Product Description
If superheroes stepped off the comic book page or silver screen and into reality, could they actually work their wonders in a world constrained by the laws of physics? How strong would Superman have to be to "leap tall buildings in a single bound"? Could Storm of the X-Men possibly control the weather? And how many cheeseburgers would the Flash need to eat to be able to run at supersonic speeds?

Face front, True Believer, and wonder no more! Because in The Physics of Superheroes acclaimed university professor James Kakalios shows that comic book heroes and villains get their physics right more often than you think.

In this scintillating scientific survey of super powers you’ll learn what the physics of forces and motion can reveal about Superman’s strength and the true cause of the destruction of his home planet Krypton, what villains Magneto and Electro can teach us about the nature of electricity—and finally get the definitive answer about whether it was the Green Goblin or Spider-Man’s webbing that killed the Wall Crawler’s girlfriend Gwen Stacy in that fateful plunge from the George Washington Bridge!

Along the way, The Physics of Superheroes explores everything from energy, to thermodynamics, to quantum mechanics, to solid state physics, and Kakalios relates the physics in comic books to such real-world applications as automobile airbags, microwave ovens, and transistors. You’ll also see how comic books have often been ahead of science in explaining recent topics in quantum mechanics (with Kitty Pryde of the X-Men) and string theory (with the Crisis on Infinite Earths).

This is the book you need to read if you ever wondered how the Invisible Woman of the Fantastic Four can see when she turns transparent, if the Atom could travel on an electron through a phone line, or if electromagnetic theory can explain how Professor X reads minds. Fun, provocative, and packed with more superheroes and superpowers than an Avengers-Justice League crossover, The Physics of Superheroes will make both comic-book fans and physicists exclaim, "Excelsior!" ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Superhero and Physics love
Call me a nerd, I'm writing a review on a book that deals with both Physics and superheroes! Growing up I always enjoyed watching my Saturday morning cartoons, but I'm not going to lie and say that I loved superheroes. I enjoyed them, but I wasn't crazy for them. With that being said, Kakalios' book, The Physics of Superheroes, was pretty good.
Kakalios does a good job at covering many of the basic principles taught in a basic Physics class. I currently have a physics class and much of what is talked about in this book helped solidify concepts taught by my professor. My physics textbook was a hard read for me, but this book was much easier to understand. For example, Kakalios explains the force needed to be supplied by Spider-Man's webbing in order to keep him from falling to his death. Kakalios does a great job at keeping things relatively easy for someone with some background in Physics to understand.
However, the further into the book you get the more difficult the Physics becomes. I'm still trying to comprehend a lot of the things taught to me this semester and certainly wasn't ready for a lesson on Atomic Physics or Quantum Mechanics. All in all this was a good book. I give this book four stars because there was quite a bit of physics that I just wasn't ready for. I'd recommend it to anyone who thinks they might enjoy a blend of Physics and Superheroes.

Super Physics
While I personally do enjoy physics more than some of the other sciences, I would not generally spend a long weekend reading a book about physics. Subsequently, I looked through the books on the list of possible choices for the book review assignment, and found The Physics of Superheroes by James Kakalios. I have been a closet comic book nerd since I was a kid, loving the Saturday morning cartoons involving superheroes and their superhuman antics. This option immediately piqued my interest. After seeing on several sights positive reviews (4-4.5 stars) I decided that I would take time out of my thanksgiving holiday and expand my horizons in physics. The book claims to cover all of the topics in an introductory physics (Newton's Laws of motion and Thermodynamics, for example) course while occasionally delving into some more complex concepts (like quantum mechanics).
The book starts out addressing Newtonian physics. Kakalios starts with arguably the greatest superhero around: Superman. Superman, he explains, was not always as superhuman as we see him nowadays. In the original "Golden Age" Superman comics, he wasn't lifting skyscrapers or flying into space. He was leaping tall buildings in a single bound and merely lifting automobiles. This is explained by the fact that Superman's home planet, Krypton, has a much higher gravitational force than that of earth. Because of this fact, he can jump higher, and lift much heavier weights. Kakalios goes through the Newtonian laws, talking about acceleration, force, and distance in order to explain the superhuman feats.
Another interesting application Kakalios explores is Spiderman and momentum. One specific example is when Gwen Stacy falls off the George Washington Bridge and Spiderman tries to save her. Because of her momentum, when Spidey nabs her in his web, the force on her body snaps her neck and kills her. A third example is asking the question of whether the Flash really could run up the side of a building. Looking at friction, velocity, and forces, is it plausible that the Flash could run up the side of a building? All of these and many more phenomena are examined in Kakalios' entertaining book. If we were to have physics homework based on superheroes, perhaps students would be more excited about doing it.
Overall, the book is well written. It begins with basic physics principles and continues into much more complicated concepts. Kakalios successfully helps a physics novice understand what he is talking about. He neither talks (or writes, as the case may be) above you nor does he "dumb it down" to the point of being annoying. Overall, Kakalios makes a normally complicated subject relatively easy to understand and quite entertaining. He also helps those of us who are comic book fans (and not fanatics, thus not knowing some of the more complicated history of comic books).
I would give The Physics of Superheroes four stars. It was entertaining, but at times it began to be a little tiresome to read (although much more exciting than any physics textbook I have read). I would definitely recommend this book to any fans of both physics and superheroes.

Started off great...Got boring towards the end.
The concept of this book was great!It started off pretty good but as I read through, it got kind of monotonous and boring...

So you thought you hated physics . . .
I am a sixteen-year-old boy who, like many teenagers, thinks physics is very difficult and boring.My mom got me this book for a project and the moment I started reading this book I fell in love with it. This book explains in such great detail everything I have been confused about in my physics class. Usually physics can be boring and hard to wrap your mind around, but in this book it's interesting and easy to understand. The forces and powers that superheroes require to do their feats are incredible. This bookmakes clear connections to concepts that I wouldn't understand if the author had not made them so simple. My favorite is that The Flash would require 75 BILLION FOOD CALORIES for him to start running every time to get to his super speed. That's 75 MILLION HAMBURGERS. How he would consume that many in a lifetime is unknown, but that's every time he starts running. This book is worth every penny and will raise your grade in physics for sure. You will read this book over and over again, and you will pass it on to friends to help them out as well. If you're not taking physics and just like superheroes then this is a good book for you too. It explains all the scientific mysteries of superheroes.I highly recommend this book to all and hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Magnificent!
The Physics of Superheroes by James Kakalios is a masterpiece that combines would-be-normal boring physics lessons with the interesting tales of superheroes that we have come to love. Kakalios dissects superhero after superhero, explaining each ones plausibility and, sadly for some, implausibility. Kakalios begins his novel with Section One, titled, "Mechanics". In this section, Kakalios goes over the basic laws of physics as described by Newton, including forces, momentum, centripetal acceleration, friction, sound and matter. Not only does Kakalios succeed in his physics lecture, he does this while using Superman, Spider-Man, the Flash, Ant-Man and the Fantastic Four as main characters that add suspense and entertainment. In fact, The Physics of Superheroes could be compared to an episode of Mythbusters, where science is ingeniously intertwined with popular entertainment. In Kakalios' novel, this entertainment is superheroes, while in Mythbusters it is more often than not blowing things up.
Not only does Kakalios use superheroes to explain physics, but he does so in a smooth and easy manner. Even for the beginning physics student in high school, The Physics of Superheroes will prove to be an easy read. Kakalios never becomes to equation-happy, so to say. His lessons are easy to follow and quick to understand. A student who has trouble reading our of his physics textbook could pick up Kakalios' novel and get the same information in an entertaining, quick way. Whether you are on your way to a physics major or a struggling, high-school physics student, Kakalios gives what is probably the most entertaining scientific piece of material you will ever read.
... Read more

Product Description

Richard Wolfson’s Essential University Physics, Second Edition is a concise and progressive calculus-based physics textbook that offers clear writing, great problems, and relevant real-life applications. This text is a compelling and affordable alternative for professors who want to focus on the fundamentals and bring physics to life for their students.

Essential University Physics focuses on the fundamentals of physics, teaches sound problem-solving skills, emphasizes conceptual understanding, and makes connections to the real world. The presentation is concise without sacrificing a solid introduction to calculus-based physics. New pedagogical elements have been introduced that incorporate proven results from physics education research. Features such as annotated figures and step-by-step problem-solving strategies help students master concepts and solve problems with confidence.

