Physics Learning Guide - Susan Rigetti

8/21/23, 8:24 AM Physics — Susan Rigetti
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So You Want to Learn Physics…
SECOND EDITION
Introduction to the Second Edition
April 20th, 2021
Nearly six years ago, I sat down at my desk and typed up a detailed guide for anyone who wanted to learn physics
on their own. At the time, I had no idea how many people would read it and use it — my only goal was to put
the information out there in a clear and straightforward way so that anyone who wanted to learn physics would
have the self-study curriculum they needed. Since then, over six hundred thousand people have turned to this
guide to study physics.
According to the emails I’ve received from readers, many of you have gone on to get undergraduate degrees in
physics after following the curriculum in this guide (some of you are even now in graduate programs!), but the
majority of those who have bookmarked and followed this guide — even all the way to the end! — have done so
out of pure curiosity and for the sheer joy of understanding the incredible universe we inhabit.
The success of this guide is, I believe, a testament to two things.
First, that one of the most impactful things you can do is to share what you know with others, even if it doesn’t
seem like a lot. I wasn’t able to become a professional physicist, but I was able to use my knowledge of
undergraduate and graduate-level physics to type up a comprehensive and accessible curriculum that has helped
hundreds of thousands of people learn physics. That’s pretty remarkable. If you are wondering what you have to
https://www.susanrigetti.com/physics 1/20
offer the world, I hope you will think of this guide and consider what you might know that you can share with
others.
Second, that there are so many people in the world who want to understand physics but are unable to study it
formally in a university setting for any number of reasons. These same people are very serious about learning
physics, and not for any career purposes but simply because they want to understand the universe, and they are and
have been dreadfully underserved and underestimated by the academic physics community (who do not take them
seriously because they aren’t studying at colleges and universities) and by the authors of contemporary and popular
physics books and the publishers of those same books (who mostly just sell them books that assume most readers
can never and will never really understand physics). When I wrote the first edition of this guide, I was pretty sure
there were a lot more people out there who really wanted to learn physics — real physics — than academic
physicists and publishers believed, and those were the people I wanted to help. As it turns out, there were even
more of you than I could ever have imagined!
Well, after almost six years and lots of reader feedback, I decided that it was finally time to make a (lightly)
updated version of this guide. I went back through the emails and comments I’ve received over the years, and then
made a list of the most popular requests. I skimmed through all the books in the curriculum and a few new ones
as well. I updated textbook editions, added more undergraduate-level electives, added a section of graduate-level
electives, and made a few other small changes — all in the hope that this new version will be even more useful
than the first.
As I wrote in the first edition: “Remember that anyone can learn physics…Whether you turn it into a hobby or a
career, the pure joy of understanding the universe around us is one of the most beautiful experiences you can ever
have in life.”
Godspeed!
You can still find the first edition here, on my old website: https://www.susanjfowler.com/blog/2016/8/13/so-you-
want-to-learn-physics.
Introduction to the First Edition
August 13th, 2015
Over the past few years, ever since writing a blog post called “If Susan Can Learn Physics, So Can You,” I've been
contacted by people from all backgrounds
Susan Rigetti who areFilm
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want toMisc
learn physics, but don't know where to
Contact
start, what to learn, what to read, and how to structure their studies. I've spoken with single mothers who want to
go back to school and study physics, tenured philosophy professors who want to learn physics so that they can
make significant and informed contributions to philosophy of physics, high school students who want to know
what they should read to prepare for an undergraduate education in physics, and people in dozens of various
