Product Description
Does just thinking about the laws of motion make your head spin? Does studying electricity short your circuits? Do the complexities of thermodynamics cool your enthusiasm?

Thanks to this book, you don’t have to be Einstein to understand physics. As you read about Newton’s Laws, Kepler’s Laws, Hooke’s Law, Ohm’s Law, and others, you’ll appreciate the For Dummies law: The easier we make it, the faster people understand it and the more they enjoy it! Whether you’re taking a class, helping kids with homework, or trying to find out how the world works, this book helps you understand basic physics. It covers:

• Measurements, units, and significant figures
• Forces such as displacement, speed, and acceleration
• Vectors and physics notation
• Motion, energy, and waves (sound, light, wave-particle)
• Solids, liquids, and gases
• Thermodynamics
• Electromagnetism
• Relativity
• Atomic and nuclear structures

Steven Holzner, Ph.D. earned his B.S. at MIT and his Ph.D. at Cornell, where he taught Physics 101 and 102 for over 10 years. He livens things up with cool physics facts, real-world examples, and simple experiments that will heighten your enthusiasm for physics and science. The book ends with some out-of-this world physics that will set your mind in motion:

• The possibility of wormholes in space
• The Big Bang
• How the gravitational pull of black holes is too strong for even light to escape

May the Force be with you! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

Great Aid.
I bought this book as an aid for the course that the author use to teach at Cornell -- an autotutorial physics course. It is very helpful with extra examples and straight-forward explanations. It does not have problems in it, but I knew that and did not need them. It is also in the same order as the textbook for my class (College Physics), which makes it easy to follow along.

Physics needed for school
We had to order this book for school. We only just started using it, so far so good! It seems easy to read and follow.

GREAT BOOK
I recently purchased the book "Physics for Dummies" for my daughter who was struggling in her physics class. She says that it has been very helpful to her. Though she told me that it hasn't taught her anything new, it has helped her to make better sense of things that she has already learned.

Good for students
I bought this for my armchair science hobby and it's ok for that purpose I suppose. It's more suited for students that are still in school with a fresh understanding of math as that is what physics is mostly. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone just interested in broad scientific knowledge as it's mainly just learning equations and such.

I Love Physics - Great Help for kids
Added to Library with other books to help communicate ideas and thoughts to kids.Variety in communicating is a great way to see other angles to help kids figure out how things work.


I Love Physics - Great Help for kids ... Read more

Product Description
The Student Study Guide includes study guidelines, solutions to select end-of-chapter problems following the same step-by-step format as the example problems in the textbook. ... Read more

Product Description
What happens when the Dalai Lama meets with leading physicists and a historian? This book is the carefully edited record of the fascinating discussions at a Mind and Life conference in which five leading physicists and a historian (David Finkelstein, George Greenstein, Piet Hut, Arthur Zajonc, Anton Zeilinger, and Tu Weiming) discussed with the Dalai Lama current thought in theoretical quantum physics, in the context of Buddhist philosophy. A contribution to the science-religion interface, and a useful explanation of our basic understanding of quantum reality, couched at a level that intelligent readers without a deep involvement in science can grasp. In the tradition of other popular books on resonances between modern quantum physics and Zen or Buddhist mystical traditions--notably The Dancing Wu Li Masters and The Tao of Physics, this book gives a clear and useful update of the genuine correspondences between these two rather disparate approaches to understanding the nature of reality. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

This is more about Modern Physics than Buddhism
Although he does say a few things about Buddhist philosophy, the actual role of the Dalai Lama in these discussions turned out to be acting as the perfect "straight man" for a presentation of some of the bizarreness of modern physics: intelligent but not indoctrinated into the belief that everything "scientific" is necessarily correct.

Most of the material is more-or-less orthodox Quantum Mechanics. Some of the more far-out concepts, as Finkelstein admitted, may not last as long as the end of next week.

Combining Modern Physics with Buddhism
Edited by Arthur Zajonc, this slim volume is a series of discussions between five leading physicists and a historian have with the Dalai Lama. It's an attempt to bring together: Quantum theory, Doctrines, Religion - World Religions, Religion, Buddhism - General, and Cosmology.

It is surprising to see how close the relationship might be. Back in 1962, Murray Gell-Mann began to fit the known elemental particles into a series of eight 'families.' Gell-Mann called this beautiful symmetry the 'Eightfold Way' after the Buddha's 'Eightfold path to truth.' This correlation or merger seems to have continued.

In this book, the discussions are far ranging over the nature of matter itself, the experimental evidence, and the nature of the mind and its logic. It is not intended to be a textbook on modern particle physics, but it almost is. Well worth reading.


... Read more

Product Description
The "Handbook of Physics" is a complete desktop reference for scientists, engineers, and students. A veritable toolbox for everyday use in problem solving, homework, examinations, and practical applications of physics, it provides quick and easy access to a wealth of information including not only the fundamental formulas of physics but also a wide variety of experimental methods used in practice.

Compiled by professional scientists, engineers, and lecturers who are experts in the day-to-day use of physics, the "Handbook" covers topics from classical mechanics to elementary particles, electric circuits to error analysis. The previous editions in German are renowned for their clarity and completeness.

Each chapter contains:

- all the important concepts, formulas, rules and theorems- numerous examples and practical applications- suggestions for problem solving, hints, and cross references- measurement techniques and important sources of errors- numerous tables of standard values and material properties

Access to information is direct and swift through the user-friendly layout, structured table of contents, and extensive index. Like the companion "Handbook of Mathematics and Computational Science" compiled by Harris and Stocker, the "Handbook of Physics" is an invaluable tool for college and graduate students and researchers and practitioners in all fields of engineering and natural science.

FROM THE REVIEWS:

CHOICE (OUTSTANDING TITLE)"Benenson (Michigan State Univ., East Lansing) and colleagues have prepared an invaluable compendium of relationships and indexes from every area of physics. Worth its price, it provides students and researchers a ready access to laws and equations that govern physical behavior and current material facts. The topics covered range from classical mechanics to elementary particles. The handbook provides, as one example from mechanics, the latest understanding of the concept of rolling friction. The reference work is enhanced through additional features in each section that include sample examples, applications of the physics described, problem-solving hints, and measurement techniques pertaining to the specific phenomena in the section. The book's layout allows easy accessibility to every topic. It includes a very useful appendix on error analysis, excellent line diagrams, and a comprehensive index." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Best Physics Handbook on the Market
Whether you are a physicist, a student of physics or just plain interested in physics you will benefit from owning this book. Normally, your mathematical skill level has to involve a little bit of calculus but I bought this book before I took any calculus and was still able to learn and identify key concepts of the physics world.