The Second Edition features dramatically revised and updated end-of-chapter problem sets, significant content updates, new Conceptual Examples, and additional Applications, all of which serve to foster student understanding and interest.

Essential University Physics is offered as two paperback volumes, available shrink-wrapped together, or for sale individually.

Customer Reviews (9)

Great!!
Great seller, great product!! Totally recommended!! The description of the product was very clear, and i got it before the time.! Very happy with the purchase!!!!!!

Outstanding Transaction
Very quick shipment and the item was in excellent condition - very happy with the transaction

Everything it said it would be
I required this book for my collegiate physics course. The textbook shipped within an adequate timeframe, and the product itself came as advertised.

Review
Took long to arrive and condition was satisfactory, but if that doesn't matter to you then no complaints!

there's got to be a better book
each chapter packs in a ton of information but gives very little explanation.more examples would be very helpful. ... Read more

Product Description
Quantum Physics For Dummies helps make quantum physics understandable and accessible. From what quantum physics can do for the world to understanding hydrogen atoms, readers will get complete coverage of the subject, along with numerous examples to help them tackle the tough equations. Compatible with classroom text books and courses, Quantum Physics For Dummies lets students study at their own paces and helps them prepare for graduate or professional exams. Coverage includes:

• The Schrodinger Equation and its Applications
• The Foundations of Quantum Physics
• Vector Notation
• Spin
• Scattering Theory, Angular Momentum, and more

Customer Reviews (22)

Unacceptable errors by any measure
NOTE: In this review, due to HTML, I will use [] brackets instead of the regular bra-ket notation brackets.

If this book was about poetry or even programming, occasional typo or error would be acceptable. Because in the case of the former, one could probably know what the author meant. In the case of the latter, programming, one could probably try and correct the error in the program code by deferring to compiler.

However, in a book that uses mathematics, even the smallest omission or error can leave one in a very confused state.

I am only on page 40 and will return the book to the store. There are numerous errors, typos and omissions of explanations in the book.
Furthermore there is no errata on the dummies website that I can see.

Some examples of the lack of explanation already on page 30: where the author connects the bra and the ket into [psi|psi], not explaining where the double || bar went. Also, on the next page 31, the author introduces a new variable "phi", without explaining that the choice of the variable name is irrelevant and it is just a convention. Initially I attached special meaning to variables "psi" and "phi".

The explanation of what a "linear" operator is, is just horrible on page 36, where the author manipulates the "phi", "psi" and "chi" symbols with no apparent logic, only to conclude in the end:

"Thus, |phi][psi| is indeed a linear operator".


Regarding errors, on page 35, the matrix R is really messed up, with 200 instead of 2 etc...
On page 37, 4th rule states :

"4. Write your final equation
[psi|A^+|phi] = [phi|A|psi "

Now, where did the right ] bracket go? There is no explanation whatsoever that the heck just happened in step 4.


In any case, I find chapter 2 extremely confusing. Chapter 1 was ok.

I can't see how people could rate this book 5 stars, except maybe that they were paid by someone or given a free copy for review - and reviewed it with a high score in order to receive More free books.

PS: I am a dummy but I did take 3rd year calculus and 3rd year linear algebra in university.

Not a dummies book. Written for a different audience.
There is clearly an audience for this book as evidenced by the many thoughtful reviews. The authors and editors of this series are congratulated on their ever expandingseries of books on math and physics. You will need a basic understading of linear equations and differential equations to enjoy this book. It would have been helpful for the workbook to include more examples worked out of Eigenvectors, unitary matrices, andHermetian matrices . Many of the operator functions would make much more sense if the multiplication were actually worked out. In addition the proofs of the Heisenberg and Schrodinger equations are missing steps. I would encourage Dr Holzner and the editors of the series to consider a second edition of both this book and the workbook.Chapter 2 of the textbook and the corresponding excercises in the workbook should be markedly expanded to more fully cover all math mentioned above. It would not be difficult to make this a 5 star book.The beauty of this math and physics should be able to be appeciated by many more people. Teaching the math is the hard part. As evidenced by his differential equations workbook Dr. Holzner should be able to rewrite the present texts to be better understood by a wider audience.

Rated U- For Useless
I bought this book hoping to learn a little about this crazy phenomenon called quantum mechanics. Instead, I got a book or derivations, little insight, and more Greek letters than the Rosetta Stone. Hard to read, little explanatory value, not enough illustrations, and quite a few typos. I can't even figure out who this is marketed to. Clearly, it's not for people that don't have experience with Calculus/Differential equations/ Probability Theory / Linear Algebra/ and knowledge of wave mechanics. They completely skip any intro on any current theories or any explanation of basic particles.
I can't even see the value of having this if you already know something about the subject, since who wants to walk through a bunch of algebraic derivations of some equation that you already know, since you are not a Dummy.
This book is the problem with the whole field. Everybody hides behind some math curtain, citing how important the Schrödinger equation is, pretending that all this math means something, when they actually know very little about the subject in general.

DO NOT BUY!

A sales con job
A contradiction!! Anything but a general overview for novice readers I want my money back

Not for dummies
This book is not for dummies.It is full of equations from the beginning.The preface indicates it is written at a college course level and assumes you are knowledgeable about calculus. I wanted to have the concept of Quantum Physics explained in layman's terms.Therefore, the description of the book on Amazon should state clearly the level of knowledge required for this book.It really does not belong in the Dummies series. ... Read more

Product Description

Art interprets the visible world. Physics charts its unseen workings. The two realms seem completely opposed. But consider that both strive to reveal truths for which there are no words––with physicists using the language of mathematics and artists using visual images. In Art & Physics, Leonard Shlain tracks their breakthroughs side by side throughout history to reveal an astonishing correlation of visions. From the classical Greek sculptors to Andy Warhol and Jasper Johns, and from Aristotle to Einstein, artists have foreshadowed the discoveries of scientists, such as when Monet and Cezanne intuited the coming upheaval in physics that Einstein would initiate. In this lively and colorful narrative, Leonard Shlain explores how artistic breakthroughs could have prefigured the visionary insights of physicists on so many occasions throughout history. Provicative and original, Art & Physics is a seamless integration of the romance of art and the drama of science––and an exhilarating history of ideas.

Customer Reviews (5)

Misleading and confusing
First of all this book should have been called "Religion and physics" or "Christianity and physics". Often using biblical stories and god as supportive examples, the ground stone of this book is not objective, nor academic or scientific at all. What Shlein seems to try to study and prove is not the relationship/connection between art and physics, but religion and science in a way that he constantly and subtly refers modern science to religious myths. Such as, he pointed out that ancient Greeks believed that all matters came from 4 elements: air, fire, water and earth, while later Aristotle added the 5th element - "stuff of stars" (what stuff?), then he links this to physics in which he thinks that physics is all about 4 elements too: space, time, force and matter, the 5th would be light which would be equivalent to Aristotle's "stuff of stars" he thinks..... I am an art student and a physic enthusiast and I found this book is so very very misleading.

Schlain's vast insight
As a musician and life long educator in a school of the arts here in Pittsburgh, I am inspired by Mr. Schlain's vast insight into the relationship of creativity, science, and the human spirit. I believe this work should be a fundamental guide for educators who believe in the power of art as it historically has influenced culture and science. BRAVO Mr. Schlain!

Interesting Connections
This book seeks to provide connections about art and science.I would have liked more visual illustrations, but anyone who seeks to understand the patterns of this world will find the ideas interesting.

Academic disciplines have become segregated in our individual disciplines, so this kind of synthesis is unique.

I bought this book because it was recommended by one of my graduate students.The book was a gift for an engineer who enjoys art and design.

Shallow and confused
Leonard Shlain is a surgeon, not an art historian neither a physicist. His culture is impressively broad, but unfortunately shallow. His main thesis in this book is that basically all scientific discoveries were anticipated by artists. I find the interwoven relationship between art and science absolutely fascinating, but this book is not a reference that I would recommand on the topic.