careers who want to really, really learn and understand physics simply for the joy of it.
This post is a condensed version of what I've sent to people who have contacted me over the years, outlining what
everyone needs to learn in order to really understand physics.
The general physics education given in U.S. universities is divided into what is learned at the undergraduate level
and what is covered in graduate courses, and I've divided my list in a similar way. Because each subject is built
upon the previous subjects and the mathematics becomes more complex and difficult, it's important to learn each
topic in the order presented below.
If you work through the all of the textbooks in the Undergraduate Physics list of this post, and master each of the
topics, you'll have gained the knowledge equivalent of a Bachelor's Degree in Physics (and will be able to score
well on the Physics GRE). If you work through the graduate core of the Graduate Physics textbooks, you'll have
the equivalent knowledge of obtaining a Master's Degree in Physics. A PhD in Physics requires the graduate
coursework as well as several years of research and a thesis, and the experience involved in a PhD isn't something
that can be gained independently of a PhD program.
Remember that anyone can learn physics. It's no different from learning programming, from learning a musical
instrument, from reading great literature. Whether you turn it into a hobby or a career, the pure joy of
understanding the universe around us is one of the most beautiful experiences you can ever have in life.
Before You Begin
Popular Books on Physics
When you're solving problems, working through textbooks, and getting into the nitty-gritty details of each topic,
it's so easy to lose the forest for the trees and forget why you even became inspired to study physics in the first
place. This is where really, really good (and non-speculative) popular books on physics come in handy: they
inspire, they encourage, and they help
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One big problem is that many popular physics books (especially those written by famous physicists) are incredibly
speculative and tend to present an unrealistic view of what the study of physics is all about. When you're learning
physics, it's best to avoid these types of speculative books and stick to the ones that talk about the real physics that
we know exists (in general, anything by Frank Close or Richard Feynman is a safe bet!).
Here are a handful of my favorite popular physics books, ranked in order of difficulty:
• The First Three Minutes by Steven Weinberg (Level: Easy). An account of the Big Bang by one of the
most brilliant physicists of all time.
• The Character of Physical Law by Richard Feynman (Level: Easy). A brilliant, inspiring little book on the
laws of nature.
• The Particle Odyssey by Frank Close (Level: Easy). A brilliant popular introduction to particle physics and
its history, beautifully illustrated with amazing figures and photographs. (Unfortunately it’s a bit difficult to
find online right now, but if you find a copy, you should buy it ASAP!)
• Black Holes and Time Warps by Kip Thorne (Level: Easy/Medium). My absolute favorite popular
introduction to general relativity.
• The Theoretical Minimum by Leonard Susskind and George Hrabovsky (Level: Medium). A solid
introduction to classical mechanics. Is best understood around level 5 in the undergraduate curriculum.
• The Feynman Lectures on Physics (Boxed Set) and Feynman Lectures on Physics (Kindle Edition) (Level:
Medium). Feynman's Lectures are essential readings for everyone interested in physics, and you'll find a
copy on the bookshelf of every amateur and professional physicist. These lectures are what got me into
physics: my astronomy professor told me to read them and see if I liked physics - they changed my life!
They are somewhat difficult to understand if you are just getting started, but they will make more and
more sense by the time you reach levels 5 and 6 in the undergraduate curriculum.
• Deep Down Things: The Breathtaking Beauty of Particle Physics by Bruce Schumm (Level: Difficult).
The very best popular book about particle physics — it clearly explains the most difficult concepts without
resorting to speculation. (I had the honor of working with Bruce on a search for supersymmetry at the
ATLAS detector.) This book is a great read while you are starting level 7 in the undergraduate curriculum.
Mathematical and Scientific Preliminaries
