Product Description
How quantum physics will explain the nature of reality and the human mind.For decades, neuroscientists, psychologists, and an army of brain researchers have been struggling, in vain, to explain the phenomenon of consciousness. Now there is a clear trail to the answer, and it leads through the dense jungle of quantum physics, Zen, and subjective experience, and arrives at an unexpected destination. In this tour-de-force of scientific investigation, Evan Harris Walker shows how the operation of bizarre yet actual properties of elementary particles support a new and exciting theory of reality, based on the principles of quantum physics-a theory that answers questions such as "What is the nature of consciousness, of will?" "What is the source of material reality?" and "What is God?"

"A breathtaking journey into the very atoms of the brain...In his rare fusion of intellectual ambition with emotional urgency, Walker exposes the emptiness of a science that avoids the ultimate questions." -BooklistAmazon.com Review
It's not every day you hear a physicist ask what happens whenwe die.Evan Harris Walker, sparked by the early, tragic loss of hislove, does just that and more in The Physics of Consciousness,a book in the same vein as Fritjof Capra's The Tao of Physics,but with a firmer grounding in scientific understanding. Walkermarries the traditions of Southern literature--a longing for the past,a resignation toward the present, and a determined optimism about thefuture--to a technical explanation of the limits of materialism; aweird synthesis, certainly, but charming and engaging nonetheless.Since his primary topic is consciousness, Walker turns to neuroscienceand Buddhism (its spiritual equivalent) for inspiration.Hisquantum-mechanical approach to synaptic transmission and "the speed ofconsciousness" are difficult to evaluate and seem a bit overstretched,but his discussions of the history and current events of physics arelucid and ironically lend weight to his antimaterialistic arguments.Is this, as he hopes, another step toward 21st-century religion, orjust another New Age reinterpretation of the spooky world of theultrasmall?Don't bet on either--The Physics of Consciousnesswill jog your brain in new ways and, if nothing else, you'll find anew appreciation for how little we really know aboutourselves. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Customer Reviews (42)

A love story
This book, while an excellent, accessible tome on quantum theory and the direction that quantum points us in, is at its heart a love story.Doctor Walker provides us with an intimate view of the physics of consciousness. While it is accessible, some of the concepts are deep and he does gloss over some heavy duty math in this.If you are comfortable with college algebra, it will be readable; however, you can skip the math and focus on the diary entries and the non-math explanations of consciousness and be entirely satisfied.

I don't subscribe (entirely) to the ideas put forth, but Doctor Walker never meant anyone to.His was a quest.A quest for love.The math is just a justification, but does love need a justification?Perhaps it does if you're a scientist.This is a good read whether or not you're interested in quantum theory.

Ponderous, laborious.
I had a tremendously difficult time with this book, as I have to admit, it was quite a bit over my head.In truth it was the mathematical content that made reading this book a grueling task for me.The major impact of this work however, is of paramount importance.We have a quantum physicist that is imploring the rest of the scientific world to sit up, take notice and embrace the FACT that consciousness exists and that materialism must now be put to rest, like any other dogma that no longer serves (or ever had) a purpose.

The writing was a bit clumsy, but all in all, not a horrible read. 2 Stars is all I can muster.

novice
I was drawn to this book because there are so many things
about which there are no answers and about which I would like
answers. Reading thru it has been slow because I lack a science
background or forgot it.

I find the side bars about the Author's lost love an intrusion
and distraction. I thought perhaps, he was motivated to write
this book by the loss of his long time love companion and now this
was a way not only to answer his questions of what had happened to
Merilyn; where is she now and as a way to memorialize her.

Because it has been slow going, I am getting a little anxious
and want to do some quantum leaps to material ahead that might
give me food for thought.

For most of my adult life, I have believed that God was everywhere,
but now the "everywhere" is without limits. The Gospel of Thomas
on page 327 made me close my eyes and weep. I will finish this
book in due time and hope that I find some of the answers I
seek.

The Ultimate Road to Reality
The Physics of Consciousness takes Physics into a journey that leads it around 360 degrees back to its foundation on sound Philosophy with the addition of the best centuries-old experiences of metaphysical and mystical authorities. This is not simply the exposition of another theory. It represents a lifetime of research and total dedication to find answers to the burning human questions: What is Reality? Why am I here? What happens when I die? Walker exibits the human ability for thorough, methodical, and magnificently detailed analysis of physical theories at its best. This is not only a book to be read as another book on physics. It's a bookone can live by.

sources and lenses
A heavy and labyrinthian work.The asides about the author's first-love tragedy recur to the point of distraction; a one-time preliminary homage might have worked better.