The main problem is that this book abuses of the juxtaposition of unrelated facts, and presents them with such virtuosity that a magical causality seem to appear. Shlain presents ancient thoughts with the enlightenment of modern frameworks, subtly rewriting them, emphasizing concept and translating them such that they seem to fit with forthcoming theories.

This kind of pitfall has been described by Kuhn (the structure of scientific revolution). For example, if Newtonian mechanics can be expressed in the framework of relativity, relativity is NOT and extension of Newtonian physics, there is a fundamental revolution between them. It is only because Newtonian physics has been rewritten that it becomes more compatible with Einstein's new insights.

Moreover, Shlain's understanding of relativity is weak at best. For example, he often makes the confusion between the effect of the finite speed of light (which can be expressed in a Newtonian context) and relativity.

I was all the more disappointed that some of the issues are actually relevant and fascinating: relativity, non Euclidean, surrealism and cubism for example do share a common revolution of the notion of space (and thus of the place of humans in the world). Unfortunately, Shlain's caricatural statements are irrelevant: Manet had absolutely no idea of the concepts involved in relativity, and Einstein himself pointed out that cubism had nothing to deal with relativity (as opposed to Picasso's claims).

If you want a good introduction to art history, read Gombrich, if you want to learn about physics in a broad context, read Zajong (Catching the light).

Art & Physics:Parallel Visions in Space, Time, and Light
I thought this was a wonderful book. Tying the evolution of art to the evolution of thinking and science gave me a more holistic way to look at art. From the ancient Greeks through the Dark and Middle Ages, the Impressionists, and into modern times the parallels of physics to art are simply amazing.Perfect for us "left-brained" types. ... Read more

Product Description
Here is the new SPI edition of the single best-selling mock exam devoted to the ARDMS exam in ultrasound physics. If you are looking for guidance and a clear understanding of the principles and facts you must know to pass the SPI exam, this is the review for you. Written by a sonographer who not only loves ultrasound physics but delights in and excels at explaining it to others, this mock examination hones your test-taking skills, measures your progress as you study, and assesses your strengths and weaknesses by exam topic so that you can focus your effort where it counts. With 600 registry-like questions, 83 image-based questions, and simple, clear explanations, the SPI edition of the best-selling Ultrasound Physics Review illuminates this difficult subject from the point of view of the sonographer and points the way to success. An Image Gallery prepares you to tackle the scans on the exam. Precisely based on the ARDMS exam outline and edited by eminent medical physicist Jim Zagzebski, PhD, Ultrasound Physics Review covers all topics in the new revised exam. Very effective in combination with any of the physics texts in our online catalog. 12 hours of SDMS-approved CME credit. More than 80 images. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Really Helpfull
I use this book and I find it really helpful, good explanation of questions and concept.
It is highly recommended for SPI exam

Excellent Book For SPI Exam
I used this book to prepare for my SPI Exam. The text and explanation are excellent, easy to read and understand. The book is much better than the other books I used in the past. I look forward to using other products from them.

Excellent book for review SPI.
It is a nice book for SPI regarding ARDMS. I found lot of new themes and ideas regarding ARDMS exam from this book. I think it is the best reveiw book for SPI I have gone through.

If you are looking for a SPI book with only questions and answers to review for the ARDMS exam, buy this book.
I just passed the ARDMS SPI test and used an old version of Kremkau's "Diagnostic Ultrasound Principles and Instruments" andOwens "Ultrasound Physics Review" to review.I recommend this book if you are just looking for questions and answers (more than 500 hundred plus 120 for the CME with no answers and the CME costs an extra $40).The book goes into more detail than the test especially on vascular.This book will not help you learn the material but it will be helpful to review especially if you do not take a review class.

But if you're looking at this book you care more about the SPI test than the book so here I go.The test was not hard and did not go into as much detail as I had anticipated (ie only one questionon Rayleigh scatters and none on Reynolds #, Snells or Poisuille Law).Most of the artifact questions were on temporal resolution and enhancement. A couple on mirror artifacts.The two test object questions were on tissue equivalent phantoms.One question on using the range equation and one on the doppler equation.Three questions on annular array transducers.None on 3D or 1.5D transducers.One on harmonics.One was which intensity has the lowest power (sata etc).A couple on the beam former (it focuses and steers), One on apodization. two on phased array transducers. One on elevation slice thickness artifacts.One on mechanical index. Three on speed of sound in different tissues or range ambiguity.One on hydrophone, none on doppler test object. One on what is piezoelectric.One or two on the beam diagram, near field and focal point.A couple more on lateral resolution and beam diameter.One on linear array, none on curved but two on phased array (what can focus and steer).Several on the beam former and focusing (what is the focal diameter given the transducer diameter) Several on color doppler including one each on changing fq and aliasing, temporal resolution, autocorrelator and quadrature channel.A few on db (intensity is reduced by 3dB) and what is unit is intensity measured as (watt/cm2). One on Pt ID (what do you do first when you encounter an OP).One on what to do when your printer stops working (I fixed the jam but ARDMS might want you to call on someone).Many on properties of US including propagation speed and impedance and what effects them.Only one or two on bioefffects.A couple on reflection, none on refraction. None on display but one was how many grays are seen with a six bit memory.Nothing on pre and post processing.Not much on hemodynamics. Two question with images were of vessels one with low gain the other requiring the color angel to be changed.Sorry for the ramble but I want to get it down before I forget.That should give you a pretty good feel for what to study and best of luck. ... Read more

Product Description

KEY MESSAGE: As the most widely adopted new physics text in more than 50 years, Knight’s Physics for Scientists and Engineers was published to widespread critical acclaim from professors and students. In this eagerly awaited second edition, Knight builds on the research-proven instructional techniques he introduced, as well as national data of student performance, to take student learning even further. Knight’s unparalleled insight into student learning difficulties, and his impeccably skillful crafting of text and figures at every level – from macro to micro – to address these difficulties, results in a uniquely effective and accessible book, leading students to a deeper and better-connected understanding of the concepts and more proficient problem-solving skills. Building on an NSF-sponsored educational research program and input from tens of thousands of student users, the second edition refines and extends the pedagogical innovations that years of use has now shown to be effective. Unprecedented analysis of national student metadata has allowed every problem to be systematically enhanced for educational effectives, and to ensure problem sets of ideal topic coverage, balance of qualitative and quantitative problems, and range of difficulty and duration.

Newton's Laws: Concepts of Motion • Kinematics in One Dimension • Vectors and Coordinate Systems • Kinematics in Two Dimensions • Force and Motion • Dynamics I: Motion Along a Line • Dynamics II: Interacting Objects • Dynamics III: Motion in a Plane Conservation Laws:  Impulse and Momentum • Energy • Work Applications of Newtonian Mechanics: Rotation of a Rigid Body • Newton's Theory of Gravity • Oscillations • Fluids and Elasticity Thermodynamics: A Macroscopic Description of Matter • Work, Heat, and the First Law of Thermodynamics • The Micro/Macro Connection • Heat Engines and Refrigerators Waves and Optics: Traveling Waves • Superposition • Wave Optics • Ray Optics • Optical Instruments •  Modern Optics and Matter Waves Electricity and Magnetism: Electric Charges and Forces •  The Electric Field • Gauss's Law • The Electric Potential • Potential and Field • Current and Conductivity • Fundamentals of Circuits • The Magnetic Field • Electromagnetic Induction • Electromagnetic Fields and Waves • AC Circuits  Relativity and Quantum Physics: Relativity • The End of Classical Physics • Quantization • Wave Functions and Probabilities • One-Dimensional Quantum Mechanics • Atomic Physics • Nuclear Physics

MARKET: For all readers interested in leading students to a deeper and better-connected understanding of the concepts and more proficient problem-solving skills.

Customer Reviews (17)

Dull and unsophisticated
This text lacks rigor, simplicity and clearness. The authors make physics extremely boring and dull. The examples are subpar and don't do much other than plug into equations. A good physics textbook should have many worked out problems per chapter which is this book's greatest weakness. If you are looking for deep understanding and appreciation for the beauty of physics this book is not for you as it will bore you and make you ask yourself why you chose to take physics.