Before you begin studying physics and working through the topics in the sections below, you need to be familiar
with
Susansome basic mathematics. A high
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algebra 2, trigonometry, and pre-calculus — is sufficient. If you need a refresher, I recommend either working
through the Khan Academy math courses (https://www.khanacademy.org/) or the book Why Math? by R.D.
Driver. There's no need to be familiar with calculus before starting, because you’ll learn it as you work through the
undergraduate-level courses.
There are no scientific prerequisites for this curriculum. You don’t need to be familiar with biology or chemistry at
either the high school or college level in order to understand, although doing some studying on the side can’t hurt.
Khan Academy has some great high school science refresher courses that are perfect for this
(https://www.khanacademy.org/science).
How to Study
Everyone learns very differently, and knowing your learning style is important: do you learn by reading, by taking
notes, by talking, by watching, by doing, or by a combination of some or all of these? For example, I learn by
reading and by note-taking, so I read through textbooks very carefully, take copious notes, and summarize each
concept in my own words before moving on to something new. Think about this before you begin so that you'll
know how to structure your studies.
Regardless of your learning style, you'll still need to solve the physics problems in each textbook. Solving
problems is the only way to understand physics. There's no way around it. Even though it can feel tedious at
times, there's nothing more rewarding than figuring out a really difficult physics problem and realizing that you
figured it all out all by yourself!
One tough thing about learning on your own is that you may not know whether you are solving the problems
correctly. Some of the textbooks listed below have answers to selected exercises in the back of the book, but these
aren’t always adequate for two reasons: (1) they often only show the solutions to the problems, and not the steps
taken to get there; and (2) it’s much better to do all of the exercises rather than just a select few. The good news is
that many of the solutions (and step-by-step ways to solve them) can be found online with a simple Google
search. If you are going to Google the answers, however, please first try to solve the problems on your own, and try
multiple times (you’re not in school trying to get a perfect grade — you’re trying to learn and understand).
And, finally, a note on learning in a laboratory vs. learning from textbooks. Physics is both an experimental and
theoretical science, and while research happens in laboratories and on blackboards and computers, the majority of
any physics education does not take place in a laboratory but in lecture classes that teach from textbooks and assign
homework problems that are found
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introductory levels, and their only purpose is to show that oh, look, Newton’s laws work in the real world after
all) and some — some — undergraduates are allowed to participate in research on the side, but physics is taught
through textbooks, lectures, and homework problems. Don’t believe me? Take a look at the undergraduate physics
curriculum at any university that offers a physics major. Graduate programs in physics are largely the same — both
M.A. and PhD programs in physics require two years of core classes — with one key difference: to get a PhD,
students need to complete several years of research, a thesis, and — at many programs — take an exam to prove
they have mastered the graduate core curriculum. The graduate core curriculum is all textbooks and lectures and
homework problems. The textbooks listed in the curriculum I’ve written below are the same textbooks that are
used in the top undergraduate and graduate physics programs in the world. Studying them will give you the same
education that you would receive at one of these programs — no painfully-annoying-introductory-mechanics-
laboratory-class-with-inane-group-projects required.
Undergraduate Physics
Overview
The curriculum of every undergraduate physics program covers the following subjects (along with some electives
in various topics), and usually in the following order:
1. Introduction to Mechanics
2. Electrostatics
3. Waves and Vibrations
4. Modern Physics
5. Classical Mechanics
6. Electrodynamics
7. Quantum Mechanics
8. Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
9. Undergraduate Electives

