hi I'm a total beginner and anxious physics beginner (you can find that out by my posts on trying to have an unobtainium 😂)
I've finally have clearer Schedule this year and I want to spend it on Mathematics, Physics and the third part is a secret (sorry) besides the usual programming exercises and projects.
now I have this to ask: how much further in physics with reading the three volumes of Feynman's lectures will take me. and also do you personally recommend another book(s) to read on the side when I reading the lectures and also what should I focus on reading after that?
I should mention I have an agenda in quantum-physics and particle physics but I don't want that to stop me from what other fields of physics that might peek my curiosity.
I wish I read Feymans lectures before hand. EMT would have clicked a lot sooner for me. Remember there are also great resources of online physics courses from MIT, Harvard, Oxford, ect.
Honestly they are not a good source to use for beginners, and it's a bit unfortunate that they are marketed that way. I tried to read them as a beginner and got very confused. They are very nice books once you learned the material in a more standard way. I feel the third volume on quantum physics is especially not helpful for beginners.
I dunno, I read the FLP first before going through the topics in a formal way. I found them to be incredibly useful and insightful, and I had a much easier time following my formal classes after reading the FLP. It had the unfortunate side effect of making most other textbooks feel dry though.
I agree with the comments so far that if your intention is to gain a good grasp of these foundational physics concepts from the perspective of a beginner, the Feynman lectures may not serve you well.
The texts I would suggest in lieu of the Feynman lectures depend on your intentions, but I would in general encourage you to frequently attempt problems of a variety of difficulties as you self-study. Physics and mathematics are subjects that must be practiced in order to gain proficiency and eventual mastery, so general reading will not be sufficient.
Additionally, you will need to keep up with mathematics reading in addition to physics reading as you move beyond mechanics, as the tools necessary to fully understand the topics will rely on mathematical concepts beyond the standard single variable calculus (e.g. multivariable calculus, ordinary/partial differential equations, linear algebra, and more).
Don’t start there. Start with a more standard text book. The series is good but it’s not ideal for new students. You’d be better off using it as extra reading. Drill your math it’s the basis for everything.
use it for extra reading. got it