
Ask HN: Best way to learn physics? - hoonah
I have a good foundation in mathematics and I&#x27;m interested in learning about physics. What&#x27;s the best way to learn physics from first principles?
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yetanotheracc
Here is a guide made by Nobel laureate Gerard 't Hooft:
[http://www.staff.science.uu.nl/~gadda001/goodtheorist/index....](http://www.staff.science.uu.nl/~gadda001/goodtheorist/index.html)

Or, to learn basic physics in a structured and rigorous way, you could take
this course (but it's quite expensive):
[http://www.open.ac.uk/courses/modules/s217](http://www.open.ac.uk/courses/modules/s217)

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b_emery
Get a few lower division (first few years of undergraduate) textbooks and
start reading. Work the problems at the end of each chapter. Ideally find
books with solutions or at least the answers, so you can work these problems
until you understand them. When you get stuck, find someone you can go to, or
consult other texts which often give a slightly different, often very helpful,
point of view. Also ideally, you would have access to a library so that you
can get a few texts.

Personally, I believe the best way to learn anything hard is by enrolling in a
course. Having some kind of commitment, and looming consequence, forces you to
work through the inevitable tough patches. You can also get a lot of help from
classmates, and or learn a lot from helping classmates. They can also be a
social support network.

Regarding your comment in the thread, you might want to make sure that it is
physics that you want to learn. Physics is more the study of how things are,
the nature of reality, rather than 'why' reality is a certain way. There are
not many satisfying answers to questions like "why does light have wave and
particle properties", but this might be semantics. Physics explains a lot
about what we observe. I get a lot of pleasure out of knowing why the sky is
blue, how a rainbow is formed, etc. My BS in Physics is an excellent
foundation for what I do now, which is radar oceanography.

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sebg
[http://www.feynmanlectures.caltech.edu/](http://www.feynmanlectures.caltech.edu/)
All free and ready for you to enjoy!

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jayajay
I would recommend the Feynman lectures for advanced undergraduates in physics.
I don't think a beginner would be able to fully appreciate them. That said, if
you've got great math skills, it might be worth a shot.

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brudgers
I think it depends on what value is expected from obtaining the physics
knowledge...that is solving engineering problems is different from astronomy
is different from becoming a more well rounded individual. The best approach
to each entails different levels of formality as does the best approach to
each for each individual.

What about physics interests you?

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hoonah
I'm curious about how the universe works and want to understand why things are
the way they are.

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kleer001
That's quite vague. Best to start at the bottom and work your way up. As in
take the undergrad route until something tickles your fancy.

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veddox
If you're still in college/university, enrol in an undergraduate introductory
physics course. If you don't have time for that, go to the library and borrow
whatever text book it is they use for those courses. Alternately, just browse
the physics department shelves in the library and read whatever book catches
your fancy.