I'm going to cover the details of each of these fields below, including the best textbooks to use and any additional
reading you may find helpful in your journey. I'm also going to give some details about the mathematics you'll
need to learn alongside each topic.
1. Introduction to Mechanics
What It's All About
An introduction to mechanics course is the first physics class that most people will take in an undergraduate
program, and it's the best place to begin independent study of physics as well. This is where you'll start learning
how to see the world in mathematical terms. Topics that will be covered: the basics of motion in a straight line,
motion in two dimensions, motion in three dimensions, Newton's Laws, work, kinetic energy, potential energy,
the conservation of energy, momentum, collisions, rotation and rotational motion, gravitation, and periodic
motion.
The Best Textbooks to Use
• University Physics with Modern Physics by Young and Freedman (essential). Work through all of the
"Mechanics" chapters (in my edition, these are chapters 1-14). This is the best introductory book I've
found, and you can use it when you learn electrostatics and modern physics, too. It does a great job of
introducing the relevant mathematics, but you'll need to be learning calculus alongside it. There are plenty
of great example problems to work through, and the solutions are easy to find online (though you can also
buy a Student Solutions Manual). Please note that you don't need to spend $250 on the new edition —
Amazon has lots of copies of the 12th edition, the 13th edition, and the 14th edition that contain the same
material.
The Math You'll Need to Learn Alongside It
You'll need to learn calculus while working through University Physics. My favorite introductory calculus book is
Thomas' Calculus (you can also use the earlier editions), with Stewart's Calculus (older edition here) coming in as
a close second. Work through each chapter, and make sure you can solve problems at the end of each chapter
before continuing to the next.
If you are new to calculus and/or find yourself struggling to get accustomed to it, don’t let that stop you. Calculus
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watching videos like the ones on Khan Academy (https://www.khanacademy.org/), (2) taking Robert Ghrist’s free
calculus courses on Coursera, and (3) reading a truly amazing little book called Calculus Made Easy by Silvanus P.
Thompson and Martin Gardner that breaks everything down really clearly.
2. Electrostatics
What It's All About
This is where you'll learn about the physics of electricity and magnetism (electromagnetism) in static situations
(situations where no motion is involved). Topics covered are: electric charges and electric fields, magnetism and
magnetic fields, Gauss's Law, capacitance, resistance and conductance, inductance, current, and how circuits work.
• University Physics with Modern Physics by Young and Freedman (essential). Work through the chapters on
"Electromagnetism" (in my edition, these are chapters 21-32). You can find inexpensive copies of the 12th
edition, the 13th edition, and the 14th edition that contain the same material.
The Math You'll Need To Learn Alongside It
Keep working through the calculus textbooks (Thomas or Stewart) while you work through the basics of
electrostatics, but you should finish them by the time you finish the electromagnetism chapters in University
Physics. You absolutely must understand the basics of calculus before you move on to the other topics in physics.
3. Waves and Vibrations
What It's All About
The mechanics of vibrations and waves are complex and important enough to demand their own course of study.
Mastering this material is essentialAbout
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you will learn about simple harmonic oscillators, damped harmonic oscillators, forced oscillations, coupled
oscillators, waves, interference, diffraction, and dispersion.
• Vibrations and Waves by French (essential) and Vibrations and Waves by King (essential). These two books
complement each other very well, and contain different problems and solutions.
By this point, you should have finished the introductory calculus books and are ready to move on to more
advanced mathematics. You should start working through Zill's Advanced Engineering Mathematics, which is a
thorough introduction to more advanced topics in mathematics (linear algebra, complex analysis, real analysis,
partial differential equations, and ordinary differential equations). The topics in this book are essential — once you
master them, you'll have all the math you need to know in order to understand undergraduate physics. You can
also buy the (cheaper) 4th and 5th editions.
4. Modern Physics
What It's All About
The fourth physics class that most undergraduates take is usually called "Modern Physics", and it's an introduction
to topics in physics that will be taught in greater detail later in the undergraduate physics curriculum. If you plan
to study the advanced topics on their own, it's fine to skip this class, but covering these topics now in your
independent studies will allow you to grasp the advanced topics that you hear so much about and that probably
got you into physics in the first place. This is where you'll learn the basics of thermodynamics, relativity, quantum
mechanics, atomic physics, nuclear physics, particle physics, and cosmology.
• University Physics with Modern Physics by Young and Freedman (essential). Work through the
"Thermodynamics" section (chapters 17-20 in my edition of the book), and the "Modern Physics" section
(chapters 37-44). You can find inexpensive copies of the 12th edition, the 13th edition, and the 14th
Susan edition
Rigetti that contain the same material.
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Continue working through Zill's Advanced Engineering Mathematics. Once you have mastered all of the topics in
this book, you'll have all the math you need to know in order to understand undergraduate physics.
5. Classical Mechanics
What It's All About
This is where you’ll really learn classical mechanics, which you were introduced to in the very first course
(Introduction to Mechanics). You'll study the topics in much greater depth, and learn how to use different
mathematical formalisms of classical mechanics (the Lagrangian formalism and the Hamiltonian formalism) to
solve problems in mechanics.
• Taylor's Classical Mechanics (essential). This is a fantastic introduction to classical mechanics.
• Morin's Introduction to Classical Mechanics with Problems and Solutions (supplement). Morin's book is a
good supplement to Taylor's, and contains some great problems to work through.
• Problems and Solutions in Introductory Mechanics by Morin (supplement). Even more great problems
(with solutions) to work through, and contains some great problem-solving strategies.
If you haven't finished working through Zill by now, you should master the topics in it by the time you finish
studying classical mechanics.
6. Electrodynamics
What It's All About