Whenever I encounter a problem my textbook doesn't fully explain I just reach to my bookshelf and pull out the Handbook of Physics and usually my questions are answered. If they are not answered, it is not because of this Handbooks inabilities, but my own brain's incompetency.

For all of you fellow nerds out there studying any sort of science or engineering, I throw my full support behind the purchase of this book. There is also a Handbook of Mathematics that goes along quite well with this but that's another matter entirely.

Buy this book and you will not regret it. I would almost assume it would be somewhat of a requirement for those pursuing physics or an engineering program.

Fantastic reference
Thorough and descriptive in very short form. The title could be:Handbook of Physics in Haiku.

Excellent Transaction
Very good transaction.Came in time for Christmas.Very happy with this purchase.

great book
great book it proves to be.

enjoy reading it and very comprehensive. it would be better if publisher can come up with a cd-rom with animation to show the concepts more clearly for old reader like me.

great!

This book will save your academic life.
After owning this book for several months, I can honestly say I use it on a daily basis. If I forget a formula when doing my own homework, it's there. If an intro-level student comes to me at a TA session not sure if an equation will work in a given situation, it backs me up. Some of the best money I've ever spent.

I can say the same for it's sister text, Harris and Stocker's "Handbook of Mathematics and Computational Science", as well, although that one has more of a European feel to it. ... Read more

Product Description
PhysletA (R) Quantum Physics contains a collection of over 200 ready-to-run interactive exercises. These "media-focused" critical thinking and problem-solving exercises are based on carefully designed computer simulations generated in awardwinning Java applets. PhysletA (R) Quantum Physics is based on current educational, experimental, and theoretical research, and gives students an interactive visual representation of the often difficult-to-visualize physical phenomena in quantum physics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Brilliant softwate
The applets on this is just great for understanding many physics concepts. It covers most topics (mechanics, waves, electrostatics, magnetism etc), it has interactive menus so you can change the parameters in the experiments and it logs the output and plots them for you.

Highly recommended for any high school student and even university students. An excellent teaching and learning tool. I highly recommend it to my students since it moves abstract concepts closer to the concrete stage.

If you are a parent, this is a MUST have for your child to aid their learning of physics concepts.

The downside is some of the applets do not work but they are a small minority. Note you need to enable the java function on your browser, just go to Sun Microsystems website, it should work.

Great tool for visualizing quantum physics concepts
This book is an attempt to teach modern physics to students by enabling them to visualize various physical phenomena via Java applets designed to demonstrate various physics concepts - thus the name "physlets". The book and its accompanying CD contain around 250 such physlets that span a broad spectrum of physics courses, although the emphasis is on quantum theory. The book has some discussion of the concepts involved, particularly in the context of the parameters of the particular Physlet being examined, but this really wasn't meant to be a textbook. It's just a supplementary text for a variety of physics courses in which visualization of a concept is a real roadblock in learning. The book has 200 exercises, and they are not what you would expect in a physics book. The problems largely consist of running a physlet and answering some questions about your observations, or you are asked to change the input parameters to a physlet and explain what you observe versus what you observed when the default parameter was active. At no point does the author assume you are a Java programmer yourself and ask you to code up your own physlet, although if you know how, that would probably be a very educational activity. The following is the table of contents:

Chapter 1: Introduction to Physlets

Part 1: Special Relativity
Chapter 2: Space and Time in Special Relativity
Chapter 3: Relativistic Mechanics

Part 2: The Need for a Quantum Theory
Chapter 4: From Blackbody to Bohr
Chapter 5: Wave-Particle Duality

Part 3: Quantum Theory
Chapter 6: Classical and Quantum-mechanical Probability
Chapter 7: The Schrödinger Equation
Chapter 8: The Free Particle
Chapter 9: Scattering in One Dimension
Chapter 10: The Infinite Square Well
Chapter 11: Finite Square Wells and Other Piecewise-constant Wells
Chapter 12: Harmonic Oscillators and Other Spatially-varying Wells
Chapter 13: Multi-dimensional Wells

Part 4: Applications
Chapter 14: Atomic, Molecular, and Nuclear Physics
Chapter 15: Statistical Mechanics ... Read more

Product Description
Bring Modern Physics to Life with a Realistic Software Simulation! Enhance the thorough coverage of Krane's Modern Physics 2e with hands-on, real-world experience! Modern Physics Simulations, developed by the Consortium for Upper-Level Physics Software (CUPS), offers complex, realistic calculations of models of various physical systems. Like all of the CUPS simulations, it is remarkably easy to use, yet sophisticated enough for explorations of new ideas. Important Features Include:
* Powerful simulations covering Historic Experiments in Electron Diffraction, Laser Cavities & Dynamics, Classical Scattering, Nuclear Properties & Decays, Special Relativity, Quantum Mechanics, and the Hydrogen Atom & the H2+ Molecule.
* Pascal source code for all programs and a number of exercises suggesting specific ways the programs can be modified.
* Graphical (often animated) displays in most simulations.
The entire CUPS simulation series consists of nine books/software simulations which cover Astrophysics, Electricity and Magnetism, Classical Mechanics, Modern Physics, Quantum Mechanics, Nuclear and Particle Physics, Solid State Physics, Thermal and Statistical Physics, and Waves and Optics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Descent, not great by any means.
This book is a descent book, especially as a quick referral book after you have taken more advanced classes and know the material better.I think sometimes the author was to wordy, and over-focused on the historical aspect of it.I like the historical aspect of a lot of it, but some of it defers away from the actual study of the material.

Moreover, the book doesn't always clearly explain everything to an introductory student, or isn't math heavy enough.By that I mean, he explains the procedures for Schrodinger's Equation, but doesn't show enough of the math along with it.Sometimes overly condensed on and leaves the general concept out.Personally, if you are having to take this course, I would get Griffiths Quantum Mechanic book to help you in understanding how to and why your Normalize, understanding the step-barriers, harmonic oscillator, etc.

If your a professor, I would recommend looking around to other textbooks instead of this book.The Halliday and Resnick, 3rd book was a better source of understanding than this. (It's the one that deals with modern physics, but is part of the Cal-Physics I and II series, except instead of ending at Chapter 35, it continues to chapter 48 or something like that, which is the modern physics section).And in the interest of saving your students money, you should tell the physic majors in particular or any of them that believe they will have to go through modern physics to go ahead and just buy all three portions of the Halliday and Resnick together.