Ineffective Tool For Learning Physics
When describing this book mixed emotions come to mind. The book itself is presented in a very well organized manner and the chapters flow very well. Each chapter has a very useful summary and is well structured. Those are the only positive things I have to say about this book. Each chapter though well structured is some what bloated. Instead of getting straight to the point about a subject the book beats around the bush and provides much of the information with out context making the material hard to follow and somewhat confusing. The book also mixes important information with non important information making it harder to take notes and is presented in a incredibly boring manner. In order to separate trivial information from non-trivial information the reader must read the chapter summaries which are very well written and are the only saving grace of the book. The worst feature about this book is the lack of examples. Each section averages about one example and the examples are not very diverse or varied. The second worst feature are the conceptual question posted along side the reading, such as "...is this diagram possible?" These questions would be helpful, but they give no answers to these questions not event in the back of the book making them useless. All in all this book is mediocre at best. If you have had previous exposure to physics such as high school physics then you will probably be able to get by with this text alone. If not I would recommend you get other text to supplement this book.

I HATE THIS BOOKI
I NEVER READ THIS BOOK BECAUSE IT CONFUSES ME IMMENSELY. I HAVE TO STAY FOCUSED ON WHAT MY TEACHER TEACHES BECAUSE THE MOMENT I BRING THIS BOOK INTO THE EQUATION, I FEEL STUPID. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME ON THE SOLUTIONS MANUALS OR THE WORKBOOKS, THEY ARE POINTLESS.

Unammused
Ordered book, received shipping conformation never got the book. Had to get a refund from amazon

Did not receive book.
Did not receive book, seller has agreed to refund.New book ended up costing me alot more. ... Read more

Product Description
How do magnets work? What makes a curve ball curve? What keeps an airplane in the air? How can a pulley make you five times stronger? Now you can learn the answers to these and other questions about basic physics through 101 fun, safe, low-cost experiments and activities that can be performed at home or in the classroom. In Physics for Every Kid, you’ll learn about gravity from funnels that seem to defy nature by rolling up hill. Using a balloon as a power source, you’ll make a fluorescent light bulb glow and learn how electrons are used to produce light. And you’ll levitate a Ping-Pong ball to understand aerodynamics. Each of the 101 experiments is broken down into its purpose, a list of materials, step-by-step instructions, expected results, and an easy to understand explanation. Every activity has been pretested and can be performed safely and inexpensively in the classroom or at home. Also available in this series from Janice VanCleave: Astronomy for Every Kid Biology for Every Kid Chemistry for Every Kid Dinosaurs for Every Kid Earth Science for Every Kid Geography for Every Kid Geometry for Every Kid The Human Body for Every Kid Math for Every Kid ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

janet vancleave review
this is an excellent resource for teachers or parents.experiments are fun and easy to do.

This book makes learning physics fun!
I would highly recommend Janice VanCleave's Physics For Every Kid. I am a 6th & 7th grade science teacher and have used activities from this book numerous times. There are so many tough concepts in physics and sometimes all it takes is a simple activity that the kids can see. The way I use the activities in this book, along with the others in this series, are to set them up as stations and have the kids rotate through them. It's an easy way to create hands-on learning and the kids LOVE it! This book is divided up into these categories: electricity, magnets, buoyancy, gravity, balance, flight, simple machines, inertia, motion, light, heat, and sound. I think the activities in this book are intended for grades 4-6, but could be adapted for younger or older kids. You won't be disappointed!

Physics is Fun
This book is just right for introducing physics concepts to children in the 8-12yrs. age range.My students prefer learning the concepts by "doing" rather than by justreading about them in a science text.

Very disappointing
I was very disappointed by the lack of information. The experiments (this book is entirely experiments - which I disliked) take a long time to set up. Even if they work (which they often don't), they will often onlydemonstarate a simple concept that could be explained in one paragraph. Acomplete waste of money. I would recomend "Physics the easy way"by Robert L. Lehrman (Barron's Educational Series, Inc.) over this book anyday. ... Read more

Product Description
These ever popular guides include study tips, test-taking strategies, score analysis charts, and other valuable features. Each book contains between 5 and 20 recently given New York State high school Regents exams. They are an ideal source of practice and test preparation. The detailed answer explanations make each exam a practical learning experience. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Tremendous help
This volume was a tremendous help for a child I know who graduated from a New York state high school in the last two years. The physics teacher assigned did a lousy job explaining the ins and outs of the physics examination for the N.Y. State Regents board. This book, however, helped the high school student earn well above average on the results. Nice book.

National Board Certified Physics Teacher Loves It
This book is an outstanding study tool for students enrolled in college preparatory physics courses or AP Physics B courses.I have found it an EXTREMELY valuable starting point for my own quizzes and tests. Thequestions seem to be the perfect balance between conceptual andcomputational assessments.I use the books in this series as the idealcurricular standard for the courses described above. Highest praise for theauthors. ... Read more

Product Description
No other book on the market today can match the 30-year success of Halliday, Resnick and Walker's Fundamentals of Physics! In a breezy, easy-to-understand style the book offers a solid understanding of fundamental physics concepts, and helps readers apply this conceptual understanding to quantitative problem solving. This book offers a unique combination of authoritative content and stimulating applications.
* Problem-solving tactics are provided to help the reader solve problems and avoid common errors.
* This new edition features several thousand end of chapter problems that were rewritten to streamline both the presentations and answers.
* Chapter Puzzlers open each chapter with an intriguing application or question that is explained or answered in the chapter. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Great basic textbook.
This is a bread and butter textbook for any physics student.I would highly recommend it!

AWESOME AWESOME TEXTBOOK THAT EVERYONE MUST HAVE
This text is extremely useful for college. It presents the material in an orderly and plain manner, which makes it very simple to use and understand. I would highly recommend it to all physics students in college or those taking AP Physics C in High School. It's a wonderful resource to have!!!

Very happy
The book arrived in good condition, just as what was stated. It arrived quickly. I am happy with the purchase

good stuff
Came safely, only issue is how long it takes amazon to deliver. Friends ordered elsewhere and got it in a week.

Timely shipping, excellent quality
I received my order within a few days of purchase.The product exhibited excellent quality as expected. ... Read more

Product Description
This powerful study tool makes it possible--­­even for students with relatively weak training in mathematics and science problem solving­­--to quickly gain the reasoning skills and confidence they need to master physics and excel on exams. It coaxes readers through the subject matter and methodology, helping them to naturally develop a grasp of the material typical of a rigorous, no-calculus-based course. With this guide, so like an excellent tutor, they'll soon develop an ability to deal comfortably with sophisticated problems. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Keeps what it promises
A previous reviewer gave this book a bad rating because she/he was not pleased with the preview pages offered at Amazon. Actually the preview pages are ok - it just happens that the author is dedicating the first chapter to brush up the students math. The book holds what the author promises in the preface: "The book is specifically designed to allow students with relatively weak mathematics and science problem solving to quickly gain the needed quantitative reasoning skills as well as confidence in addressing the subjects in physics"
The book is designed to accompany first year college students. Price/Value ratio seems ok - and it blends in with the second part "Beginning Physics II" (which has received good ratings as well).

Can't really tell about this book
Amazon's preview of the book itself would be more useful if it complemented customer reviews.Yable of Contents always shows only one page when it may consist of two or several pages.The author's Preface and Introduction would tell what the scope and intent of the book would be.One random page, obtained by Surprise Me, shows a delta y over delta x.But is it a calculus-based book?I can't assume it is. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Haunting, visceral collection of contemporary urban tales.
(The review was originally written by Richard Thomas for The Nervous Breakdown, October 2010)
[...]

As it often is with new voices, it all starts with a dull buzz, and the sense of serendipity. Something allows the title or the subject matter or the quality of the prose to break through the daily clutter, the onslaught of suggestions and advertising, to sit with you, to hold your hand and not let go. That is the case with this powerful collection of fiction, The Physics of Imaginary Objects by Tina May Hall. For me, it started with early adopters, people like Dan Wickett at Dzanc Books and the Emerging Writers Network, and Roxane Gay at PANK. By the time I saw the cover, and tracked down a story online to get a taste of the voice, I was nearly sold. After reading "When Praying to a Saint, Include Something Up Her Alley" at her website (originally published in Black Warrior Review) I was in. All in. So very much invested. And a little bit scared.


JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER.