Earlier, you learned about electrostatics: the study of static (non-moving) electricity and magnetism. By now, you
know the mathematics to understand electrodynamics, which encompasses everything about classical electricity
and magnetism. You'll cover electrostatics again, then learn about Laplace's equation, multipole expansions,
polarization, dielectrics, the Lorentz Force Law, the Biot-Savart Law, magnetic vector potential, electromotive
force, electromagnetic induction, Maxwell's equations, electromagnetic waves and radiation, and special relativity.
• Griffith's Introduction to Electrodynamics (essential). This is the book on undergraduate electrodynamics

and one of the very best physics textbooks ever written. Make sure you work through every single problem
in the book.
• Div, Grad, Curl and All That by Schey (supplement). This is a short textbook on vector calculus that is very
helpful when trying to work with vectors in electrodynamics.
• A Student's Guide to Maxwell's Equations by Fleisch (supplement). Maxwell's equations are essential in
understanding electrodynamics, and this book is the best supplement on the topic.
What It's All About
By this point, you're ready to really dive into the fundamentals of quantum mechanics and its applications — one
of the most beautiful, interesting, and thought-provoking topics in all of physics. You'll learn to see the world in a
completely new way. You'll learn about the wave function, the Schrodinger equation, perturbation theory, the
variational principle, the WKB Approximation, the adiabatic approximation, and scattering.
• Griffith's Introduction to Quantum Mechanics (essential). This is, without a doubt, the book on
undergraduate quantum mechanics, written by the same Griffiths who wrote the Introduction to
Electrodynamics. It's written in the same concise and beautiful style, and every single problem is worth
Susan solving.
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8. Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
What It's All About
Thermodynamics is the field of physics concerned with kinetics (dynamics) related to heat and energy, while
statistical mechanics is all about the microscopic principles that underlie the Laws of Thermodynamics. This is
where you'll learn about the laws of thermodynamics, entropy, the canonical ensemble, Maxwell
distributions, Planck's distribution, Fermi-Dirac statistics, Bose-Einstein statistics, and phase transitions.
By the time you've finished this topic, you'll have mastered all of the fundamentals of undergraduate physics!
• Schroeder’s An Introduction to Thermal Physics (essential). A very thorough and comprehensive

introduction to thermodynamics and statistical mechanics; contains very clear and straightforward
explanations and examples.
• Introductory Statistical Mechanics by Bowley and Sanchez (supplement). A good second text to have on
hand to reference.
9. Undergraduate Electives
What They’re All About
Now that you understand all of the fundamentals of undergraduate physics, you have a solid foundation and can
study more advanced and specialized topics, including (but not limited to) astronomy, astrophysics,
biophysics, cosmology, electronics, optics, particle physics, and string theory.
• Astronomy: The Cosmic Perspective. A wonderful introduction to astronomy, accessible to anyone who is
Susan just beginning to study physics.

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• Astrophysics: An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics by Carroll and Ostlie. A comprehensive

introduction to modern astrophysics.
• Biophysics: Biophysics: An Introduction by Glaser. A solid introduction to the principles of biophysics.
• Cosmology: Ryden's Introduction to Cosmology. My absolute favorite introductory cosmology book.
• Electronics: Basic Electronics for Scientists and Engineers by Eggleston. Accessible to anyone who has
worked through the basics of electrodynamics.
• Optics. Optics by Hecht. The classic (and truly amazing) optics textbook.
• Particle Physics: Griffith's Introduction to Elementary Particles. Written by the same Griffith who gave
us the Introduction to Electrodynamics and Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, this book is the perfect
introduction to the fundamentals of particle physics and is a joy to work through.
• String Theory. A First Course in String Theory by Zwiebach. The essential introduction to string theory.
Graduate Physics
Overview
Graduate-level physics requires mastery of every topic within the undergraduate physics curriculum above as a
prerequisite.
The graduate physics core is comprised of:
1. Mathematical Methods in Physics
2. Electrodynamics
4. Statistical Mechanics
5. General Relativity
6. Quantum Field Theory