From my reading, two points:1) that our perception actively co-creates the world is not a recent quantum discovery.Kant articulated this first; no references to him here.2) this tome is introduced as a quest without preconditions, but in the final chapter (hardcover, p.336) the author identifies himself as a Christian.Upfront disclosure would have been more appropriate.

I closed the book with one question:was the driver for this work inquiry or need? ... Read more

Product Description

The seminal work by one of the most important thinkers of the twentieth century, Physics and Philosophy is Werner Heisenberg's concise and accessible narrative of the revolution in modern physics, in which he played a towering role. The outgrowth of a celebrated lecture series, this book remains as relevant, provocative, and fascinating as when it was first published in 1958. A brilliant scientist whose ideas altered our perception of the universe, Heisenberg is considered the father of quantum physics; he is most famous for the Uncertainty Principle, which states that quantum particles do not occupy a fixed, measurable position. His contributions remain a cornerstone of contemporary physics theory and application.

Customer Reviews (21)

Just historical
I see people usually like this book. It is remarkable how much history of philosophy Heisenberg knows, however I don't really find a thesis here. Not like the principle of complementarity of Bohr. He makes parallels and shows how August Conte was wrong in the way that he didn't proclaim that science evolved of changes in language.
I does not go far from the standards from today.

Classical Dynamics and Quantum Theory
Werner Heisenberg's classic text on physics and philosophy is a must read for all those in quantum theory today who feel as one of the founders of the Standard Model of Particle Physics; in"Dreams of a Final Theory," Dr. Stephen Weinberg, in some ways very hostile, if that is not too strong a word, towards philosophy (because Dr. Weinberg asserts that philosophy has only obtruded or obscured the quest for the final laws of nature: in surveying the philosophy of science literature today, one gets the bewildering feeling that the only thing that matters is taking an obscure subject matter and turning it into an incomprehensible one.) concedes that "we need to better understand quantum mechanics."
If this is true, and if philosophers of science can assist in the scientific quest (a premise Dr. Weinberg disagrees with, I think) by purifying the reasoning or methodology of the scientific quest, then philosophy of science can be a gaurdian of what W. V. O Quine considered the "queen" of the sciences--i.e., physics. Certain philosophers of physics assure me that this task will be necessary until a final theory is in hand, if ever, after long millenia, it can be in hand. The work of William Lane Craig and Quinton Smith is an excellant example of what philosophy can do for science, the work of Albert William Levi "Philosophy and the Modern World" is a masterful study by a non-scientist of the work of, for example, Albert Einstein and Max Planck and of Alfred North Whitehead. Modern philosophy itself--in its Logical Positivist manifestation--is technological;consider alone the level of attention paid to relativity theory and quantum mechanics by the Vienna Circle.
Heisenberg is very careful in this work to offer an argument for the consistency of modern quantum mechanics with certain elements of Aristotle's concept of potency or potentiiality: He sees the nature of the quantum to lay in a certain manyness-in-oneness, or what is today called the superposition of the quantum wave function; since potency resides in this state, the orthodox Copenhagen School allows only statistical descriptions of the probable, emergent phenomena: these statistics are inherently part of any quantum field, or better expressed, any part of a quantum field when it is subject to the Heisenberg Cut, which is a mesurement of part of the quantum field which causes the collapse of the wavefunction and its superposition; what evolves once the Heisenberg Cut is made does so by a presumable determinism which is indemonstrable within quantum mechanics; and here, I think, is where Heisenberg's text re-pays careful study (I have twice read the book), for he admits a determinism at the scale of, say, planetary bodies or telluric bodies, but he also indicates that classical determinism emerges from the quantum state's potentiality. This whole problem in Modern physics revolves about various questions about the "measurement problem" in quantum physics, and I have already alluded to that; but Heisenberg taught us that just as Newtonian mechanics was eventually shown to be a subset of Einsteinian dynamics, when special relativity was considered, so does classical deterministic evolution of micro-matter occur as a subset of states of the quantum, but these states are the precisely measurable states. They are the product of freely chosen laws to this extent: they were brought into being by measurement, which founds the ensemble (Q. Smith), a micro-world as subset of the total world structure. To recur to Dirac's way of dividing the wave-function, it has two cognate parts, Large Psi, which refers to the entire quantum wave-function, and small psi, which refers to the division of the wavefunction into a proper subset: Here is where the crossroads of a great philosophic/scientific problem is broached, for if Classical determinism prevails at the level of human life or planets, and measurement from the superposition creates such determinism, then what measures into being the measurer? Dreams of a Final Theory: The Scientist's Search for the Ultimate Laws of NatureTheism, Atheism, and Big Bang Cosmology (Clarendon Paperbacks)The Principles of Quantum Mechanics (International Series of Monographs on Physics)Before the Big Bang: The Origins of the Universe