Shameful
Firstly, I would like to question how good a modern physics book which doesn't make reference to either Feynman or Dirac can be? You may say that these two physicists are above the level of this book, but considering the amount of half assed attempts to explain physics in this book, at least a student could leave this course knowing a little bit about the founders of modern physics. My complaints are as follows:
-Way too dumbed down: I don't know why every introductory physics book falls into this same trap, but they all seem to miss the highlights of a subject in their attempt to sneak around doing some "real" math. This approach does students no favors, at some time or another every physics student will be introduced to more advanced concepts, and will be expected to keep up with the pace of an advanced course. This book doesn't even introduce bra-ket notation: I admit that at this level there is no need to introduce bras as functionals, and to explain their existence one to one with kets via riesz's representation theorem is out of the picture. However, this book is most likely used as a precursor to books like Griffiths, who makes no apologies in his use of more advanced math. Students who use this book will suffer later on because of this "math light" approach to phyics.
-Bad layout: Here is a hint to all publishers of physics books: Please publish diagrams on the page they are intended to be used on. I do not like flipping pages constantly so I can see your monochromatic mess of a diagram which is intended to replace heavy math in explaining why a concept is true.
-Arguments are mostly heuristic: I don't think this needs any explanation, however this is another place where most introductory books fail.
This book suffers from every kind of defect one could hope to avoid in pedagogy. It is, as said above, written like a middle school science textbook: Patronizing, and not well thought out.

Tis a textbook - what else to expect
Once professor assigns this text, you're stuck with it. Although there are many books with same name to compliment this one, this one is still quite reasonable provided that its chosen for classes that are for engineers, chemists etc, and not exclusively for physics majors, so extra explanations can be viewed as overcomplication of the material, whos purpose is the overview of modern physics.

Solutions Manual
Does anyone know where to buy the solutions manual? It seems its no longer for in stock. I'm an international student and can really use some help. Any information provided would be great. Thanks in advanced!

Review of purchanse
The seller is very responsible, I had received my purchase item about two to three after I placed my order. Furthermore, the item looks new and clean. ... Read more

Product Description
Teacher's Manual, Test Bank, Computerized Test Bank for IBM and Mac, Answer Manual, Transparencies, Study Guide, Solutions Manual available. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

A very good start.
Halliday & Resnick & Krane is the best introductory general physics book (or set of books) out there in addition to Serway's textbook. I used both volumes in undergraduate school. The concepts are laid out clearly, logically and effectively. It starts with mechanics, continues with thermodynamics, then electromagnetism and modern physics.

The worked-out problems are quite instructive. There are plenty of end-of-chapter problems. The only negative side of these problems is that most of the numbers make you use a calculator. If the authors had used more rounded numbers, the problems could have been solved by a paper and pencil. In doing so, students could have improved their math skills.

The "modern physics" part of the book can be learned well, if you have a good instructor. Because, to someone with no knowledge of modern physics, this part could be rather challenging.

Overall, this is a very high-quality book written by excellent physicists.

The only book necessary for high school physics
I studied this book in high school for entrance into the prestigious institutes of technology in India, the IITs. This is anexcellent book for people who know how to use their heads and I am surprised to see undergrads complaining about the book being terse. The reason why a good book is terse is so that you internalise all the concepts by arriving at them yourself. It is definitely not a book for people who are stupid or who don't really love the beauty of physics and can't think for themselves.

A classic!
Although there are a few topics that I would leave for more advanced courses and a few others I would present in more detail (even for beginner courses), it is a generally well-balanced book with great explanations on the concepts of Physics. The notation is very good and the graphics and drawings are perfectly sketched and provide great help for understanding the text. Each chapter presents a brief description of what will be studied in it and the book features some historical notes in a few topics. There is a wide list of exercises at the end of each chapter from straightforward exercises to more mindful ones. It also presents some exercises using English units in addition to the ones with International System units.

Don't fix it if it ain't broke
Although this text is very, classically, text-ish (minimal illustrations,black and blue ink only, dry writing), it still stands out as a highquality introductory physics text.I used it in my intro level classes, ata university that emphasizes physics education theory.I figure with allthe research they have done on undergraduate physics education, theirchoice to use HRK could not have been one made randomly.I continue torefer to it over the newer, flashier additions, because it still gets thejob done, without skipping details in exchanges for full color photos.

Worst physics book ever
Not helpful at all. This book dosn't take the time to explain anything, or any of its examples. Right from the start this book sets itself up to be a "deep in the old library, only PhDs find this a helpfulreference" type book. From its strictly black and blue printing, tohow it expects you to take what it says "as is" without a hint ofexplaination as to why it is. ... Read more

Product Description

Key Message: This book aims to explain physics in a readable and interesting manner that is accessible and clear, and to teach readers by anticipating their needs and difficulties without oversimplifying. Physics is a description of reality, and thus each topic begins with concrete observations and experiences that readers can directly relate to. We then move on to the generalizations and more formal treatment of the topic. Not only does this make the material more interesting and easier to understand, but it is closer to the way physics is actually practiced.

Key Topics:

INTRODUCTION, MEASUREMENT, ESTIMATING, DESCRIBING MOTION: KINEMATICS IN ONE DIMENSION, KINEMATICS IN TWO OR THREE DIMENSIONS; VECTORS, DYNAMICS: NEWTON’S LAWS OF MOTION , USING NEWTON’S LAWS: FRICTION, CIRCULAR MOTION, DRAG FORCES, GRAVITATION AND NEWTON’S6 SYNTHESIS , WORK AND ENERGY , CONSERVATION OF ENERGY , LINEAR MOMENTUM , ROTATIONAL MOTION , ANGULAR MOMENTUM; GENERAL ROTATION , STATIC EQUILIBRIUM; ELASTICITY AND FRACTURE , FLUIDS , OSCILLATIONS , WAVE MOTION,  SOUND , TEMPERATURE, THERMAL EXPANSION, AND THE IDEAL GAS LAW

KINETIC THEORY OF GASES, HEAT AND THE FIRST LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS , SECOND LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS , ELECTRIC CHARGE AND ELECTRIC FIELD , GAUSS’S LAW , ELECTRIC POTENTIAL , CAPACITANCE, DIELECTRICS, ELECTRIC ENERGY STORAGE

ELECTRIC CURRENTS AND RESISTANCE, DC CIRCUITS, MAGNETISM, SOURCES OF MAGNETIC FIELD, ELECTROMAGNETIC INDUCTION AND FARADAY’S LAW, INDUCTANCE, ELECTROMAGNETIC OSCILLATIONS, AND AC CIRCUITS, MAXWELL’S EQUATIONS AND ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES, LIGHT: REFLECTION AND REFRACTION, LENSES AND OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS, THE WAVE NATURE OF LIGHT; INTERFERENCE, DIFFRACTION AND POLARIZATION, SPECIAL THEORY OF RELATIVITY, EARLY QUANTUM THEORY AND MODELS OF THE ATOM, QUANTUM MECHANICS, QUANTUM MECHANICS OF ATOMS, MOLECULES AND SOLIDS,  NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIOACTIVITY, NUCLEAR ENERGY: EFECTS AND USES OF RADIATION, ELEMENTARY PARTICLES,ASTROPHYSICS AND COSMOLOGY

 Market Description: This book is written for readers interested in learning the basics of physics.

