Creative back-of-the-chapter physics problems

[Leigh Palmer <palmer@SFU.CA>]

At 2:24 PM -0700 7/6/00, Rick Tarara wrote:

> To be sure, recent survey's of working physicists rate 'Real-World' problem
> solving skills as the number one required skill and group interaction skills
> are also way up there.  Writing and speaking skills are also ranked well
> above 'Physics Knowledge', but it is also quite logical that one cannot
> really succeed without the knowledge component.  However, solving
> back-of-chapter problems doesn't make the list at all!  ;-)

I have always lamented the lack of creative, interesting back-of-chapter
problems in modern textbooks. I treasure a little book I have by Brian
Pippard. It is a collection of his problems* which have appeared on the
Physics tripos at Cambridge. I use these problems, usually as lecture
topics, to spice up my courses. I don't assign them as problems because
today's students would not work hard enough on them to solve them, given
other problems on the set which are much more easily done. When I get
creative on a classroom exam I catch hell from them, but I have used my
own creative problems on take home exams I've given.

Does anyone wish to share other collections of creative problems?

Leigh

"The Cambridge Problems in Classical Physics", I believe.