Thinking Like a Physicist, Physics Problems for Undergraduates by N. Thompson (PDF)

Description

This unique collection of problems and solutions, selected from examination and tutorial questions used in the University of Bristol, is the first book of its kind to address the ‘art’ of problem solving in a truly constructive manner. The reader is encouraged to apply basic physical principles, judicious assumptions and approximations, and simplified ‘models’ of complex situations, and to consider the limitations of the resulting solutions – in short to ‘think like a physicist’. The problems are taken from all branches of the subject, but most deal with topics that are essentially elementary, and should therefore be accessible to first and final-year undergraduates alike. The inclusion of a full set of solutions ensures that the student cannot become ‘lost’ in a problems, and can therefore avoid much of the frustration associated with problem solving ‘in the dark’. Students who use this book will no longer be faced with the feeling of helplessness – even despair – experienced upon opening an examination paper and being confronted with a seemingly impenetrable set of questions, apparently designed to foil even the the most diligent and attentive of pupils. They will no longer complain ‘They didn’t tell us that in lectures; how were we supposed to know that?’ and will be confident when faced with problems outside their direct experience. As a teaching and learning aid, this book will prove to be an invaluable acquisition for lecturers and students in physics and the physical sciences, and should therefore not be missed.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐I COMPLETELY agree with Daniel Lemus that for the purpose of passing the quals, his list of other books is not only better, but all that is needed. BUT I STONGLY disagree that this book is not worth it.But let’s first understand something. Most US quals consist of formulaic problems, such as:- The “rigid body problem,” where if you know how to calculate the inertia tensor, and you know Euler’s equations, then you can find the angular momentum vector, the torque, the precession, etc.- The “boundary value problem” in electrostatics or magnetostatics, which, knowing Maxwell’s equations, can be solved by purely mathematical methods.- The “perturbation theory problem,” where if you know the formulas from quantum mechanics, you can find the level shift of an atom in an external field, or some such situation.- The “partition function problem” where response functions, for example, magnetic susceptibility, or other thermodynamic functions, can be calculated knowing how to calculate partition functions for simple systems.- Etc. You all know the long list. Just look at your last 4 years of homework problems.I am in NO WAY denigrating these kinds of problems or these kinds of exams! They are and were an essential part of training in physics.But Thompson’s book is different. It’s about messy, squishy, ugly real life problems. Things like interstellar gunk condensing into a planet or star, surface tension and viscosity in real fluids, i.e. more realistic models of the physical world. For that reason, this book is a gem, not to be missed. It is very much in the spirit of Pippard’s “Cavendish Problems in Physics,” another gem. But unlike Pippard, Thompson gives detailed solutions.

⭐The book is really nice, I highly recommend if you are in looking for fun and training for Olympiads and physics contest

⭐Good that it poses questions and has the answers.

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