Structure and Interpretation of Classical Mechanics
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Structure and Interpretation of Classical Mechanics
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Re: Structure and Interpretation of Classical Mechanics
#2Just to note for people who know about SICP: this book is not like that. The book jumps straight into basic principles of Lagrangian mechanics, talking about the least action principle and the Euler-Lagrange equations. It is not "mechanics 101 for smart people" like SICP is for computer science.
With that said, the computational approach they take is unique and useful. You'd especially like it if you like Scheme and the coding style found in SICP.
Re: Structure and Interpretation of Classical Mechanics
#3For those interested, Leonard susskin video course in stanford ( can be found anywhere ) on classical mechanics is one of the most beautiful piece of intellectual material i've ever been given the chance to see.
Re: Structure and Interpretation of Classical Mechanics
#4Just to note for people who know about SICP: this book is not like that. The book jumps straight into basic principles of Lagrangian mechanics, talking about the least action principle and the Euler-Lagrange equations. It is not "mechanics 101 for smart people" like SICP is for computer science. With that said, the computational approach they take is unique and useful. You'd especially like it if you like Scheme and…
Learning Lagrangian mechanics was like falling in love all over again with your girlfriend when you discovered exactly how elegant she could be. Easily my favorite part of classical mechanics as an undergrad.
Re: Structure and Interpretation of Classical Mechanics
#5For those interested, Leonard susskin video course in stanford ( can be found anywhere ) on classical mechanics is one of the most beautiful piece of intellectual material i've ever been given the chance to see.
How do Susskind’s lectures compare to Walter Lewin’s lectures?
Re: Structure and Interpretation of Classical Mechanics
#6For those interested, Leonard susskin video course in stanford ( can be found anywhere ) on classical mechanics is one of the most beautiful piece of intellectual material i've ever been given the chance to see.
I absolutely agree. I hit the first chapter of SICM like a brick wall on my first attempt, but after watching Susskind's lectures I found it far easier to understand (although it is still a very difficult book!)
http://theoreticalminimum.com/courses/classical-mechanics/20...
Re: Structure and Interpretation of Classical Mechanics
#7[deleted]
Re: Structure and Interpretation of Classical Mechanics
#8For those interested, Leonard susskin video course in stanford ( can be found anywhere ) on classical mechanics is one of the most beautiful piece of intellectual material i've ever been given the chance to see.
How do Susskind’s lectures compare to Walter Lewin’s lectures?
They're completely different.
Susskind won't teach you things like friction, drag, or elasticity. But, he will teach you some of the most profound theoretical insights of modern physics.
Lewin won't teach you Euler-Lagrange Equations, or Noether's Theorem. But, he will teach you how to think about solving practical physics problems.
They also have different sense of humour:
Re: Structure and Interpretation of Classical Mechanics
#9Schaum's Outline of Lagrangian Dynamics (http://goo.gl/ozq7Sh) really helped me a lot with figuring out how the concepts work, through a wide range of fully worked out example problems.
Re: Structure and Interpretation of Classical Mechanics
#10Just to note for people who know about SICP: this book is not like that. The book jumps straight into basic principles of Lagrangian mechanics, talking about the least action principle and the Euler-Lagrange equations. It is not "mechanics 101 for smart people" like SICP is for computer science. With that said, the computational approach they take is unique and useful. You'd especially like it if you like Scheme and…
On the idea of "mechanics 101 for smart people" - can anyone recommend good books that are the analogs of SICP for other subjects? I'd love to know ones for, say, genetics or evolution as well as stats.
I can say that Hubbard + Hubbard "Vector Calculus, Linear Algebra, and Differential Equations" does a good job of being that for vector calculus specifically and for exposure to theoretical mathematics.