Quantum theory, crossing borders in the higlight of physics
The German physician and philosopher Heisenberg counts together with the German Erwin Schrödinger as founder of the Quantum mechanics. In the year 1927 he formulated the uncertainty relation, German: "Unschärferelation" (also called indeterminacy principle) according to which place and impulse of a subatomic particle cannot be destined at the same time. For his quantum physical research he received in 1932 the Nobel prize of physics.

After the second World War Heisenberg became director of the Max-Planck-Institute. His "Einheitliche Theorie der Elementarteilchen" (unitary theory of elementary particles) from the year 1958 was called "world formula" (although that is just what it is not!) and strengthened Heisenbergs position as one of the most important representative of quantum physics.

In countless lectures and essays he disputed the philosophical implications of quantum physics, among others in "Quantentheorie und Philosophie", "Physik und Philosophie" and "Der Teil und das Ganze".
According to Heisenberg the whole thing is more than the summary of the parts. In this idealism is recognizable as to such a degree that it must be concluded to have created not the theory but vice versa the reality itself. And this would mean, that in the end all things that came into being must be traced back to an immaterial flow of information. But information is a spiritual phenomeneon. The magazine "Der SPIEGEL" called this "God in the quantum chaos", for according to Heisenberg:

"The quantum theory leaves no room for a totally objective description of nature... In the experiments of atomic procedures we have to do with material things and facts, with phenomenons so much real as any phenomenon in daily life. But the atoms or the elementary particles are not equally real. They form much more a world of tendencies and possibilities than a world of things and facts."
Quite a heap of idealism, it seems, but a compelling conclusion from the datum of physics? Does a spiritual principle stick behind the whole cake? The universe as quantum world! A world which is incessantly in movement because she is designed like that. Only by movement is the personality-structure of all proprieties held. Still-stand is death, or better: non-existence. Is there still-stand at all? Nowhere is it visible, nowhere it has space.

Einstein struggled long against the quantum theory. He tried to adopt it to the theoretical fundament of the classic physics and confessed to himself that he failed. There is no solid - you could also say no material - ground on which the order of the world is built! Many years Einstein spent to give the world the knowledge, that there is no chance to pass by the quantum theory, an almost metaphysical theory, when describing reality.
In reference to Einstein`s theory of relativity Heisenberg had called the fact that all physical systems possess either the propriety of a wave or of a particle and that only one of the two is measurable, "indeterminacy principle" or "uncertainty relation". Material, according to Einstein nothing but of time and energy, was robbed of it`s last consistency. Und such thing should have stood in the beginning of the universe?
Impossible since the quantum mechanics stand before. Material needs an idea to start movement. A frontier crossing to the spiritual realm is inevitable!
Interestingly Heisenberg perceived the contradiction of the quantum theory to modern biology. "...most biologists are prepared to confess, that the existence of atoms and molecules can only be understood with the help of the quantum theory, but besides that they have the wish to regard the working material of the chemists and biologists, namely atoms and molecules, as stuff of classic physics, thus dealing with them as with stones or grain of sand."
Creation is, by all appearance, provided that we are ready to believe the quantum physics an artfully, a subtle construction, a "Within" which does not only make an "Outside" thinkable but even demands for it. Any attempt of a world formula" in the sense of Einstein must therefore fail, because it wants to explain the Within without the Outside!
Some may flinch from the title of the book or the name of the author to read the book. The fears are not grounded. Basic knowledge of atomic physics is sufficient to understand what the author is talking about. He uses a clear and simple diction. If one understands his theories is another matter. But this might be indebted to the ideology one tends to hold.

