Basic course on theoretical physics. 3: Electrodynamics

Publication date 13 December 2001

Physics (00A79) Introductory exposition (textbooks, tutorial papers, etc.) pertaining to optics and electromagnetic theory (78-01)

Review text

Nolting's `Elektrodynamik' is the 3rd of seven volumes of a basic course on theoretical physics, fitting into what is a typical German tradition. In 1932 already, appeared the single volume of Georg Joos `Lehrbuch der theoretischen Physik' followed, mid of the last century, by the six volumes of Arnold Sommerfeld's `Vorlesungen über theoretische Physik'. All these courses are addressed to experimental physics students as well. The presentation of the subject (in what the author denotes as an `inductive' approach) is the traditional one: a mathematical introduction, static electricity and static magnetism (including macroscopic fields), followed by dynamical electromagnetism (starting from the Maxwell equations up to the frontier of a relativistic formulation). According to the author, the book is intended for the students more than for the teacher. In any case, it reflects the author's own experience in teaching a basic physics course. This aspect reminds again of Sommerfeld, who was a great teacher. The mathematics needed is not restricted to the vector analysis of the first chapter, but is developed where directly needed. One finds elements of partial differential equations, of Fourier theory, and even of the theory of analytic functions. Didactics is a main concern. At the end of each chapter there are exercises with solutions not limited to hints and collected in an appendix. In addition, one finds a fairly large number of questions the student could expect to be asked during an exam. Concluding, once worked throughout at student time, this book could remain a natural reference during the whole professional career.

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