This is good. You're willing to learn. I apologize for coming off as somewhat derisive in my original post, but unfortunately there's too many crackpots here trying to sell their individual own brand of woo/snake-oil. You said you know calculus, but how much do you know exactly? Have you taken Calc III? Do you know what a gradient is? Are you comfortable with spherical polar coordinates? What about ordinary differential equations and linear algebra? You first need to get the basic math down, which is calc III, differential equations, and linear algebra. After this, you are in a position to learn just about everything in quantum mechanics and all of its bizarre predictions. You may have to pick up some partial differential equations techniques and fourier analysis, but nothing more. Also, stick with textbooks to gain the correct intuition with quantum mechanics. Do not read any of this new-age BS, as at times they can even have physics of QM correct but their conclusions and logic are fundamentally flawed.
then i reccomend going to the university bookstore, grabbing a coarse catalogue, and finding what classds are required for a physics degree. Then find the books for those.classes and buy then. You do not need to be a student to buy text books (usually) Sent from my LG-E739 using Grasscity Forum mobile app
[quote name="Modality" post="19466205" timestamp="1391556124"]This is good. You're willing to learn. I apologize for coming off as somewhat derisive in my original post, but unfortunately there's too many crackpots here trying to sell their individual own brand of woo/snake-oil.You said you know calculus, but how much do you know exactly? Have you taken Calc III? Do you know what a gradient is? Are you comfortable with spherical polar coordinates? What about ordinary differential equations and linear algebra?You first need to get the basic math down, which is calc III, differential equations, and linear algebra. After this, you are in a position to learn just about everything in quantum mechanics and all of its bizarre predictions. You may have to pick up some partial differential equations techniques and fourier analysis, but nothing more.Also, stick with textbooks to gain the correct intuition with quantum mechanics. Do not read any of this new-age BS, as at times they can even have physics of QM correct but their conclusions and logic are fundamentally flawed.[/quote]I am in Calculus II but I understand what you just listed. I am great at algebra and linear eequations as well. I am willing to learn just about anything if I can find the textbooks. Ill stop by the bookstore after class and see what I can find.
On a completely serious note, I would advise against buying textbooks brand new. They're overpriced, and there are hoards of students each year who sell off their used books at a fraction of the cost. Don't be fooled by the latest edition, in almost all cases authors will not change the content, and even sometimes swap chapters around to give the impression of it being updated. It's a way to promote sales, as universities will not encourage using second hand books, but prescribe the latest edition each year.
I will give you books, then give you a prescription for how to learn: 1. Classical Mechanics : Goldstein, Classical Mechanics (very good book, gold standard. Chapters 1,2,8 are completely necessary, but I would insist on reading the whole book) 2. Quantum Mechanics : D.J. Griffiths (Great phycisist, has a standardized textbook for undergraduates on quantum mechanics. I would try this first. If you can do the problems and coherently explain what you're doing in a conversational manner, you may think about upgrading [He's actually coming to give a talk at my school in a few weeks!]) J.J Sakuraii/ Napolitano: This book is for graduate students. Very fundamental concepts, a very concise and juicy text. DO NOT read this as a main text if you're not understanding griffiths. 3. Special Relatiivity: Shultz first chapter. 4. Finally, after all three of these are finished, you may proceed to QFT. Standard text is Peskin&Schroeder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Realistically, you won't do this at all, and you'll give up at some point. Why? You'll get distracted because you'll be surrounded by things that give you more pleasure than this, plain and simple. Yet you have a human brain and you're just as capable as anyone to become a professor, it's just that only a few actually can bunk down and do all of the work. Start reading and doing the problems. This could very well take you 2-3 years of hard work, so don't think this is an easy task. It's not just learning this material, it's learning how to think better and become more intelligent. I can give you the books to read, but there are countless amount of hurdles in the way of doing this. One more thing. You need to see where you're at from time to time, go to a major university and sit in on some of the physic's classes. Talk to professors. Get rejected. Keep going. I personally got my degree optical engineering, but am finally getting in a rhythm with math and physics courses. It takes countless amount of hours, and will NEVER work for someone who doesn't get a certain amount of pleasure from what he/she is doing. I wish you luck, and anyone else who thinks they can do it.
this is all really excellent information, especially the bit about sitting in on classes to gauge yourself