Customer Reviews (20)

Never even shipped my item and never returned any emails. Very poor seller.
i ordered my item hoping to get it before classes started and it never even shipped. i've waited 3 week for the "window of shipment" to pass so i can buy from someone else. Sellernever returned any of my emails questioning my item's status. Do not buy anything from this seller, it is a waste of your time and there are plenty of other sellers.

Excellent physics course book4 stars
(Sorry, my first review was on another book I received and I can not change the stars)
This book is a physics course, from Richard Wolfson and very detailed brilliant with lots of pictures.
R.Wolfson is a brilliant teacher on videos (e.g. the teaching company) as well.
This book is rather an excercise book on physics from
greetings
giveandlive

my favorite of 3 introductory books
I have used 3 seperate introductory textbooks for physics -

(1) "Physics for Scientists and Engineers" by Giancoli
(2) "Essentials of Universtiy Physics" by Wolfson and Ayars
(3) "Fundementals of Physics" by Halliday, Resnick, and Walker

I used Giancoli for two semesters of AP Physics, Wolfson for my first semester of college physics, and Halliday for my second semester of college physics. I am also currently working through the "modern physics" section of Giancoli in preparation for a course in modern physics.

I can tell you that all the books are about the same, with subtle differences. So ignore the morons who say things like "this is the worst book ever it doesn't explain anything blah blah I'm dumb."

Giancoli(1) seems to take the most mathematical approach, reaching physical conclusions from derived equation, whereas Halliday(3) tends to take a more physical approach, explaining the physics and then deriving the equations. Wolfson(2) seems to be somewhere inbetween these approaches. Which is better is a matter of preference and surprise. As primarly a math student, I was suprised to find I enjoyed Halliday's physical approach more.

There seem to be more problems in Giancoli than in the other two. And Giancoli offers some more difficult problems than the other two. Giancolli and Wolfson also offer a large number of "general problems" at the end of the problems section, which help to tie together the different sections.

I should note here for students planning to use any of these books that the calculationless questions at the end of the chapter are a very useful step toward the more difficult problems. Don't ignore them, they sort of train you to think more critically rather than paging through your book for an equation to plug numbers into.

One advantage of Halliday is the "checkpoint" questions placed at the end of each section. These checkpoints ought to be particularly useful to beginning students who either have trouble monitoring their level of concentration or gauging their level of understanding. This way you won't get to the end of the chapter and say "What the h*** did I just read!"

Wolfson is nice because it comes in three seperate volumes, so you don't have to carry around 1000+ pages of back pain every MWF.

All 3 of these books offer a section in modern physics in recent editions, so that should not be an issue. If you are planning on doing the two semesters of physics, and then a semester on modern physics, it's probably not a bad idea to shell out the extra cash for the modern physics chapters so that you can get a head start over the summer.

All in all I'd say get whatever book your department requires and don't complain because all introductory physics books are about the same. If you have a choice get Giancoli if you like solving difficult problems, get Halliday if you think you will enjoy more physical explainations or have trouble monitoring your concentration or understanding. And get Wolfson if you'd like something inbetween or are concerned about the health of your back. If you are taking AP physics and will need to retake physics in college, maybe try learning from different texts if you can afford it.
My final word is to go with the best bargain, and if money is not an option, you might as well flip a coin or throw darts or something.

Fantastic Book
I bought this book recently and it exceeded every expectation I head. The excellent presentation of the subjects, the quality of images and the huge number of exercises all make this probably one of the best physics books out there.

Although this is a calculus based text, vector calculus usage is kept quite low. If you need a text that is heavily using vector calculus you should probably use the Berkeley Physics Course of the Feynman Lectures on Physics.

Absolute Necessity for those in physics
I am a senior physics major and I can assure you, if you are looking for an amazing general reference book, this is the book to get. It is essentially broken into 3 major sections. Newtonian Mechanics, Electricity and Magnetism, and Modern Physics. It has introductory topics on One and Two Dimensional Kinematics, Newtonian Mechanics, Optics, Electricity and Magnetism (including Maxwell's Equations), Thermodynamics, Special Relativity, Quantum Mechanics, Nuclear physics, Astrophysics, and Cosmology. I first purchased this book about 4 or 5 years ago for an entry level "University Physics" course. At most Universities this book is used for two semesters. It is a calculus based physics book, so if you have not yet had at least Calculus 1 this book will not be very useful for you if you are going to try to work out the problems. By the time you get to the second half of the book I really recommend at least having Calculus 2. With all of the interesting topics available to read about there are some people that might believe that this book can be read as a popular physics book and just ignore the math. I do not at all recommend that. Although the topics are throughly explained, reading this book and ignoring the math would be an injustice. In every class that I have had in physics since purchasing this book I have consistently gone back to reference it for help. This book is second to none and I believe that there are two books necessary to make it in physics (1) Douglas Giancoli "Physics for Scientists and Engineers" 3rd Edition (2) James Stewart "Calculus" 5th Edition. Just one last thing, make sure that if you are considering purchasing this book note that there are two versions of the 3rd edition. One contains a Modern Physics section and one does not. I highly recommend you get the one with the Modern Physics section. All in all this book is the absolute best and I see myself using all through graduate school. ... Read more

Product Description
Do you have a handle on basic physics terms and concepts, but your problem-solving skills could use some static friction? Physics Workbook for Dummies helps you build upon what you already know to learn how to solve the most common physics problems with confidence and ease.

Physics Workbook for Dummies gets the ball rolling with a brief overview of the nuts and bolts (i.e., converting measures, counting significant figures, applying math skills to physics problems, etc.) before getting into the nitty gritty. If you’re already a pro on the fundamentals, you can skip this section and jump right into the practice problems. There, you’ll get the lowdown on how to take your problem-solving skills to a whole new plane—without ever feeling like you’ve been left spiraling down a black hole.