Existence and physical reality according to physicist Werner Heisenberg
At the turn of 20th century when quantum physics was born; the founding fathers of this scientific revolution were thinking deeply about the philosophical consequences of the new physics in terms of existence and physical reality (ontology). The reality perceived through the laws of classical physics provided strong challenges to quantum reality and human knowledge of quantum physical concepts (epistemology). In addition, the theory of relativity, which also came into existence at about the same time, altered the concept of space and time (consequently their relationship to matter, and the concept of gravity) radically from the existing knowledge of Newtonian physics. In this book, physicist Heisenberg gives a brilliant account of physical reality after reviewing the works ofnotable philosophers like; Kant, Descartes, Locke, Berkeley, and Hume. You get to read the physical and philosophical analysis of one of the founding fathers of quantum physics using both classical and quantum physics. His philosophical ideas are summarized below:

Physical theories had to be proposed speculatively and pursued deductively with respect to their many consequences that can be put to theoretical and experimental verifications. It turns out that the theory makes more physical and philosophical assumptions than the facts alone imply. The assumptions could be ontological or epistemological in nature. For example, the concept of space and time (and its relation to matter) is independent of the observer, which would be ontological in nature since the subject matter of scientific knowledge is independent of the perceiver (consequences of relativity). The nature of quantum physics introduces indeterminacy to nature of things which would be epistemological since the experiment performer (and knowledge-seeker) influences the subject matter (the outcome his experiments) by his physical observation. The state of a quantum object is undetermined until an observation is recorded. Hence, the author's argument is that the potentiality is a part of physical reality. Einstein's contention was that the potentiality, probability or chance is due to epistemological limitations of our knowledge in knowing the entire picture, the Omni-complete, and hence misapplied to the object itself. The Omni-complete object is omniferous, omnifarious, omniparous, omnipotent and omniscient and therefore the concept of chance or probability is inappropriate in the description of a real object. Both Einstein and Heisenberg admitted that the experimental data does not lead to concepts of physics, and hence the object of scientific knowledge remains unknown, but it is known through the theoretical constructs or axiomatic postulation verified indirectly by experiments and its deduced consequences. To find the object of scientific knowledge one must go to the theoretical assumptions of a physical law; the concept of probability and chance figures into the definition of the state of a physical system (due to statistical nature of things, and also use of statistical analysis in understanding the results of an experiment) in both classical and quantum physics. In quantum physics it also figures in the subject matter, but not in classical physics. This is the major difference between two disciplines that separated Einstein from Copenhagen school of thought. Author Heisenberg suggests that the concept of potentiality very much a part of subjective reality contrary to classical reality.

The probability function represents a mixture of two things, partly a fact and partly our knowledge of a fact. An atom consists of a nucleus and electrons (wave) moving around the nucleus; from the classical standpoint it is difficult to conceive how an electron orbit around the nucleus without changing its energy. Then again the electron is a wave until detected; therefore the energy is constant as long as it stays in the same orbit. The second point is that the act of determining the position becomes a measurement problem since light quanta is absorbed during its detection and the electron is displaced (change its position) to a higher electronic state. Thus the spacetime descrip¬tion of the atomic events is complementary to their deterministic description. The probability function obeys equations of motion as in Newtonian mechanics; its change in the course of time is completely determined by the quantum mechanical equation, but it does not allow a descrip¬tion in space and time. The observation, on the other hand, enforces the description in space and time but breaks the determined continuity of the probability function by changing our knowledge of the system. The mechanism and the results of an observation of atomic events can be described in classical concepts, but the deductions from observations results in probability functions which combines the statements about possibilities with statements about our knowledge of facts. Therefore we can not completely objectify the results of an observation. What happens between an observation and the next depends on the way we observe or on the fact we observe. This becomes subjectivism. Since the probability function combines objective and subjective elements. It contains statements about possibilities or better tendencies ("potentia" in Aristotelian philosophy), and these statements are completely objective, they do not depend on any observer, but it contains statements about our knowledge of the system, which of course are subjective in so far as they may be different for different observers. In ideal cases the subjective element in the probability function may be practically negligible as com¬pared with the objective one.