Long before I got my copy in the mail, I stared at the cover of this book. It was an early clue of what to expect. Throughout these fifteen stories and one novella, there is a constant sense that things may go wrong, that they will definitely go wrong, and that the paranoia you feel as a reader is not a lie, it is not a misinterpretation, there is indeed something happening, something dark, and uncomfortable. The image on the cover is of a mirror, propped up on a structure, black fabric draped over the hidden form, with the tops of pine trees reflected in it, a wire running down the front, off into the dead branches and out of sight. I have always had issues with mirrors. Mirrors and shadows, the things you catch at the edge of your vision. You turn, and there is nothing there. But was there? There is a sense in that cover art that something is happening just out of sight, the wire, it makes no sense, the table and the mirror out in the forest, you can almost feel the presence of someone (or some thing) standing just out of the shot. It is a feeling that came back to me many times while reading these stories.


CLUES THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE GOOD.

It was the winner of the 2010 Drue Heinz Literature Prize. Included, is "All The Day's Sad Stories", the winner of the 2008 Caketrain Chapbook Competition, selected by Brian Evenson. Black Warrior Review. The Collagist. Etc.


WHAT'S IN A TITLE?

There is a romantic quality to the title of this book, and quite possibly in the idea, the current trend, towards lengthy book and short story titles, a technique that Tina May Hall uses with great success throughout her collection. I'm reminded of A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers or Laura van den Berg's What the World Will Look Like When All the Water Leaves Us. For me, it starts with the imaginary objects, the notion that we must be prepared to fantasize, to conjure up something, maybe from a dream, or a wish. And then, implore the physics of that object, the movement, the relationship of that object to its surroundings, the way that our hopes, our fears, manifest in the realities of our existence. They change, they emerge, and they can grant us pleasure, or they can torment us. It doesn't take much imagination to see the possibility in the title of her stories "By the Gleam of Her Teeth, She Will Light the Path Before Her" or "There Is a Factory in Sierra Vista Where Jesus Is Resurrected Every Hour in Hot Plastic and the Stench of Chicken." This humor and eccentricity balances the darkness that seeps into most every story, constantly battling for a place on the page.


A LIST OF WORDS THAT FLITTED OVER MY EYELIDS AT NIGHT WHEN I TRIED TO GO TO SLEEP, THE WORK REFUSING TO LET ME GO.

Haunting, visceral, lush, foreboding, sinister, mythic, ominous, bittersweet, fabled, rich, surreal, unsettling.


SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.

It would be easy to say that this is simply a collection of strange stories, where magical things happen: a bottomless hole appears in a small town; a pregnant woman's house is a magnet for wild animals; and a group of skinny girls carry the power of witchcraft around like a purse. But it's more than that. The language is poetic, lyrical, and it lulls you into a false sense of security, something dreamy and sweet, only to turn on you, with a speed and violence that is unnerving. Take this example from "Skinny Girls' Constitution and Bylaws":


"We will gestate plump happy babies in the bone cages of our pelvis. When we lift our arms to the moon, there is a sound like branches scraping."


And this:


"We will not stick our heads in ovens. We will not throw ourselves from bridges, nor weight our pockets, nor disturb our veins."


This story goes on to list a baker's dozen of young women, each one more bizarre, and touching, and tormented as the next. The beauty of what Tina May Hall does is the pairing of our humanity, the things we can all relate to, with the darker sides of life, the things we turn away from, and choose to ignore. We don't talk about how we would like to put a curse on somebody that has wronged us. Or how we've stared at a bottle of whiskey and the pills next to it, or the long sharp edge of a razor blade, and considered ending it all. We don't exact revenge, and we don't plot the demise of others. And yet, don't we? In our weaker moments, don't we sometimes whisper to ourselves "I wish he was dead"?


"Skinny Girls' Constitution and Bylaws" may have been my favorite story in this collection, but the winning novella "All the Day's Sad Stories" is a close second. (And "Visitations" a very close third.) It's a simple premise. A couple is trying to get pregnant, but things are not going well. Mercy starts kissing her co-worker, and Jake quits his job to be a professional online poker player. There are signs all around them, hints, perhaps warnings, and then the "Xs" begin to appear. I was immediately reminded of the tension and fear that wrapped around me when I saw The Blair Witch Project. Something so simple, a chalk mark, an "X" strategically placed under a window, or on the side of the house, on the mailbox, it created this presence, this paranoia, which overshadows everything they do. I won't spoil the ending, but it's certainly something unexpected. The last lines are reminiscent of the emotion and perspective of her characters:


"Now, sitting on the porch with Jake, drinking day-old wine, she spots a paper-skin ghost of a cicada gripping her chair leg and is suddenly awash in happiness, recalling the way these somnolent insects sip tree sap and wait out the dark, the way they sing themselves from the ground."


OTHER VOICES THAT JOINED WITH TINA MAY HALL TO CREATE A CHORUS IN MY HEAD.

William Gay, Lydia Davis, Kelly Link, Stephen Graham Jones, Aimee Bender, Miranda July, Holly Goddard Jones, Brian Evenson.


FAIRY TALES AND FABLES.

Another compelling component of this collection is the idea of the fable, or the myth. There is a history to these stories, something that connects the contemporary settings and everyday life with that of the fantastic, the mythical, the unknown. Whereas many of us may have grown up with fairy tales presented by Walt Disney, with the princess waking up, the prince saving the damsel in distress, there are other fairy tales that came to mind while reading these powerful tales. I kept thinking of the Brothers Grimm. I was reminded of a couple giving their baby away in "Rumpelstiltskin", or a wolf devouring a grandmother and an axe-man splitting him open to pull her out in "Little Red Riding Hood", or a witch who lives in a house of candy, cooking and eating lost children in "Hansel and Gretel". Those are the tales that I am reminded of, stories that are fine to laugh about when reading them in all of their illustrated, Rated-G humor, but when they are thought of in a modern day setting they are simply horrific and unthinkable.


FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE PHYSICS OF IMAGINARY OBJECTS.

There are a lot of good novels out there, good stories being told. The rarity is the voice that stays with you, and in the case of The Physics of Imaginary Objects, haunts you. I found myself going back and re-reading, over and over again, passages, whole stories, and I never do that. I'm always eager to move on. I wasn't this time. In fact, I put off writing this review because I wanted to spend more time with the words, the rich language and the layers of thought, emotion, suggestion, trepidation, and beauty. This is one of the best collections of fiction that I've read this year. One of the best I've read in a very long time. Reach out into the darkness and take its hand, fall in love with the shadows, and open yourself up to the unknown.

Brilliant
An absolutely brilliant collection of short fiction. I thought I would have to wait until it came out in a paper edition but Amazon slashed the price to less than what you will probably pay for the paperback. ... Read more

Product Description

Since defining this course 30 years ago, Paul Hewitt’s best-selling text continues to be the benchmark book that two-thirds of professors use and by which all others are judged. In Conceptual Physics Media Update,Tenth Edition, Paul Hewitt shows how a compelling text and the most advanced media can be integrated to empower professors as they bring physics to life for non-science majors, both in and out of class.  About Science, Newton's First Law of Motion: Inertia, Linear Motion, Newton's Second Law of Motion: Force and Acceleration, Newton's Third Law of Motion: Action and Reaction, Momentum, Energy, Rotational Motion, Gravity, Projectile and Satellite Motion, Atomic Nature of Matter, Solids, Liquids, Gases and Plasmas, Temperature, Heat and Expansion, Heat Transfer, Change of Phase,Thermodynamics, Vibrations and Waves, Sound, Musical Sounds, Electrostatics, Electric Current, Magnetism, Electromagnetic Induction, Properties of Light, Color, Reflection and Refraction, Light Waves, Light Emission, Light Quanta, The Atom and the Quantum, Atomic Nucleus and Radioactivity, Nuclear Fission and Fusion, Special Theory of Relativity, General Theory of Relativity. Intended for those interested in learning the basics of Conceptual Physics

Customer Reviews (9)

Didn't want to do this......
My purchase date for this book from David Meyer is August 3, 2010. As of this time I haven't received the book, and have received no response to any of my attempts to contact the seller and the order has not been canceled as requested. It pains me to give negative reviews, but this is not the way a seller should do business. I will not make any more purchases from this seller. I would suggest you be very careful as well. I'm still hoping this is just a mix-up.

satisfied customer
The book was shipped in a timely manner. I received just what I had anticipated. Good transaction.