With easy-to-follow instructions and practical tips, Physics Workbook for Dummies shows you how to you unleash your inner Einstein to solve hundreds of problems in all facets of physics, such as:

• Acceleration, distance, and time
• Vectors
• Force
• Circular motion
• Momentum and kinetic energy
• Rotational kinematics and rotational dynamics
• Potential and kinetic energy
• Thermodynamics
• Electricity and magnetism

Complete answer explanations are included for all problems so you can see where you went wrong (or right). Plus, you’ll get the inside scoop on the ten most common mistakes people make when solving physics problems—and how to avoid them.

When push comes to shove, this friendly guide is just what you need to set your physics problem-solving skills in motion! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Physics Workbook for Dummies
Good simple excersises that fill in the blanks and help start you slowly and simply into the concepts of physics.My order took a month to arive via regular mail.

A new edition is needed.
It is a shame that this nice workbook has so many errors in the solution sets. Unlike the Schaum 3000 problems this workbook can be easily used to teach yourself basic physics.All that is needed is a basic knowledge of algebra. No calculus needed. It is not expensive to proof a book like this. You find a needy grad student and they will do it for a resonable amount. It should be assumed that even under the best of circumstances that errors will occur. However, this workbook has too many. It is a shame because the author teaches well. It is a shame to mystify a student because the wrong answer is in the solution set. Please redo this workbook.

Immediate Enlightenment
Having never taken Physics in high school or college, and having labored through Astronomy w/o this prerequisite, I decided now that I am over 70 that it was high time to learn something new.On the first few pages of this workbook I learned so much that I never knew before about "scientific notation!"I'm just beginning but at least I know what all the plus and minus exponents of 10 stand for.That's great!

Could have been better
Like everyone is saying, there a lot of errors in the solutions, and many more subtle errors due to rounding and how significant digits are handled.If you get within 5%, you probably got it right.Some of the sections are a little soft compared to the Physics for Dummies book itself.

These problems aside, the combination of the book and workbook make a good introduction to the subject, and if you do the work earnestly, it will equate to a basic high school class, in my opinion.

Physics Workbook for Dummies
Bought this book for my Daughter going into 9th grade, looks like it will be a great help to help her learn Physics. ... Read more

Product Description
Wouldn't it be great if there were a physics book that showed you how things work instead of telling you how? Finally, with Head First Physics, there is. This comprehensive book takes the stress out of learning mechanics and practical physics by providing a fun and engaging experience, especially for students who "just don't get it."

Head First Physics offers a format that's rich in visuals and full of activities, including pictures, illustrations, puzzles, stories, and quizzes -- a mixed-media style proven to stimulate learning and retention. One look will convince you: This isn't mere theory, this is physics brought to life through real-world scenarios, simple experiments, and hypothetical projects. Head First Physics is perfect for anyone who's intrigued by how things work in the natural world.

You'll quickly discover that physics isn't a dry subject. It's all about the world we live in, encompassing everything from falling objects and speeding cars, to conservation of energy and gravity and weightlessness, and orbital behavior. This book:

• Helps you think like a physicist so you can understand why things really work the way they do
• Gives you relevant examples so you can fully grasp the principles before moving on to more complex concepts
• Designed to be used as a supplement study guide for the College Board's Advanced Placement Physics B Exam
• Introduces principles for the purpose of solving real-world problems, not memorization
• Teaches you how to measure, observe, calculate -- and yes -- how to do the math
• Covers scientific notation, SI units, vectors, motion, momentum conservation, Newton's Laws, energy conservation, weight and mass, gravitation and orbits, circular motion and simple harmonic motion, and much more

If "Myth Busters" and other TV programs make you curious about our physical world -- or if you're a student forced to take a physics course -- now you can pursue the subject without the dread of boredom or the fear that it will be over your head. Head First Physics comes to the rescue with an innovative, engaging, and inspirational way to learn physics!

Amazon.com Review

Whether you're struggling to pass the AP Physics B exam, fighting a headache from your college physics course, or just want to understand how the world around you really works, Head First Physics will give you what you need to master algebra-based mechanics and practical physics. Designed for the way your brain works instead of a text-heavy approach that puts you to sleep, this book offers a multi-sensory learning experience and encourages a deeper understanding of the material.

Hey! You want to pass, understand and ...yes...even enjoy physics, so...
Learn Physics the Head First way...

Physics textbooks or exam prep books usually present you with all the facts you might need to know, in a quick-fire overwhelming way. In Head First Physics, the pace is deliberately slower to give you space to explore and make your own discoveries. For example, you'll spend a chapter solving clues in a treasure hunt competition--as you go along you'll find out for yourself how vectors work, and how they help you to win! The interactivity and self-teaching style is a huge contrast to the usual textbook method of listing every possible "fact" about vectors as quickly as possible.

In Head First Physics, it's the exploration that makes things stick—and makes the physics easier to learn. You're immersing yourself in the scenario and taking part rather than "reading along and nodding" from the "outside" like you would for most books. One area in particular where exploration is key is in the "crossover" between math and physics. Many students say that they can "use" equations or mathematical relationships in simple problems where it's possible to substitute values from the question into equations given on a sheet. But more complicated problems can be a real struggle, with students not knowing where to start, not knowing which values or equations to use, and feeling stuck in an "I don't get it" rut.

Overcome Past Learning Struggles... In Head First Physics, you spend a lot of time building solid foundations and working out the "simple" equations for yourself. For example, you spend a chapter working out how to defend a castle--and by the end, you really understand how trigonometry works. And after implementing atraining schedule for a thoroughbred hamster, radians and circular motion are no longer a mystery. The relationships between the math and the physics are clear when you go on to apply what you've learned to other areas, such as forces or orbits. Spending time on the foundations gives you a new depth of understanding, far beyond "find an equation, plug in some values." Faced with a more complicated problem, you'll be able to spot the places where you can break it down into simpler problems that you already know how to do.

In Head First Physics, you find yourself in many different scenarios--designing a music player, fixing a pizza delivery website, helping the dingo catch the emu, going to Pluto - and so on! So instead of a problem set at the end of each chapter, you solve scenario-related problems as you go along so that there's always a direct application for what you're doing. Many of the problems have hints, and every time you flip the page, there are fully worked answers and explanations that you can compare with your own. No more wondering "where they got that answer from!" Another element that hones your problem solving skills are the Question Clinics. Each Question Clinic gives an outline of a typical "type" of physics question, showing you the buzzwords that help you to work out what you're supposed to do, and giving you hints about how you should proceed.