1. Heisenberg and the Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics: The Physicist as Philosopher
2. The Physical Principles of the Quantum Theory
3. Encounters with Einstein
4. Philosophical Problems of Quantum Physics
5. What Is Life?: with "Mind and Matter" and "Autobiographical Sketches"
6. Schrödinger: Life and Thought
7. Niels Bohr's Times,: In Physics, Philosophy, and Polity
8. Niels Bohr's Philosophy of Physics
9. Ideas And Opinions
10. From a Life of Physics

His master's voice
Quantum science is without any doubt the greatest breakthrough of science in the 20th century.If you want to know what quantum physics is all about, read this fluently written introduction to quantum physics by one of the founders of the theory himself, Nobel Prize winner Dr. Werner Heisenberg.It is very uncommon that a great scientist is capable to transmit his profound knowledge in such an easy to read book, without a single formula. (For the ones interested in the mathematics behind this theory, he has also written another book : "The physical principles of the quantum theory").In the world of today, Aristotle's deeper understanding that philosophy is the mother of science has been forgotten, something that Heisenberg not only recalls, but actively uses as a guiding principle throughout this book.

Quantum physics is important, since it produced a revolution within the materialistic perspective of classical physics.At elementary level, there is no longer a sharp distinction between matter and energy.Heisenberg says : "The elementary particles are certainly not eternal and indestructible units of matter, they can actually be transformed into each other. As a matter of fact, if two such particles, moving through space with a very high kinetic energy, collide, then many new elementary particles may be created from the available energy and the old particles may have disappeared in the collision. Such events have been frequently observed and offer the best proof that all particles are made of the same substance : energy."

This way he also solves the duality between particles and fields.If energy is the primary substance of the universe, then it will only depend on the experiment how we will observe this energy."What we observe is not nature in itself but nature exposed to our method of questioning."
... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Bring many solutions
Like all solution manuals recommended by teachers not all problems are worked through, but all solutions are explained most of the time in great details. You'll have every other odd problems that can be used as examples or even templates. A must have to succeed and understand physics. I saved a lot of time on my homework and I understand better the concepts and how to twist the formulas to solve problems. Great investment.

Not worth the price.
Most of the even solutions are present but not all, I don't know why. What is there is better than nothing, but it's hard to justify the price. Too bad I can't find a teacher's edition.

Far from complete, with vague explanations
I was incredibly frustrated with this manual. I had it in my mind that I would study by doing a large number of the odd problems and compare it with the solutions manual, thereby allowing me to learn the concepts better. Unfortunately, I didn't realize that less than half the odd problems had explanations, and the problems that did exist had scant detail as to the problem solving strategies used to find the solution. This was annoying for me, as I like to see detailed solutions and lots of them. That's how I learn. This book was a waste of money. Even more frustrating, the instructor's edition does have ALL the answers--so why they couldn't bring it upon themselves to at least put all the odd numbered answers in this book, I can't say.

Good study guide
This was a good study guide as it is consistant with the book in the presentation.However, if you are looking for anything more than what the book explains then this is not it.It will give you the answers to almost seemingly random problems and there will be some your instructor will assign that this manual won't have (there book has all of the answers).If you want all of the answers I would suggest finding the instructors manual. ... Read more

Product Description

Walker’s goal is to help readers make the connection between a conceptual understanding of physics and the various skills necessary to solve quantitative problems. The pedagogy and approach are based on over 20 years of teaching and reflect the results of physics education research.  Already one of the best-selling books in algebra-based physics,The Fourth Edition strengthens both the conceptual foundations and the tools for problem solving to make the book even better suited to today's readers. Introduction to Physicsm, One-Dimensional Kinematics, Vectors in Physics,  Two-Dimensional Kinematics, Newton’s Laws of Motion, Applications of Newton’s Laws, Work and Kinetic Energy, Potential Energy and Conservation of Energy, Linear Momentum and Collisions, Rotational Kinematics and Energy, Rotational Dynamics and Static Equilibrium, Gravity, Oscillations About Equilibrium, Waves and Sound, Fluids, Temperature and Heat, Phases and Phase Changes, The Laws of Thermodynamics, Electric Charges, Forces, and Fields, Electric Potential and Electric Potential Energy, Electric Current and Direct-Current Circuits, Magnetism, Magnetic Flux and Faraday’s Law of Induction, Alternating-Current Circuits, Electromagnetic Waves, Geometrical Optics, Optical Instruments, Physical Optics: Interference and Diffraction, Relativity, Quantum Physics, Atomic Physics, Nuclear Physics and Nuclear Radiation . Intended for those interested in learning the basics of algebra-based physics

Customer Reviews (21)

Just for amazon
The book came ridiculously fast-two days!
As for the price, screw you freaking publisher.

