 'Thinking Physics' by Epstein is praised for its question-and-quiz format that challenges understanding without calculations.
🧲 'Electricity and Magnetism' by Edward Purcell is recommended for its high-quality treatment of the subject, with a preference for the first edition using CGS units.
📈 Mark plans to cover textbooks for second-year physics and more advanced topics in future videos.
👋 The video concludes with a promise to return next week with more textbook recommendations.

Q & A

Who is the speaker in the video script?
-The speaker is Mark Weitzman.
What is the main topic of the video?
-The main topic of the video is about discussing and recommending textbooks for first-year high school advanced placement physics.
What did Mark Weitzman do during the pandemic regarding his playlists and videos?
-Mark Weitzman created playlists and videos on the fly during the pandemic and now wants to improve their production quality.
What are the two courses mentioned by Mark Weitzman on Piazza?
-The two courses mentioned are 'Physics 200: Topics in Theoretical Physics' and 'Quantum Field Theory: A Student's Perspective'.
How does Mark describe the use of Piazza for his courses?
-Mark describes Piazza as a discussion forum similar to MOOCs or edX, where he can compose posts, people can reply, and it supports LaTeX.
What textbook series did Mark Weitzman use during his high school advanced placement physics course 50 years ago?
-He used 'Physics Parts One and Two' by Holiday and Resnick, third edition.
What alternative textbooks are suggested for those interested in the 'Mechanical Universe' series?
-The alternative textbooks are 'The Mechanical Universe: Mechanics and Heat' and 'Beyond the Mechanical Universe: Electricity and Modern Physics'.
What book does Mark recommend for understanding physics from a policy and practical perspective?
-Mark recommends 'Physics and Technology for Future Presidents' for its unique perspective on physics relevant to policy and practical issues.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Advanced Placement Physics Textbooks

Mark Weitzman introduces his intention to remake his playlist on textbook suggestions, starting with first-year high school advanced placement physics textbooks. He mentions his YouTube channel, which hosts various playlists and videos on topics like quantum field theory. He also discusses his courses on Piazza, which are free to join and contain resources on theoretical physics. Weitzman recommends 'Physics' by Halliday and Resnick, suggesting earlier editions for their quality and affordability. He also mentions an alternative series from Caltech called 'The Mechanical Universe,' which accompanied two textbooks of the same name.

05:00

🔬 Exploring Physics Through Policy and Technology

Weitzman recommends 'Physics and Technology for Future Presidents' for its unique perspective on physics related to policy issues such as nuclear weapons and energy. The book is not a traditional physics textbook but offers insights into physics relevant to presidential decision-making. He then transitions to the Feynman Lectures on Physics, a renowned three-volume set covering the first two years of undergraduate physics, now available free online. Weitzman highlights the corrected and typeset versions on the Caltech website, which also includes Feynman's tips on physics, lecture recordings, and student notes.

10:01

🤔 Thinking Physics and Electricity & Magnetism Textbooks

Weitzman suggests 'Thinking Physics' by Epstein, a book that challenges readers with qualitative questions and quizzes to test their understanding of first-year physics concepts without requiring calculations. He also recommends 'Electricity and Magnetism' by Edward Purcell, praising its treatment of the subject at the undergraduate level and noting the transition from CGS to MKS units in later editions. Weitzman concludes by indicating that he will continue discussing physics textbooks in subsequent videos, covering topics from second-year physics to advanced subjects like classical mechanics and quantum mechanics.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Advanced Placement (AP)

Advanced Placement refers to a set of rigorous courses and exams offered to high school students in the United States. In the context of the video, the speaker discusses AP physics textbooks, indicating a higher level of study than standard high school physics, designed to prepare students for college-level work. The script mentions 'first year high school advanced placement physics textbooks' as part of the discussion on educational resources.

💡Physics Textbooks

Physics textbooks are educational resources that provide comprehensive information on the principles and concepts of physics. The video's theme revolves around the speaker's recommendations for physics textbooks suitable for high school and undergraduate students. Examples from the script include 'textbook suggestions' and specific titles like 'Halliday and Resnick'.

