Which is the better book for mastering the IIT-JEE Physics
exam: Fundamentals of Physics (1960 physics textbook) or H. C.
Verma?
1 Like
Resnick Halliday is a great book, as well as H C Verma.
However, there is a third book which I would like to highlight here, that,
in my opinion, is actually the best book, and is really an asset in terms
of theory as well as numericals. Now, when I am talking about learning
physics, we first understand the basics of theory (laws, formulae,
application, etc.), and then we go to the numericals section to
understand the application of theory and formulae or interrelation of
the above two.
When you are starting with Resnick Halliday, the problem is that it is
written for those students who are presumed to already have a
working knowledge of the concepts that we are supposed to learn in
11th and 12th standard. Similarly, H C Verma is a book which is
focused mainly for understanding the application of theory and
formulae into numericals (which is why for a book on physics it is
comparatively thin). Now, as a student who is now learning classical
mechanics, rotational mechanics, electrostatics, etc. in depth you are
supposed to understand the underlying principles and the concepts
associated with them, and here comes the third book. This book is
called Elements of Physics by Dutta Pal Choudhury. Now, be careful
there are a lot many derivatives and newer versions of this book, but if
you want the best version, go for Dutta Pal and Choudhury only. This
book was followed earlier by the West Bengal State Board for 11th
and 12th standard. This book, in its own simple ways, explains all
concepts of physics in such lucid and simple language that you will
definitely grasp the idea behind any topic. So, when I was in my 11th
grade, I started with this book, and read it thoroughly and rigorously.
Then I solved all numericals systematically, and then only went on to Resnick Halliday to polish some of my concepts. To enhance the
learning process, I solved problems from Resnick as well, and then
finally solved H C Verma to get a holistic view of the problems
generally asked in physics papers. Now, if you ask whether Resnick
and H C Verma can be followed as text or not, then my answer will be
Yes, but only after you have a basic understanding of all the concepts.
So, to summarize, start with DPC, then solve Resnick Halliday and H
C Verma.
But if you really want to challenge yourself, then you can solve
Problems in General Physics by I E Irodov. Please keep in mind that
Irodov has to be solved only after you are done with the above 3
books. Else you will get frustrated, because Irodov has very
unconventional problems which requires you to think out of the box
and beyond the regular theory. It requires to imagine hypothetical
situations. Then only you will be able to attempt the questions (my
favourite is effective resistance of an infinite grid of resistors, each of
resistance R).
Please note that rotational mechanics is really good in H C Verma.
The explanation of centripetal and centrifugal force is the best in H C
Verma. Rest other concepts you can follow the above mentioned
pattern.
Finally, last but not the least, there are different versions of Resnick
Halliday (Resnick Halliday Walker, Resnick Halliday Krane, etc.). I had
studied a combined volume of Resnick Halliday Walker - a red colour
book with the title of the book written in black on the cover - very
uninteresting looking. But once you open it and start reading it, then
you will why it is so good.