Fast shipping
Thank you for shipping fast. Product looks like it was described. I would recomend you to my friends.

Horrible!
Did not send what was described in the title and description...it took forever for it to arrive...responded to my emails late!...horrible! beware!

Great service
This book was exactly as described and came within a few days!Would definitely order from here again.Thanks!

Perfect timing, and GREAT condition.
The book came within a few days after purchase, which was perfect timing. I purchased the same book prior to placing my order on Amazon at the school book store for 160.00 (used), and I was shocked at the rate I purchased this book which was in similar condition. So I quickly returned the book purchased from the book store. A huge thank you goes to Campbell's Book Bin... ... Read more

Product Description
Confusing Textbooks? Missed Lectures? Not Enough Time?

Fortunately for you, there's Schaum's Outlines. More than 40 million students have trusted Schaum's to help them succeed in the classroom and on exams. Schaum's is the key to faster learning and higher grades in every subject. Each Outline presents all the essential course information in an easy-to-follow, topic-by-topic format. You also get hundreds of examples, solved problems, and practice exercises to test your skills.

This Schaum's Outline gives you:

• Practice problems with full explanations that reinforce knowledge
• Coverage of the most up-to-date developments in your course field
• In-depth review of practices and applications

Fully compatible with your classroom text, Schaum's highlights all the important facts you need to know. Use Schaum's to shorten your study time-and get your best test scores!

Schaum's Outlines-Problem Solved. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

How is this possible?
Mr. Stelly is right. I too looked forward to a revised edition of this book, which is actually written in a very skillful way, while also touching on ideas and concepts not typically found in a first year undergraduate outline book. Here and there, can even be found some philosophical issues, which makes the reading that much more pleasurable.

But when I started reviewing the text, I found errors even in the basic trigonometric identities, and in routine calculations that would cause someone learning the material for the first time no end of grief and doubt as to his/her abilities to interpret, analyze, and solve a physical problem. And the section on Electromagnetism is particularly horrendous, variables being switched to some other variable in mid-calculation, and the concise explanations of the underlying theory being much, much too brutally 'concise' even for a Schaum's Outline.

How is this possible? Clearly, neither the author nor the publisher checked this text even in the most cursory way before reissuing it. Effectively, it is the simply the same material of the first edition with a new cover: that is all.

This has the potential to be a marvelous text; but with this ridiculous reissuing of the same mistake-riddled material, I doubt anyone will trust Schaums again when it comes to this title, by this author. I know I won't.

Errors Still Abound
Reviewers for the first edition of this book had many positive things to say, but there were several folks that mentioned an over abundance of errors.When I saw that this new edition of the book had been published I naturally assumed that most of the errors had been corrected, so I purchased it.To my surprise every error mentioned by reviewers of the first edition remains in the second edition.Unfortunately, I have found a number of additional errors that were not mentioned by reviewers of the first edition, and I am only about a quarter of the way through the book.

The author genuinely seems to want to help the student and writes in an engaging style.It is unfortunate that an otherwise excellent text is marred by so many errors (and in a second edition for Pete's sake). ... Read more

Product Description

Refining the most widely adopted and enduring physics text available, University Physics with Modern Physics, Twelfth Edition continues an unmatched history of innovation and careful execution that was established by the best selling Eleventh Edition. Assimilating the best ideas from education research, this new edition provides enhanced problem-solving instruction, pioneering visual and conceptual pedagogy, the first systematically enhanced problems, and the most pedagogically proven and widely used homework and tutorial system available. Mechanics, Waves/Acoustics, Thermodynamics, Electromagnetism, Optics, Modern Physics. For all readers interested in university physics.

Customer Reviews (24)

Great Condition of Book
The book arrived on time and in the condition the seller stated it would come in.