The good, the bad, and the ugly
Ok first off. I have readsome of the other reviews on this book, some said too "wordy", others said it is awsome......the truth is somewhere in between.
I really like this book because it puts everything fairly simply, in such a way that does not seem totally foreign to someone like me, who had never studied Physics before. There are tons of pictures and examples in the book that walk you through the different concepts. But then again on the other hand, there arent many mathmatic eqations done out for you so that you can understand the mathematic process of the equation. Over all I really like this book. And if you can possibly afford to go to the [...] website (I think its about $30) that goes along with this book, it is amazing!There are tons of animations that help you visualize, excersies that help you get used to the the types of questions you will be asked and help you delve deeper into the concept. There are even videos of professors giving lectures or doing experiments that you can watch (and because I took this course online those were a lifesaver). Great system!

Lots of concept, little application
This may sound a little strange, but the textbook is very "wordy"; by this, I mean that the concepts are written out, which is wonderful, and there are cute little drawings inside. However, the concepts are rarely mathematically applied. A chapter will have one or two extremely basic formulas that are easily derived from the text, but then will NOT have the mathematical application for the more complex problems. To top it off, the textbook itself does not have answers to any exercises, therefore making it difficult to connect the concepts to the practical questions.

If you already understand physics or are able to be able to read a paragraph and mentally convert it into scenarios without prior knowledge, you're good to go--unfortunately, it's been three years since I've taken physics, so I actually need to be able to learn from my textbook (wow, THERE'S an idea!).

Now, there ARE supplemental workbooks that can be purchased with this...but honestly, it would be nice if I textbook companies didn't try to wrangle so much money out of students. $114 (when I bought it four weeks ago) for a book, and I can't even learn from it? Thanks.

Great Service- Great Condition
The book and workbooks arrived speedily. All of the books were in excellent condition - they looked brand new. I would definitely order from this person/company again. ... Read more

Product Description
Witness astounding feats of physics

Hurry! Hurry! Come one, come all. Meet a man who can pull two railroad passenger cars with his teeth and a real-life human cannon ball. Come face to face with a dead rattlesnake that still bites. And unlock the secrets to the magician's bodiless head.

Welcome to Jearl Walker's Flying Circus of Physics, 2nd Edition, where death-defying stunts, high-flying acrobatics, strange curiosities, and mind-bending illusions are all part of everyday life. You don't need a ticket; you only need to look to the world around you to uncover these fascinating feats of physics.

Completely updated and expanded, this Second Edition of Jearl Walker's best-selling book features more than 700 thoroughly intriguing questions about relevant, fun, and completely real physical phenomena. Detailed explanations and references to outside sources guide your way through the problems.

You'll discover answers to such questions as:
* Can you start a fire with ice?
* Why does the sky turn green just before a tornado?
* Why do wintergreen LifeSavers glow in the dark when you bite them?
* If you are falling in an elevator, should you try to jump up at the last second or lay flat against the floor?
* How do electric eels produce their electric field?
* Why is wet sand darker than dry sand?
* What causes an oasis mirage?
* Why do stars twinkle?
* Could you drive a car on a ceiling? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Awesome
A must have for any physics enthusiastic. Really incredible how it has so much topics and information for 300 pages.
Every page is used as much as possible, so more content could be inserted.
The format of question and answer is cool enough to let you think about the result since the question.
And the sensation of "ohh, this is really cool and I didn't know about it" is always there.

Wow!I Love This!
I love physics, and I love all the interesting facts in the problems.It was fascinating to see the unusual applications of what I learned in class.

I recommend this book if you are using one of the Physics books edited by Jearl Walker.

Flying Circus
The book is great!My kids and I love it!Unfortunately it took over two weeks to get it from the seller.The Pony Express would have been faster!

Builds creativity, thought-provoking
I highly recommend this book to any serious physics student.Try to solve the problems on your own before browsing through the answers.This will cultivate your capacity for using physical modeling ideas you are learning from class to think about real world phenomena.That is, it breeds the kind of concrete, practical thinking which people like Richard Feynman mastered to superlative effect.Keep some problems in mind to think about it idle moments.

Great examples for 'lecture breaks'
I teach elementary physics at a local university.One of the complaints of my students was I didn't relate the material to real-world examples.

The Flying Circus of Physics contains a huge number of examples relating basic physics principles to events/phenomena in the real-world.I usually use one or two of these examples per lecture as 'breaks' from the standard material.The students enjoy them and quickly become engaged in the discussion.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

Very easy to follow book of ultrasound physics.
After trying to work my way through some other required textbooks, I kept hearing about this book being easier to understand and read. I decided to purchase it and there is no doubt it is the easiest read. The subject matter is presented in a straightforward manner and the editing makes it easy to find the information you want.It helped me pass one physics class and when I take the final I will definitely be using this book. I also sought out flashcards made by the author of the book as well.

great tool for studying for the SPI exam
This is a really good book to study from when preparing to take the ARDMS physics registry exam. Everything is explained in easy to understand language, and some things that never made sense to me when I learned them the first time became crystal clear (what exactly is PRP, why multiply the thickness of the PZT element by 2, etc). There are questions at the end of nearly every chapter, along with an additional 600 questions in the back of the book. I'm not sure how good of a resource this would be when first learning the material, but it's definitely a great refresher.

That said, this book is a little dated at times. There are no mentions of multi-frequency probes, 3D/4D ultrasound, and newer technical advances. Therefore, I wouldn't use this as my only resource for studying for the physics registry.I used this book to complement my class notes.

UUP
The book was in good condition and arrived sooner than i expected. It was just as the seller had mentioned that it was. i was very pleased and there were no nasty surprises.

Great Book
This book is very easy to read and comprehend. It has great review questions and important topics/things to remember are highlighted in yellow boxes. This book is good for beginners and experts studying ultrasound physics. I highly recommend.

The Best Study Resource for the SPI Exam
This review is for the 3rd Edition of Edelman's Understanding Ultrasound Physics.As Mr. Ridgeway noted in his review, this book has a bronze cover and is the most recent edition.

Dr. Edelman presents the concepts in an orderly manner.Each chapter is a building block to the next.He words the material in a way that the average person can understand.Many ultrasound physics texts use terminology and principles which are far more technical, detailed and complex than necessary.Not this one!

I completely disagree with the reviewer who commented that Dr. Edelman advises that material be memorized and regurgitated.Edelman carefully and thoughtfully highlights important information that WILL be presented on the ARDMS SPI boards.Additionally each chapter is accompanied by review questions AND a comprehensive Exam Review at the back of the textbook.

**As a classroom instructor and tutor of ultrasound physics, I believe that "practice makes perfect."One of the the MOST VALUABLE features of this text is Edelman's Free X-Zone Offer.This can be found on the page before the Preface.It offers FREE access for 14 days to a bank of mock test questions.If you purchase this text, locate this page immediately, complete the form, and mail it!You will have 3 months to activate the exam.**

If you require more practice after the X-Zone exercises, I recommend trying"Appleton & Lange Review for the Ultrasonography Examination."

I have been using this textbook for five years.My students (and I) treasure this book.Thank you Dr. Edelman for helping us truly grasp the concepts of ultrasound physics and instrumentation! ... Read more

Product Description

As Kenneth W. Ford shows us in The Quantum World, the laws governing the very small and the very swift defy common sense and stretch our minds to the limit. Drawing on a deep familiarity with the discoveries of the twentieth century, Ford gives an appealing account of quantum physics that will help the serious reader make sense of a science that, for all its successes, remains mysterious. In order to make the book even more suitable for classroom use, the author, assisted by Diane Goldstein, has included a new section of Quantum Questions at the back of the book. A separate answer manual to these 300+ questions is available; visit The Quantum World website for ordering information.

There is also a cloth edition of this book, which does not include the "Quantum Questions" included in this paperback edition.

Customer Reviews (31)

Poorly edited
This book isn't poorly organized or written, it just hasn't had the rough edges smoothed out. It has some continuity problems in building the framework for the reader to place ideas into context, undefined terms, etc. Its not bad (and it is very basic), but there are probably better ones out there.

