faraday

Hi,

I had a question about the physics course selection. For freshman I believe, there is 2 calculus based series, one called the 40's series, the other being the more advanced 60's series. I have questions about the 60's series.

1. Is the 60's series equivalent to MIT's 8.012/8.022, more advanced mechanics/electricity for freshman? MIT uses the Kleppner/Kolenkow Introduction to Mechanics, and Griffith electrodynamics books.

2. Which books are used in the 60's series?

3. What is the peer competition in the 60's series? (Olympiad champions, physics whizzes, whatever...). is the vast majority physics majors?

4. As a prospective major in engineer, and physics minor, is it advisable/advantageous to do the 60's series? Will a background in Physics C and Calculus be enough, are should we have at least some knowledge of Multivariate calc/differential equations BEFORE taking those advanced freshman classes?

Thanks so much.

asian75

Physics 60 series are pretty hard-core but doable. 40's series is cake. However, i think 60's seris might be little bit over the top for you, so take the 40's series.

Sly Si

1. Yes, it sounds similar. It covers things at a more advanced level, and it also works in modern physics. If you take 40 series, you have to take 70 later (relativity/quantum), whereas you don't if you take 60 series. Special relativity is worked in at the end of 61 (which allows 63 to cover some really cool relativistic aspects of magnetism), and 65 is half thermo, half quantum.

2. Kleppner/Kolenkow for 61, and Berkeley series (I forget the author) for 63. I forget the 65 book, and it's probably changed anyway since then. Taylor/Wheeler is a supplemental text for the relativity part of 61.

3. Yes, pretty much all physics majors, and the course is targeted at particularly strong physics majors. But "competition" is a very incorrect word to use. It's not competitive. In fact, it is nearly essential to get to know the other people in the class so you can do problem sets together.

4. You don't need background in multivariable/diffeq for 60 series. But you shouldn't take it unless you really like physics and are up for a big challenge.

GammaGrozza

^FYI, this was posted in January by a student who is matriculating at MIT.

asian75

damn. How do u know? Anyways, Stanford >>>>> MIT

GammaGrozza

Cause this guy made a huge deal about Stanford vs. MIT, and I remember him posting on the MIT forum that he had decided to matriculate there. And faraday's an easy username to remember. Just like morsmordre, slysi, bluebubbles, Cjone, intangiblegator, lizzardfire, alexandre, etc.

Sly Si

Oops, my bad. Usually I remember to check dates.