Good book
This is a good book but honestly i feel like it might fall apart because of how big the thing is. I don't carry it from class to class because i'm not required to, but even if i was, the size would prolly make me reconsider trying.
Material is good, and it will learn more going in and doing the problems than if you pay attention during a lecture. Thats if u go to my school tho. lol

University Physics Book
The book i ordered was in great shape. still in the package. new, just like promised. And i got the code for the online course that i didnt know i needed until after i ordered the book. all in all, I'm one satisfied customer

Quick shipment
Of course i waited till less than a week before class starts to find my textbook on line.GLAD I GOT IT HERE!!!Prompt shipment!Thanks!

The BEST physics textbook for its value
This book deserves an ovation for its quality, for its assumption that the reader is intelligent and for its beautiful, clear explanations supplemented by colorful and helpful diagrams and examples. I can find no flaws with this book, either with its organization or its mathematical conventions, other than neglecting electric flux density and pure magnetic field altogether, but they are trivial. It places a heavy (but due) emphasis on vector intuition and notation, which is a great foundation for all physics. If you found the book too hard, then that's good because you learn more from a slightly challenging textbook than one that involves no vectors, no calculus based explanation and no challenging-to-impossible chapter problems. I have used this for many other classes, including particle physics, relativity, and semiconductors because its explanations and intuitive references are way better than any other book. It will probably be on my shelf forever, and is definitely worth way more than the value. ... Read more

Product Description
This book contains 1001 fully annotated physics questions in the MCAT format organized by topic. The range of difficulty is from easy to very difficult. There are questions on every physics topic that might appear on the MCAT. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

From 8 to 13 on PS
Did every question in this book and saw my AAMC practice scores increase over the weeks. I did 100 questions of the book each week for 3 months leading up to the real test, and got me a 13. I am still in the process of applying, but feel much more confident with a 34 on my plate thanks to this book.

There are some errors in the book, but keep an eye out for them and consult with those PhDs you pay so much to have around on any that strike you as incorrect.

It helped me improve my MCAT physics score!
Did you get your MCAT score back and feel like a retard? I went from a 5 to an 8 in the physics section of my MCAT after I did the problems in this book. I did about every 3 problems. It took 2 months to do but was well worth it.If physics is your problem area, do as many problems as you can. The problems in here are simple and teach you the basic concepts. The format is not the same as the MCAT, because on the MCAT there are passages. But if you don't have the basic concepts of physics down, doing lengthy passage questions won't help you. My suggestion to you is to practice with this book first and use another book for physics passage questions. The KAPLAN books are not as good (at least for physics prep) in my opinion. When I only used kaplan I got a 5.Go with this book for your physics preparation!

Good luck!

Great for Practice
This is a great review book for practicing various physics topics. It will improve your speed and your thinking in approaching physics problems on the real MCAT, thus allowing you to finish the section in time. I improved my scores from 08 to 12, when i used this book 4 years after taking physics I & II. I highly recommend it.

A Must Have for Physical Sciences
This book was just what I needed to really get the MANY practice problems that I longed for after the basic Examkrackers Physics book. The book provided MANY problems for each subject to the point where you have no choice but to understand the subject by the end of problem set. The author does a great job producing MCAT like questions. Though there are no passages followed by questions like in the real MCAT, trust me, you will definitely understand the topics by the end of this book and thats the most important thing. If you understand a topic/subject no matter how the passage is written or what the real MCAT questions ask...you will know how to understand and answer them because you have a strong foundation...via this book.

Excellent study guide
This is a great study guide to make sure you have all the topics covered. I went through the entire guide and scored a 15 on the physics section. All of the 1001 EC books are great.Using primarily these books I made a 38Q overall on the MCAT. Highly recommended.

One important note. These books are NOT in MCAT format. They are simply problems to go through to make sure the concepts are fully understood. Then you can tackle the real thing. All concepts are covered ad nauseum and practice makes perfect. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (6)