Make Connections and See the Big Picture Force... mass... weight... momentum... impulse... potential energy... kinetic energy...The typical textbook approach to these topics is to say: "Here are Newton's three laws, in order. Here are some other equations for momentum conservation and impulse. Here are a couple more equations for potential and kinetic energy." This makes it natural for students to treat each topic completely separately, with a list of unrelated equations that are difficult to memorise and even harder to apply. In Head First Physics, it's the connections that are emphasized. You find out about momentum conservation while helping some pirates deal with a ghost ship, which you use to discover Newton's 2nd & 3rd laws and impulse. Your next assignment is for "Fakebusters" investigating a phoney "instant weight loss" machine, where you use what you already learned about forces to work out the difference between weight and mass and master the normal force. Being the physics consultant on a computer game helps you to consolidate what you know about forces, then you discover energy conservation while working out a way to lift the sword in the stone using physics.

Head First Problem Solving Tips Don't try to memorize! That's got to be the most important thing. Physics is like a sport — you learn best by doing rather than by memorizing. So the whole book's geared towards learning by doing, through solving problems as you go along. Start with a sketch, and write down all the values you already know on it. This gets the visual parts of your brain working and gives you a single reference on your page where you've collected together everything you know so far. Ask: "What's it LIKE"? Physics is about the world around you, and you already have plenty of experience there. Your sketch may remind you of a scenario you've seen before, or a similar problem you've previously solved, even if the "story" is different. Don't be afraid to have a go. The best way to solve a problem is to start it. You won't always see in advance how you're going to work your way through the problem, but as you sketch and write things down you'll often get ideas popping into your head that you can run with.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Great book
A superb book for practical physics.Written in a clear and easy to understand way.Definitely a help.

Easy-to-Use Physics Reference Guide
Hey, where was this book when I was in high school? This is an easy to read guide to basic mechanical physics with plenty of real world examples and fun problems to work out. It is more written for a high school audience, but early college students will find plenty of help as well. It starts with lessons in scientific notation, equations, and graphing, and works its way through velocity and acceleration, torque, pulleys, circular motion, and more. Some of the examples used are the use of levers to get Excalibur out of the stone, and shooting cannonballs at a ghost pirate ship as lessons in momentum conservation. /Head First Physics/ is billed as a good aid for students working on AP physics classes, but would also be a good guide for someone just interested in knowing more about how the world works. The illustrations range from photos to fairly crude stick figures and are probably the largest flaw in the book. More consistency there would have been nice, but it isn't a large enough flaw to detract from the quality of the instruction.

Well developed
I own several books in the Head First series. This is one of the best I've read. Each topic is discussed with meaningful examples that drive the points home--something many courses or teachers have difficulty with. If I had a tool like this in my arsenal back in school I'd have felt much different about physics.

If you're in high school or college and struggle with physics concepts, HEAD FIRST PHYSICS is a recommended pick
If you're in high school or college and struggle with physics concepts, HEAD FIRST PHYSICS is a recommended pick. It provides a lively connection between physics theory and the world we live in, examining basic concepts, using the latest research in learning theory to enliven presentations, and covering math and physics concepts using lively black and white drawings, photos, and large-size graphs. An outstanding physics survey evolves.

Great Book For Anyone Wanting To Have FUN Learning Physics!!!
'Head First Physics: A Learner's Companion to Mechanics and Practical Physics' is a wonderful book for anyone that wants to learn physics in a fun and practical way.This book is geared toward new learners or basic ones that want to learn without knowing they are doing so.Instead of a bland 1,500+ page book with just text regarding Newton and the other great minds, you get a USABLE book that is FUN FUN FUN.I love the Head First books because they present subject matter in a way that is DIFFERENT.Written by an experienced academic, Heather Lang writes in a format that is truly a delight.If you are looking for a masters Physics book you will be disappointed.If you are young, in high school or just an adult that wants to learn more in a BETTER way this book is a gem.

***** HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ... Read more

Product Description
COLLEGE PHYSICS, 8e, combines a logical presentation of the physical concepts with a consistent problem-solving strategy that results in true understanding for the student. The new edition is supported by innovative technologies to enhance your teaching experience and your students' learning. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Confusing
The book tries to teach Physics but fails at many times. The text skips too many steps. I would recommend an instructor who teaches the basics very well before trying to use the text on your own.

meh at best
i don't think this book works great in a two volumes. there have been too many times in volume 2 where they touch on material that you may not 100% remember. unfortunately for you, if you wanted to relearn or check something you would need volume 1. that's the biggest complaint. other than that, the new material is fine.

Prompt delivery
The seller was very prompt in getting the book delivered within two days after the order was placed.The book was in vey good condition.

College Physics Vol. 2 Review
The product was much cheaper than that of the bookstore at my college.It was sent to me in WONDERFUL condition, and I appreciate that. (The last thing I bought off Amazon hadn't.) The delivery even made haste.The only problem I have with Volume 2 is that it has NOT NEARLY the same amount of problems as Volume 1.It has - what I think of as - much fewer explanations of concepts, and it is a book you may not want to try and teach yourself unless you have a great physics teacher/professor prior.Try it; it might fit your standards. =]

Doesn't explain the concepts well enough and it's overpriced like all textbooks
I didn't think this book was all that great at explaining the concepts but I don't really have anything to compare it to. And like all textbooks, it's rediculously overpriced. I can't believe people are getting away with charging these exorbitant prices to poor starving students who have enough trouble as it is paying for college and everything else. ... Read more

Product Description
Written by authors who have vast experience in communicating science to general audiences, PHYSICS MATTERS conveys the principles of physics in a manner that is understandable to the non-scientist. In a prose style that is clear, engaging, and contemporary, it pays particular attention to the relevance of physics in comprehending our modern technological society and the issues created by those technologies.

PHYSICS MATTERS ACTIVITY MANUAL

Designed to reinforce and bring to life the concepts and principles taught in Liberal Arts Physics, this manual provides a host of physics activities that can be done in class, or on your own. ... Read more

Product Description
Introduces a wide range of modern physics principles developed in the 20th century.Maintains a consistent level & focuses on key topics of concern today, for a more contemporary approach than other treatments of modern physics.DLC: Physics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Nonclassical Physics: Beyond Newton's View
Appologies for the late review, excellent seller - prompt and the item was as advertised

The most inefficient learning possible
This subject doesn't need to be hard, but this book makes it as hard as possible.It makes the student hunt for the needed information to work the practice problems.This makes the time spent doing homework very nonproductive.One may attempt to justify this approach as forcing the student to developed problem solving skills.This argument is just bunk!The best way to teach problem solving skills is to give the student as many tools as possible and then giving them the chance to practice.This technique is well proven. That's why it's used for all math classes up through differential equation and linear algebra.If math texts were written like this book, very few people would get through algebra let alone anything more advanced.If your instructor is good, you should be OK, but if you need to rely on the book, you're if for a miserable experience!