Exactly what I wanted
I am a science-ee kind of guy. I graduated collage 6 years ago with electrical and comp sci emphasis. I always had an interest in quantum sciences but never studied any. This book fit the bill very well for me. It's quite technical, but in a "I'm not in collage anymore" kind of way. There are a few equations, but it is not necessary to do any of them. They are there more for making points, or proofs. This book does a great job of introducing you to all the different particles, kinds of radioactive decay, etc... in a logical order, in an easy to read, friendly language. Don't get me wrong, this isn't Quantum World For Dummies :) My point is that your granny or pappy could read it and get the jist of it's content, with some thought (if it didn't bore them too much).

Also, in reading it, I also came across explanations for things I've known all my life, but never thought about why. EX: Why heavy elements decay. Particles are so empty... they are all made of "nothing", mostly empty space.

Highly recommend! I haven't been this invested in a book since the last awesome book I read...... um... yep.

More than a popular book
The book is great. Fundamental ideas of the quantum mechanics are explained in plain, clear and concise language. I think the book can be useful to undergraduate students who take a course on modern physics or a basic quantum mechanics course. I read "The Quantum World" in parallel with University Physics and Modern Physics and found this reading very enjoyable. But as a popular reading this book may be rather complicated. To people who don't have a relevant background in physics, before starting this book I would recommend "Warped passages" by Lisa Randall or "The Fabric of the Cosmos" by Brian Greene.

Review of 'The Quantum World'
Although the title suggests otherwise, this book is not intended for everyone. For that, it is too specific. That's why I expected a book which is a little more thorough. The collapse of the wave function is not treated at all for instance and the concept of wave function is only mentioned a few times, while it is one of the most mysterious items in quantum mechanics.

The part about the elementary particles is ok, the same holds for the treatment about symmetry and conservation laws.

All in all it's an entertaining book. But it remains too superficial to really give new insights.

Excellent introduction to the subject
I loved this book from start to finish. The material is fascinating and presented clearly, in easy-to-digest form. In terms of the reader's assumed knowledge, this book doesn't aim for the *lowest* common denominator. Some familiarity with first-year algebra is helpful, but not essential; the concepts generally stand on their own without any mathematics at all. Ford also explains the experiments that led to many aspects of the standard model, particularly from earlier developments. This helps the reader appreciate the evidence physicists were weighing in their attempts to piece together the puzzle. If anything, I would have appreciated more details on these experiments. But, for a quick introduction to the topic, this book does a fine job balancing the information and does an exceptional job getting the reader to visualize concepts. ... Read more

Product Description
Univ. of California, Davis at Sacramento. Textbook includes all aspects of medical imaging. Presents an understanding of the theory and applications of the science including basic concepts, X-ray imaging, ultrasound, MRI, nuclear medicine, radiation protection, radiation dosimetry, and radiation biology. Abundant illustrations. Previous edition: c1994. DNLM: Diagnostic Imaging. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

The Essiantial Physics of Medical Imaging Review
This is a very nice book for and introductory survey to medical imaging.I highly recommend this book for biomedical engineers interested in imaging, medical students, or any other applicable field.

Medical physics made REAL easy
A laymen's explaination to medical physics. Only basic knowledge required to start learning. An overall review though.

Excellent book
Used it for my board exam preparation (ABR) and my lectures. Great book.Highly recommend!!

Decent
This book does a pretty good job of explaining the basic concepts. But it doesn't seem to offer a complete coverage of the topics covered in the book.

Excellent for Physicist
We recently purchased this book and I find it extremely well written and useful. I would call it super for a physicist doing medical imaging research. The book reads like a reference text for a researcher. There are no cartoons or homework problems. The second edition is very up to date. The book could use some references to advanced information sources as it is a bit short on physics/mathematics details. ... Read more

Product Description
Finally, an interactive website based on activities you do every day! The new Halliday/Resnick/Walker 7e eGrade Plus program provides the value added support that instructors and students want and need. Powered by Wiley's EduGen system, this site includes a vast array of high quality content including: Homework Management: an assignment tool allows instructors to create student homework and quizzes, using dynamic versions of end of chapter problems from Fundamentals of Physics or their own dynamic questions; instructors may also assign readings, activities, and other work for students to complete; and a gradebook automatically grades and records student assignments. This not only saves time, but also provides students with immediate feedback on their work. Each student can view his or her results from past assignments at any time. An Administration tool allows instructors to manage their class rosters on line. A Prepare and Present tool contains a variety of the Wiley provided resources (including all the book illustrations, Java applets, and digitized video) to help make preparation time more efficient.This content may easily be adapted, customized, and supplemented by instructors to meet the needs of each course. Self Assessment: A Study and Practice area links directly to the multimedia version of "Fundamental of Physics", allowing students to review the text while they study and complete homework assignments. In addition to the complete on line text, students can also access the Student Solutions Manual, the Student Study Guide, interactive simulations, and the Interactive LearningWare Program. The Interactive LearningWare leads the student step by step through solutions to 200 of the end of chapter problems from the text. And there's lots more! You'll need to see it to believe it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (53)

New Book, doesnt look like it is second hand.
the book was in great condition, the delivery took like 7 days. I am happy with this product and seller as well.

an excellent book
This book is an excellent book to learn physiscs and reinforce what is learnedby solving its many problems. I think answers to even numbered problems could have been given as well as the odd numbered problems.

A Great Option!
The book is really just a basic physics book. It teaches pretty clearly. Most physics classes are broken up into two semesters. This makes getting the book in parts a really good idea, especially if you are only taking one of the halves. Each of the books that contain a part have all the same page numbers, appendixes, and answers to homework questions that the large hardbacked book has.

NOT a beginner's book
The first physics course I've ever taken used this very textbook.If you are about to be in the same boat as I was, let me tell you this: this is NOT a good introductory physics text.If you're not one of the kids who took AP Physics in high school, you will probably struggle with this book unless you have a very amazing professor.

Most of the formulas are given as "this is the general formula, and here's how we derive the other formulas from this".There's very little explanation involved with concepts, and when the author tries they are extremely hazy.This book apparently assumes that you've learned every concept before, and that you only need a brief overview and a table of formulas.

Not to completely bash this book - far from it.Formulas are listed in an organized and comprehensive fashion, and useful derivations are given also.If I need to look up a physics formula, this is the book I use as it's actually faster than sifting through Google.Beware, though, if this is your first endeavour into the world of physics.

What a Struggle
I'm using this book for a distance learning course in physics. I suspect it was not written for distance learning. I often find it hard to relate the answers to chapter problems to the explanations in the text. I also have a copy of Cutnell & Johnson's Physics 6th edition. The thinking in the latter is a lot easier to follow. ... Read more

Product Description
This text emphasizes conceptual understanding within a problem-solving framework, using modern applications such as iPods, metal detectors, sundogs, kaleidoscopes, and smoke detectors to demonstrate the relevance of physics in our daily lives. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Misrepresented Item
The seller said the book was in "very good" condition and it is not.I would say it is in "poor" condition.It is very beaten up and old looking, like it has been banging around someone's trunk for 5 years.It is certainly not worth the money I paid since I could have gotten a "like new" one at my bookstore here for about $10 more and not had to wait for it.Boo!This item was definitely misrepresented.Normally I sell my textbooks back on here when the semester's over and don't lose too much money, but this one will be a bigger loss for me.

Easy learning experience.
Concepts, examples are easy to understand or in other words, with great clarity. However, exercises are rather a little easy for those of you who is going to pursuit an in-depth study in the science majors.