💡Production Quality

Production quality refers to the technical and aesthetic aspects of creating content, such as a video. The speaker mentions wanting to 'improve the production quality' of his playlists, indicating a desire to enhance the viewer's experience through better video editing and presentation.

💡YouTube Channel

A YouTube channel is a platform where users can upload, share, and manage videos. The speaker assumes viewers are familiar with his YouTube channel, which hosts a variety of educational content, including playlists and videos on quantum field theory and other physics topics.

💡Piazza

Piazza is an online platform that facilitates discussion and collaboration among students and instructors. The speaker mentions having courses on Piazza, which serve as discussion forums and include resources like LaTeX support, indicating the platform's utility for academic discourse.

💡Theoretical Physics

Theoretical physics is a branch of physics that employs mathematical models and abstractions to understand the universe. The speaker discusses his course on 'topics in theoretical physics' on Piazza, which suggests a focus on the conceptual and mathematical foundations of physics.

💡Quantum Field Theory

Quantum field theory is a framework in physics that combines quantum mechanics with special relativity, providing a description of the quantum mechanical nature of fields. The speaker mentions having videos and a course on quantum field theory, indicating a specialization in this advanced area of physics.

💡Feynman Lectures on Physics

The Feynman Lectures on Physics is a three-volume work that presents the fundamental principles of physics, written by Richard Feynman. The speaker highly recommends these as a resource for undergraduate physics, noting their availability online and their comprehensive coverage of the subject.

💡Electricity and Magnetism

Electricity and magnetism are fundamental concepts in physics that deal with electric charges and magnetic fields, respectively. The speaker recommends a specific book by Edward Purcell on this topic, highlighting its treatment as one of the best at the undergraduate level.

💡CGS Units

CGS units, or centimeter-gram-second units, is a system of measurement used in physics. The speaker expresses a preference for CGS units in the context of the Purcell book, indicating a traditional approach to teaching electricity and magnetism that some find more intuitive.

💡Thinking Physics

Thinking Physics is a book by Epstein that focuses on qualitative understanding rather than quantitative calculations. The speaker recommends this book for its question-and-quiz format, which challenges students to deeply understand physics concepts without relying on complex math.

Highlights

Mark Weitzman is remaking his playlist on textbook suggestions to improve production quality.

The discussion begins with first-year high school advanced placement physics textbooks.

Weitzman assumes viewers are familiar with his YouTube channel and its various playlists and resources.

He mentions his two courses on Piazza, 'Physics 200: Topics in Theoretical Physics' and 'Quantum Field Theory: A Student's Perspective'.

Piazza courses function as discussion forums and are accessible for free.

Resources accumulated over the years are categorized under various topics in theoretical physics.

Weitzman recommends 'Physics for Future Presidents' for its unique perspective on physics relevant to policy-making.

The Feynman Lectures on Physics are highly recommended as a resource for undergraduate physics, available free online.

Feynman Lectures have been corrected, typeset, and include exercises, making them more accessible for study.

Weitzman discusses the availability of Feynman's Tips on Physics and other lectures on the website.

He introduces 'Thinking Physics' by Epstein, a book of questions and quizzes that challenge understanding of physics concepts.

Weitzman recommends 'Electricity and Magnetism' by Edward Purcell for its comprehensive treatment of the subject.

The older editions of Purcell's book used CGS units, which Weitzman prefers, but newer editions use MKS units.

Weitzman plans to cover books on second-year physics and advanced topics in future videos.

The transcript emphasizes the importance of understanding and practical application of physics concepts.

Transcripts

Browse More Related Video

2 Quantum Mechanics v2

Want to study physics? Read these 10 books

10 More Quantum, Quantum Information and Computing, and Computational Physics v2

This is Why Physics Seems so Hard.

Books for Learning Physics

Your Physics Library