Good Overview of modern physics
I used this book in a Modern physics class and for studying the basics of modern physics. I think Harris does a fair job in explaining the ideas and did not find it difficult to read, he is sometimes too detailed in explanations, but I think for the most part thats a good thing. The lack of examples is also nice,it's better to figure out the exercises without use of examples to guide your way, makes you try to understand the physics better rather than a more plug and chug approach. Overall, I think it's a very good book.

Harris --> really good
Great book, Harris tels you evertything on a easy, clear way.

Randy harris is myprofessor
Hey randy harris is my professor at UC Davis and I had him for about 2 quarters so far. he is a great teacher but I agree with most people that his teaching style is conversational and lecturelike at many points. From a person that read his book and listen to him speak are almost one in the same. He often patronizes students because he understands that things are hard to understand in Nonclassical physics yet he lectures you on issues that may seem confusing to us but not him. Oh well that is randy harris for you (aka Chandler of DAvis) ... Read more

Product Description

Suitable for second courses in physics following calculus-based introductory physics.   This text provides a smooth transition from introductory into modern physics–the physics of the 20th century. The mathematics is kept simple, so students can better concentrate on the important physical concepts.

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Customer Reviews (4)

DO NOT BUY
This is a horrible book.I am currently using it and the number of typos are not funny.At first you think, that's not right (it isn't)... weird one would have thought they would have caught something that important, oh well.But after 100 pages of wondering why the answers are wrong and the formulas keep changing, you're ready to throw the damned thing out.If you're in a class using this book, buy another one and don't use this one.I have read other books by this guy and their not this bad, someone just let something slip.

a review of Modern Physics by Hans C. OHanian
This book is certainly not one that simply assumes a knowledge of classical physics. The text assumes (at the very least) an introductory knowledge of modern physics, as it quite liberally employs terms and concepts unbeknownst to most classical-physics entrepreneurs. As i consider myself to be one of these, this book, prior to my professor's lectures, was utterly useless. While the material contained in any modern physics text may be somewhat convoluded, this one in particular does the amateur classical physicist no service. However, a previously-accredited modern physicist can almost certainly gain a thorough review of many generalized modern physics concepts via this book.

PAPERBACK!!!
I recently purchased this book for my modern physics course and it is a well written book.However, for some reason the publisher has sent out very poor copies of the book that are paperback and have the same ISBN number.Normally the paperback and hardcover have different ISBN's along with different prices.The copy that I purchased, along with the ones in the school bookstore and various other resellers are paperback and were printed on poor quality printers (the text is fuzzy and has many ink spots throughout the text).Just a warning to any stuents or professors who may be using this book in a course, please make certain that you are getting what you pay for.

Good intro to serious modern physics
This textbook assumes a knowledge in classical physics, and then proceeds to excellently cover topics in modern physics, including, relativity, quantum mechanics, solid state physics, nuclear physics and particle physics. It is a good choice for trying to acquire a knowledge of modern physics for the reader who has a good knowledge of classical physics (advanced high school program or first year University) but wants to move on. ... Read more

Product Description
Comprehensive problems for topics covered by Physics I toIV,including statics, dynamics, heat, electricity and magnetism, wavemotion, acoustics, optics, and atomic and nuclear physics.Numerouspictorial diagrams are included with complete illustrative explanations.Problem-solving strategies are included at the beginning of everychapter for each topic covered. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Oddly Addicting
I cannot say enough good things about this book!The size was intimidating at first, but don't be afraid!This book loves you and wants to help you.For me, there is no better way to learn physics than by going over problem after problem.

This book helps in a way a textbook only touches on: by showing you HOW to solve the problems.The questions at the end of the textbook chapter don't do that.And they also work a bit like a textbook in that some of the problems teach you key facts about a subject.This is great because rather than telling you these facts, like in a textbook, they show you.

The problems really become addicting.They make you feel so empowered and you really can tell you are learning.It actually makes you say, "oh, I'll do just one more!"

And I don't even really like physics.

Not one of the better REA books
I was so excited when I got this book.It's not easy to find physics help books that cover calculus based problems.Most physics books seem to be focused on algebra/trig based physics.That's obviously because people who know calculus know everything and don't need any help in anything... yeah, right!Luckily Rea and a few (and I mean a FEW) others still have common sense and realized that calculus based physics students need help too.Unfortunately I cannot recommend this physics book.It sucks that I can't since there aren't that many calculus based physics books.

This book just has some major flaws (at least they're major flaws in my opinion).Just to get it out of my system, I must say that the type-set that Rea uses sucks.I know every Rea book uses the same type of typewriter font and all of their "Problem Solver" books look bland, but I don't know why this has to be.In fact, there's no good reason they can't make their books a little more aesthetically pleasing.

Anyway, the most annoying feature I have found about this book is that a good chunk of the problems don't use the SI system of units, which is the standard system for science courses (for those who don't know, the SI system of units is basically a modified metric system).

Often when I work problems, I have to do extra work simply converting the given information into the SI unit.And once I come to an answer, I can't just compare my answer to the one in the book.Instead, I have to convert my answer back into the English system which is a hassle.I just simply don't understand why a science text wouldn't use the SI system.I have never seen a physics book (or any science book for that matter) not use the SI system. And if it weren't bad enough that this book very often does not use the SI system, it actually uses a lot of units that aren't very commonly used.

A lot of the problems use "slugs" as a unit. Perhaps advanced physics students know off hand what a slug is, but me, I had to look it up online just to do an otherwise easy problem.It turned out that a slug was around 14.6 kg.Now how many people actually knew that?

Amazing!
I'm very impressed; this book has loads of problems with which I can practise. It's simply the best physics problem book ever published!

Completely Useless
I have attempted numerous times to use examples from this book as guidance when stuck on homework problems assigned in my engineering physics course and have found that the book offers nothing but further frustration.It's unorganized, the typeset is monotonous and appears as if someone typed the book on a typewriter making it difficult to focus and follow the text, and I have yet to find a worked example that has been of any use whatsoever in completing even one of my homework problems.
The book does offer a lengthy chart of conversion factors.