7. Graduate Electives

I'll cover each of these in the sections below. (Note: many graduate students are required to take a course in
classical mechanics as part of the graduate core, but if you've mastered the material in undergraduate classical
mechanics there is no need for this).
1. Mathematical Methods in Physics
What It's All About
Studying electrodynamics, quantum mechanics, and stat mech in more depth at the graduate level requires a
greater level of mathematical rigor. To prepare, you'll need to learn the following in greater detail: Fourier
analysis, tensors, ODEs, PDEs, real analysis, complex analysis, algebra, and group theory (to name a few).
The Best Textbooks To Use
• Mathematical Methods for Physicists by Arfken, Weber, and Harris (essential). This book covers the
essentials of everything you'll need to know for the mathematical rigor demanded by the graduate core.
• Tolstov's Fourier Series (supplement). The best book on Fourier Analysis ever written. Complements the
main text very well.
• Complex Variables by Fisher (supplement). Amazing overview of complex analysis. Can be used along with
Needham's Visual Complex Analysis to supplement the main text.
• Zee's Group Theory in a Nutshell for Physicists (supplement). A brilliant introduction to group theory for
physicists.
2. Graduate Electrodynamics
What It's All About
Graduate-level electrodynamics covers the same topics as undergraduate electrodynamics but with greater
mathematical
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• Classical Electrodynamics by Jackson (essential). This is the bible of classical electrodynamics, and everyone
who works through either loves it or hates it (I loved it). If you can master everything in this book and
work through a decent selection of the problems, you'll have mastered electrodynamics.
3. Graduate Quantum Mechanics
What It's All About
Graduate quantum mechanics is far more advanced than what you learned at the undergraduate level. Here you'll
learn, in great depth, all there is to know about quantum mechanics, including quantum
dynamics (the Schrodinger equation, the Heisenberg picture, propagators, and Feynman path integrals), angular
momentum, symmetries and conservation laws of the quantum world, perturbation theory, scattering
theory, relativistic quantum mechanics, decoherence, and interpretations of quantum
mechanics (the Copenhagen vs. Many-Worlds interpretations).
• Sakurai's Modern Quantum Mechanics (essential). This is my favorite textbook on quantum mechanics,
and the one I used to learn quantum mechanics for the very first time. It's a wonderful, elegant, simple
book with clear and understandable problems. Try to work through all of the problems — if you do, you'll
understand quantum mechanics very well.
• Quantum Mechanics and Path Integrals by Feynman (essential). Sakurai's coverage of Feynman's Path
Integral formalism of quantum mechanics doesn't do it justice. Working through this text (written by
Feynman himself ) is not only useful, but incredibly fun.
• The Principles of Quantum Mechanics by Dirac (supplement). Dirac was one of the founding fathers of
quantum mechanics and quantum field theory. This book is important historically, and also will open your
eyes to the need for quantum field theory.
• Principles of Quantum Mechanics by Shankar (supplement). A great supplement to Sakurai for more
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• Decoherence and the Appearance of a Classical World in Quantum Theory (supplement). This book is very
dense and you may not understand all of it even after working through Sakurai, but understanding
decoherence is essential to understanding how the classical world arises from the quantum.
• The Everett Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics: Collected Works 1955-1980 (supplement). Very few
books have been written on interpretations of quantum mechanics, and reading through this volume helps
to understand the limitations of our interpretations as well as the complexities and details of Everett's
Many-Worlds interpretation.
4. Graduate Statistical Mechanics
What It's All About
Now that you have a more solid mathematical background and understand all of the fundamentals of quantum
mechanics, it's time to approach graduate-level statistical mechanics. You'll revisit the Laws of Thermodynamics,
and then pick up from where you left off in undergraduate statistical mechanics.
• Statistical Mechanics by Pathria and Beale (essential). This book is, admittedly, a bit frustrating, but it's
worth suffering through because if you make it all the way to the end and work through the majority of the
problems, you'll know stat mech like the back of your hand.
• Huang's Statistical Mechanics (supplementary). This is a great book to supplement the main text — is a
good bridge between undergraduate stat mech and Pathria.
5. General Relativity
What It's All About