Excellent Physics Book!
I just finished my Bachelor's Degree, so I've gone through quite a few books over the past couple years, and this book is the best one that I'd bought.In fact, I sold all of my used text books except this one - it is that good.It doesn't just go over the facts & formulas of physics, but the history behind much of what we know today, who discovered or invented it, and then puts it into context of real life, modern day examples that we come across in life.I had a really good professor too, so no doubt that helped piqued my interest in the subject, but the course followed this book.And this book is easy to follow (and interesting too).
I can easily recommend it to anyone who's considering a purchase. ... Read more

Product Description
The front cover is an image by Eric J. Heller depicting electron flow over a microscopically bumpy surface. The paths of the 100,000 electrons begin at the upper right but branch and fold back on one another in a surprising pattern as they spread toward the lower left. Electron flow is the subject of several chapters in this book and is especially important in the discussion of electric sparks. Some sparks. Some sparks are amusing, such as those generated when someone chomps down on a wintergreen LifeSaver - the brief blue glow that illuminates the mouth can be seen in a dark room (Chapter 21.) Other sparks are quite dangerous, such as those in electrostatic discharges that can accidental cause airborne dust to explode (Chapter 25). Take Your Seat - The Show's About To Begin! This 8th edition of "Fundamentals of Physics" includes hundreds of items about curious effects in the everyday world, written in the spirit of Jearl Walker's "The Flying Circus of Physics". The original edition of "The Flying Circus of Physics" - in print for over 30 years in 10 languages - is a cult classic among physics students, physics instructors, and the general public.Electronic links to the new 2nd edition of "The Flying Circus of Physics" are available in the electronic version of 8th edition of "Fundamentals of Physics" that is part of WileyPLUS, one of the online homework systems available with this book. WileyPLUS also includes electronic versions of all the end-of-chapter problems in "Fundamentals of Physics" and the interactive tutorials (several hundred) and hints (several thousand) written by author Jearl Walker. Get a Better Grade in Physics! "Introductory Physics With Calculus As A Second Language" by Thomas E. Barrett (0-471-73910-3) helps you understand the basic concepts, break down problems into simple steps, and improve your problem-solving skills! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

koffi is loving it
i'm loving this book and never regreted of having it. it makes physics( calculus based) more understandable and joyful. i will recommend it even if it is not required for your class.Plus all those Wiley features, WOW!

Response to the one strong negative review I see here:
The concerns seem to be that it's too expensive
and there aren't enough answers to test questions
in the book.This seems like quibbling to me.

This book is, as far as I'm concerned, the Gold Standard
in intro to physics, and always has been:when I was
in school, my teachers were constantly experimenting with
cheaper alternative textbooks--which forced us to buy
Resnick & Halliday on our own.

You couldn't ask for more lucid, organized, correctly
sequenced explanations that have stood the test of time.

The book explains what Vonnegut (quite rightly) called the supreme
aesthetic achievement of Western culture, and honors that
achievement by being nearly a parallel work of art in itself.

5 stars isn't enough.

Terrible book
I bought this G*d awful book because it was the one my instructor required us to have on his syllabus. I was pretty excited (about having the book and maybe understanding a little bit better about the concepts taught in class, NOT ABOUT THE ASTRONOMICAL PRICE OF THIS P.O.S BOOK $$$) until I actually received the book and went over it.
The book doesn't explain very well the theory of the section you're currently reading, it leaves out crucial formulas which are extremely important in the understanding of the concepts being taught and finally and most importantly This book does NOTHING to help you practice what you're studying. Each chapter has average 100+ questions of which around 15 have answers, and they're NOT IN THE BOOK, they're part of the student's solution manual (separate purchase $$$) How the h3ll are you supposed to know if you're if you're actually setting up the problem right, if you're applying the formulas right, if you're getting the problems right. I understand the Publishing business IS a business, nothing wrong with that, but when you're targeting students and come up with these predatory tactics in order to squeeze out money from people who in this point of their life have actually little of it, well... bad business move Mr Halliday, Resnick & Walker and the entire staff of Wiley Publishing, let's just leave it at that (so that Amazon won't refuse this comment...)
Take for instance a more reasonable approach like "Calculus early transcendental functions" from Houghton Mifflin does, which gives answers to odd number exercises (so you actually know if you're getting them right!) and you will see your profits from selling this sub par Physics book increase exponentially.
I have spoken to my instructor, who is a very intelligent and reasonable man, and he has agreed to change the book for next semester or at least present students an alternative option.
TERRIBLE BOOK! hint the laws of physics are the same in our current understanding of the universe, so even if your instructor requires this book buy another one, you'll learn the same topics, instructors only ask for the book to leave homework, so befriend someone in class and ask your buddy for the problem and solve it. And that's it, you're set.

Good condition and on time
I got this book within 2 weeks or so and it was in great condition.Almost new like described

College student happy
I got this book for a very good price and was happy with the delivery time and condition of the book. Overallvery happy and hope that it serves me well in college! Thanks! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (65)

Six Easy Pieces
Before selecting a physics book to read and report on, I had never heard of Richard Feynman.While researching different possibilities, however, I was intrigued that Physicist Richard Feynman was described as an "icon for late twentieth-century physics (Davies, Paul, introduction)" and whose achievements were comparable to those of Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein.I wanted to find out more about this man.
Six Easy Pieces is compiled from a series of lectures that Feynman taught in an introductory physics course at Caltech. He was accustomed to teaching upper level physics courses.In 1961, in an effort to reenergize the undergraduate physics department Feynman was asked to teach a two year series of an introductory physics course to freshman and sophomore. As the title suggests, Feynman selected the six most basic lectures (Atoms in Motion, Basic Physics, The Relation of Physics to Other Sciences, Conservation of Energy, The Theory of Gravity, and Quantum Behavior) to be included in the book.
Feynman, possessing an incredible amount of knowledge, and accustomed to teaching graduate students, had a difficult time explaining the concepts of physics in terms that freshman and sophomores could understand.Said he, "I thought to address [the lectures] to the most intelligent in the class and to make sure, if possible, that even the most intelligent student was unable to completely encompass everything." As a result, many students dreaded the class and stopped coming.I had similar feelings while reading the book.The concepts were incredibly fascinating, and were sometimes explained in a way that made it clear.Other times, however, the concepts (which I'm sure are still fascinating) were explained in such a way that I believe only an upper level graduate student could understand them.This turned me off a bit as it sometimes felt like I was just reading words on a page with no prayer of grouping them into cohesive and understandable thoughts.Faculty members and graduate students later replaced the empty seats of the lecture hall.Similarly, I think that this book would be most embraced by trained physicists.
Overall, I enjoyed Six Easy Pieces.Despite being difficult to understand, it stretched my knowledge of several concepts and helped me to see the world in a way that I had not previously seen it before.I give it 3 and a half out of 5 stars.

authoritatively simple
Reading this book reminds me of just how rare it is to find a real expert who knows how to explain his or her subject to non-experts without either lapsing into jargon or patronizing them, and who wants to as well. You can look at all the many science books written by non-scientist journalists and you will not find one that comes anywhere close to this one in terms of clarity, authority, and simplicity.

Feynman learned this skill as a child, and practiced it throughout his life as a teacher. His father used to teach him about the world around him in exactly the same kind of language as he uses in this book. We become his children listening in fascination as he tells us of wonders we never suspected.

And there is so much more in this book than just the subject matter itself. The reader will gain an appreciation of what is meant by the scientific method, scientific theories, and scientific laws. In fact, the essence of positivist philosophy is presented so painlessly and with such good humor as to be positively (pun intended) irresistible. Anyone who reads this book with open eyes and mind will literally never see the world the same way again, both in the physical sense, and in terms of critiquing what we know and how we know it.

Perfect for a bright 12-year old interested in science. Wish I had read it as a kid (hadn't been published yet). Love it as a grownup.

Six Easy Pieces
The book by Richard Feynman was in perfect condition and delivered promptly.The timeliness of the delivery was especially important to me.

Great!
Dr. Feynman was a great instructor. He made complicated things seem easy to learn albeit you had to have some knowledge about the subject.

What we know and what we don't know
In Six Easy Pieces, Feynman describes the basic ideas of physics, how physics relates to other sciences, what physicists mean by "energy", how quantum physics relates to everyday physics, and how gravity works.

Why does an apple fall from the tree when its stem can't hold its weight anymore? Why does the moon go around the earth and the earth around the sun?

Feynman doesn't really tell us anything we don't know when he says that gravity is the thing that causes the apple to fall and the moon to orbit the earth. But he describes gravity a little further and explains that the force of gravity between two masses is described by the product of the mass of the two interacting objects divided by the square of the distance, and the result multiplied by a number called G, the Gravitational Constant, equal to 0.0000000000667426.

So far so good, but still textbook stuff. But why does G have this particular value? Feynman bluntly answers that we don't know. And there lies the value of the book: he gives the boundary between what we can and cannot know. And that's OK. Physics is about understanding how nature works rather than why it's there.

Vincent Poirier, Tokyo ... Read more