Good Supplementary Practice, but that is it.
I am currently an engineering student, but I bought this book back in my highschool days for an AP Physics C class. I'd like to say that this book covers about every topic you can possibly imagine in physics at the introductory level. But even so, I'd rate it as just average. It may have some good interesting problems, but not many will find it worth the money. You may not even use more than a tenth of the book.

First of all, I dislike the layout of the book. The text is some courier font which makes it very difficult to read and thus difficult looking. The book is divided into chapters based on topic. The topics are pretty specific: Kinematics, Dynamics, Statics, etc. It starts out the chapter by 'trying' to teach you about that subject, but it fails entirely. The problems start out as easy as F = ma, but then suddenly jumps to extreme difficulty. I topped physics back in highschool and aced the APs, but I still found many of the problems extremely challenging. Just be warned that you had better be good in physics and also guessing as the solutions are also often anything but clear. It jumps around assuming you know whatever they are doing. Most of my friends who have borrowed the book have been unable to utilize it at all due to its difficulty.

In conclusion, if you are above average to excellent in physics, have nothing better to do, then you may want to just pick up this book as an extra supplement to challenge yourself or learn new methods in doing things. It maybe more useful in college where they split physics into more specific courses like dynamics, statics, electric circuits, etc. But by that time this book would be insufficient anyways. I just don't know what market the publishers were publishing for, as it is generally AP irrelevant, GCE irrelevant, and either too easy or too hard. ... Read more

Product Description
A plain-English guide to advanced physics

Does just thinking about the laws of motion make your head spin? Does studying electricity short your circuits? Physics II For Dummies walks you through the essentials and gives you easy-to-understand and digestible guidance on this often intimidating course.

Thanks to this book, you don?t have to be Einstein to understand physics. As you learn about mechanical waves and sound, forces and fields, electric potential and electric energy, and much more, you?ll appreciate the For Dummies law: The easier we make it, the faster you?ll understand it!

• An extension of the successful Physics I For Dummies
• Covers topics in a straightforward and effective manner
• Explains concepts and terms in a fast and easy-to-understand way

Whether you?re currently enrolled in an undergraduate-level Physics II course or just want a refresher on the fundamentals of advanced physics, this no-nonsense guide makes this fascinating topic accessible to everyone. ... Read more

Product Description
Presents a unified treatment of all the major aspects of modern elementary physics and mathematics. Practical examples included to help build problem-solving skills. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Nice source book for math and physics
This is a great book for wide variety of audiences -- students in high school to professionals (engineers and scientists) with many years of math training.If you are looking for rigorous derivations or theorem/proofs, this is not the book.But if you are looking for a handy source that you can go to everyday in your professional life, then this is the book.I commend the authors for designing an accessible book with cogent presentation and exceptional clarity.

Plethora
This text is a hard to find collection of formulas, theorems, symbols and laws that took me quite some time to find. If you like math and/or physics and want to know all you can, then this text is your best bet. It is laid out logically and coherently and culminates in a unified picture of two closely related fields of study. I highly recommend it to any scientific mind. ... Read more

Product Description
Intended for undergraduate courses in physics for students in biological physics, life sciences, biophysics, physiology, medical physics, and biomedical engineering, this book is an introduction to electricity and magnetism with examples and problems from the medical and biological sciences; it covers standard topics of electrostatic fields and potentials, electric currents, electrochemistry and bioelectricity, and electromagnetism.

This new edition of a classic set of books, originally published in 1974 from the authors' typescript, has been edited, updated, corrected, indexed, and typeset. It will satisfy the growing need for a working knowledge of the physical sciences among students and practitioners in the medical and biological sciences. The books can be used as supplements to standard introductory physics courses, as texts for medical schools, medical physics courses, and biology departments, and as a reference for practitioners. Chapters include problems and references.

The authors are recognized experts in the field. Benedek was the recipient of the 1995 Irving Langmuir Prize from the American Physical Society's Division of Chemical Physics, and the 1994 Biological Physics Prize from the American Physical Society.

FROM THE REVIEWS:

PHYSICS TODAY"These are classic books, and anyone planning to include bio-physical examples in a calculus-level course should study them carefully...The authors are to be congratulated for their work, and I commend AIP Press and Springer-Verlag for making the books available again." ... Read more

Product Description
This volume is produced from digital images created through the University of Michigan University Library's preservation reformatting program. The Library seeks to preserve the intellectual content of items in a manner that facilitates and promotes a variety of uses. The digital reformatting process results in an electronic version of the text that can both be accessed online and used to create new print copies. This book and thousands of others can be found in the digital collections of the University of Michigan Library. The University Library also understands and values the utility of print, and makes reprints available through its Scholarly Publishing Office. ... Read more

Product Description
Physically Speaking: A Dictionary of Quotations on Physics and Astronomy provides the largest published collection of quotations pertaining to physics and astronomy. Some quotes are profound, others are wise, some are witty but none are frivolous. Here you will find quotations from the most famous to the unknown. The extensive author and subject indexes provide you with the perfect tool for locating quotations for practical use or pleasure, and you will soon enjoy discovering what others have said on topics ranging from anti-matter to x-rays.

This book can be read for pleasure or used as a handy reference by students, scientific readers, and the more general reader who is interested in who has said what on physics and astronomy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The best of its kind. Also the only one.
"If I have seen further it is by standing on ye shoulders of Giants. God does not play dice. All science is either physics or stamp collecting." And so on. If you are a physicist, you can probably cite from the top of your head a dozen more witty quotations attributed to some celebrity physicist. Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr, Richard Feynman and Stephen Hawking, for instance, seem to have been especially prolific in this area. But while there seems to be no shortage of resources scattered in books, journals and across the Internet, there is a surprising shortage of books containing collected quotations on physics. I might have missed some, but this is exactly the only one I know. There exist, however, more general dictionaries of scientific quotations like Mackay's.

Around 1800 quotations (estimated) - contributed not only by physicists, but also by several poets - are sorted by subject (black holes, chaos, experiment, neutrino, quantum theory etc.). Apart from this, two indices are provided: a subject by author index and an author by subject index. Apart from few quotations listed as "Unknown", they are usually provided with the source, including page number, and a generous list of over 800 references is included.

Strangely enough - or perhaps not for a pioneering work, as the compilers claim it to be - you will probably easily find several well-known quotations missing in the book. From the three I have started with, Newton's and Einstein's quotations are missing, and Rutherford's is misquoted. This, of course, cannot serve to diminish the meticulous work Mr. and Mrs. Gaither - none of them a physicist - had accomplished. I am wondering though if consulting some physicist might improve the end result. They are somewhat suspiciously missing in the acknowledgment. ... Read more