By now you'll have a very deep understanding of Einstein's special theory of relativity, but, as you may have
noticed, general relativity (GR) — the theory of gravitation — hasn't yet been mentioned. That's because GR is a
mathematically demanding topic — not only do you need to know all of the math you've learned so far, but
you'll need to learn differential geometry in order to make sense of how gravity works. Here, you'll revisit special
relativity and the intricacies of spacetime, then learn the basics of differential geometry, how to deal
with curvature, the essentials of gravitation, how black holes work, and the basics of cosmology.
• Spacetime and Geometry by Carroll (essential). This is the book on general relativity, and Carroll does a
phenomenal job of introducing the essentials of differential geometry and general relativity.
• Einstein Gravity in a Nutshell by Zee (supplement). A great, accessible overview.
• Wald's General Relativity (supplement). Wald's book is a very abstract, high-level overview of general
relativity, and makes a great supplement to Carroll's book. Go to Carroll for the overview, look it up in
Wald for the high-level abstractions, and then look in the apple book for the dirty details.
• Gravitation by Misner, Thorne, and Wheeler (supplement). Also known as the "apple book" thanks to the
apple gracing its cover, this book goes into the nitty-gritty details of general relativity in ways that no other
book does.
• Weinberg's Gravitation and Cosmology (supplement). Weinberg is one of those rare physicists who has not
only been at the forefront of every major field in physics, but has written about each of them as well. His
books tend to be inaccessible to beginners, however, and this book is no exception. It does make a good
supplementary reading, but I'd advise reading it after you've worked through the rest.
• Differential Geometry of Curves and Surfaces by Manfredo P. do Carmo (supplement). The classic
differential geometry textbook; may be useful to help you wrap your head around differential geometry.
6. Quantum Field Theory
What It's All About
Quantum Field Theory (QFT) is the heart of all modern high-energy physics: the Standard Model of particle
physics is a QFT. The whole idea About
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works remarkably well. Along with GR, QFT will be the most challenging part of your physics education, but
perhaps the most rewarding (I know it was extraordinarily rewarding for me!). It may take many, many years to
master. You'll learn about how to quantize fields, Feynman diagrams, quantum electrodynamics
(QED), renormalization, non-Abelian gauge theories, quantum chromodynamics (QCD), the Higgs
mechanism, the Glashow-Weinberg-Salam theory of electroweak interactions, the symmetries of particle physics,
and spontaneous symmetry breaking.
• Zee's Quantum Field Theory in a Nutshell (essential). This is my favorite physics book of all time, and the
most beautiful introduction to QFT ever written. You'll walk away understanding the basics of QFT and
with a deep understanding of the fundamental nature of the universe.
• An Introduction to Quantum Field Theory by Peskin and Schroeder (essential). This is the bible of QFT,
but its far too terse and encyclopedic to work through on its own and must be studied alongside Zee.
Covers everything you could possibly want to know about QFT. Try to work through the problems, but
be aware that mastery of QFT will take a very, very long time.
• Weinberg's The Quantum Theory of Fields, Volume 1 (supplement). Another great volume by Weinberg,
who was one of the most important physicists in the history of particle physics. This book should be used
only as a supplement, and preferably not read until Zee and Peskin and Schroeder have been completed. It's
not a book to learn from, but one to gain additional understanding of QFT through after you've mastered
all of the basics.
• Lie Algebras in Particle Physics by Georgi (supplement). This dives into the details of Lie Algebras in QFT.
7. Graduate Electives
What They’re All About
The graduate curriculum can be split into several categories: (i) the core courses, (ii) specialized coursework and
graduate electives, and (iii) research. Graduate students typically take the core courses first, which focus on the
same topics covered in undergraduate courses but in much greater depth and with far more mathematical rigor.
Students then choose more specialized courses and electives depending on their area of research in physics,
including (but not limited to) condensed
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computing, solid-state physics, and string theory.
• Condensed Matter Physics: Lubensky’s Principles of Condensed Matter Physics. A modern,

comprehensive textbook. Fairly advanced, and is easier to understand after completing the graduate core and
working through something like Ashcroft and Mermin.
• Cosmology: Mark Trodden and Sean Carroll’s TASI Lectures: Introduction to Cosmology. Supplement
with Steven Weinberg’s Cosmology.
• Electronics: The Art of Electronics by Horowitz and Hill. The best electronics textbook there is, period.
• Optics: Optics by Hecht. The classic optics textbook.
• Particle Physics: Quarks and Leptons by Halzen and Martin. Wonderful overview that’s fun to read and
work through. Supplement this with Modern Particle Physics by Mark Thomson, which is up-to-date on
contemporary discoveries like the Higgs.
• Quantum Computing: Quantum Computation and Quantum Information by Michael A. Nielsen and
Isaac L. Chuang. Also known as “Mike and Ike,” this is the standard introduction to quantum information
and computation.
• Solid-State Physics: Solid-State Physics by Ashcroft and Mermin. The classic introductory solid-state
textbook. Supplement with Introduction to Solid State Physics by Kittel.
• String Theory: String Theory: Volume 1, An Introduction to the Bosonic String and String Theory:
Volume 2, Superstring Theory and Beyond, by the late Joe Polchinski; and String Theory and M-Theory:
A Modern Introduction. I found it really enjoyable to pair Polchinski’s books with Becker Becker Schwarz
when I was learning string theory — they complement each other well.
Please note: Some links on this page may contain Amazon or Bookshop referral codes that generate small commissions
— usually around a few cents — if you buy the books. These commissions help me cover hosting expenses for
susanrigetti.com and susanjfowler.com.
Copyright 2023 Susan Rigetti

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8/21/23, 8:24 AM Physics — Susan Rigetti

Susan Rigetti About Books Film & TV Guides Misc Contact

So You Want to Learn Physics…

Introduction to the Second Edition

April 20th, 2021

The success of this guide is, I believe, a testament to two things.

Introduction to the First Edition

August 13th, 2015

Before You Begin

Popular Books on Physics

Mathematical and Scientific Preliminaries

3. Waves and Vibrations

8. Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics

Susan Rigetti About Books Film & TV Guides Misc Contact

What It's All About

The Best Textbooks to Use

The Math You'll Need to Learn Alongside It

What It's All About

The Best Textbooks to Use

The Math You'll Need To Learn Alongside It

3. Waves and Vibrations

What It's All About

The Best Textbooks to Use

The Math You'll Need To Learn Alongside It

What It's All About

The Best Textbooks to Use

The Math You'll Need To Learn Alongside It

What It's All About

The Best Textbooks to Use

• Taylor's Classical Mechanics (essential). This is a fantastic introduction to classical mechanics.

The Math You'll Need To Learn Alongside It

What It's All About

Susan Rigetti About Books Film & TV Guides Misc Contact

The Best Textbooks to Use

• Griffith's Introduction to Electrodynamics (essential). This is the book on undergraduate electrodynamics

What It's All About

The Best Textbooks to Use

8. Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics

What It's All About

The Best Textbooks to Use

• Schroeder’s An Introduction to Thermal Physics (essential). A very thorough and comprehensive

What They’re All About

The Best Textbooks to Use

Susan just beginning to study physics.

• Astrophysics: An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics by Carroll and Ostlie. A comprehensive

• Biophysics: Biophysics: An Introduction by Glaser. A solid introduction to the principles of biophysics.

• Cosmology: Ryden's Introduction to Cosmology. My absolute favorite introductory cosmology book.

The graduate physics core is comprised of:

1. Mathematical Methods in Physics

6. Quantum Field Theory

Susan Rigetti About Books Film & TV Guides Misc Contact

1. Mathematical Methods in Physics

What It's All About

The Best Textbooks To Use

What It's All About

The Best Textbooks To Use

3. Graduate Quantum Mechanics

What It's All About

The Best Textbooks To Use

4. Graduate Statistical Mechanics

What It's All About

The Best Textbooks To Use

What It's All About