It's OK.
There are two types of people: people who are physics majors, and people who don't really care about the subject and are taking because it is a required course for their ultimate goal. I belong to the first group(physics major) and have a few semesters of experience with this text.
In my opinion it falls short compared to the more mainstream university texts. Each chapter is divided into section with a brief introductory paragraph or two, then dives head first into the examples. Diagrams are adequate and appropriatelycorrelates with the examples and explanations. This text can be thought of as an extremely detailed outline of physics, not a comprehensive study. It is also assumed that you know your calculus. From time to time, he'll explain where got this from or that from but generally you have to have excellent math skills. This can cause some of the examples to become quite frustrating as your left wondering "why"? I do however like the difficulty of his examples, and they semi prepare you for the end of chapter problems. What I don't like is that there is no coherence of the examples-they are random. They don't follow any particular problem solving strategy. This results in relative difficulty in trying to solve the end of chapter problems. The text is written in a colloquial style and is relatively easy to read like previous reviewers have mentioned. The biggest problem I find is the lack of outside resources. There is no companion site or anything web related to help reinforce topics. The solutions manual only provides solution for 1 out of 6 problems-very, very, very inadequate in my opinion. There is mastering physics, but this is only used if your professor uses it.
So all in all this text is perfect for non physics majors, providing a roughly solid foundation of physics. One other thing that I forgot to mention is that the examples are kind of boring and uninsightful. This can cause one to lose interest relatively quickly.
So I felt I was getting a loose foundation of physics, and as a physics major this wasn't going to cut it. I needed a supplementary text so the search was on. After much research I found that it is generally confirmed that the textbook University Physics 12th ed. is the best. It is the subject of choice for many universities and is used by MIT. The numbers of pictures and diagrams filled with color is incredible. Calculus is integrated and explained effortlessly and the authors literally bend over backward to hand physics over on a silver platter if you're willing to put in the work. The examples are both complex and interesting and build confidence using the authors4 step problem solving approach to each example. Plus the supplementary options that are available for the book are extremely helpful such as the study guides. When I study this book, I am able to solve the end of chapter Giancoli problems a lot easier, and more accurately. It really is a great text and an excellent supplementary source for any seeking a deeper understanding in physics.

Physics Teacher
This is one of the better texts for an introductory Calculus-based physics course.While the center of any good science course should be laboratory experiments, this text is a good supplement, with clear writing and well explained examples.

Horrible book
This is probably one of the worst books i have had the displeasure of using. The book is written not for ease of understanding by the student; it seems as if this book is written for someone already well versed in physics. The Variables are never clearly defined, examples are very poor, are not explained thoroughly, and have little to do with the questions in the chapter review. I find it appalling that any school would mandate this book for physics.

Great book to learn from
As a student, I used this book for two semesters. Although the material is pretty tough at times, the book actually helped me learn concepts that I didn't fully understand in class, and even touch on things I hadn't learned. Compared to most other textbooks I've ever used, this was one of the more well written books. Topics covered are simple enough to learn easily, yet thorough enough to really understand some of the fundamentals of physics.

A very good, modern and didatic introductory physics textbook
The title says it all. It's one of the best and modern textbooks for introductory physics courses. The "Physics for Scientists & Engineers, with modern physics" is definitely a must-have! I strongly recommend it. ... Read more

Product Description
This solutions manual contains detailed, step-by-step solutions to more than half of the odd-numbered end-of-chapter problems from the textbook. All solutions consistently follow the same Set Up/Solve/Reflect problem-solving framework used in the textbook, reinforcing good problem-solving behavior. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

incomplete!
Solutions are helpful if you can find one for your troublesome problem-- but they're not for all odd-numbered problems, but only selected ones which turn out to be the ones you don't need help with because they're so easy (and also easy to write up solutions for). What a rip-off. Pretty much useless, stay away from this one. (By the way, I'm a freshman in college and over thirteen.)

Student Solutions Manual (for Sears & Zemansky's College Physics 8th edition) Volume One: Chapters 1-16 (v. 1)
I thought it would contain explanations to all of the odd problems but it only contains selected odd problems.Not very helpful.

helps
the solution book does help, but it only has odd numbered problems and no explanation for the steps it takes. But it does show the steps worked out and it does help show what to do get to the right answer. ... Read more

Product Description
Since the publication of the first edition over 50 years ago, Introduction to Solid State Physics has been the standard solid state physics text for physics students. The author's goal from the beginning has been to write a book that is accessible to undergraduates and consistently teachable. The emphasis in the book has always been on physics rather than formal mathematics. With each new edition, the author has attempted to add important new developments in the field without sacrificing the book's accessibility and teachability.

* A very important chapter on nanophysics has been written by an active worker in the field. This field is the liveliest addition to solid state science during the past ten years
* The text uses the simplifications made possible by the wide availability of computer technology. Searches using keywords on a search engine (such as Google) easily generate many fresh and useful references ... Read more

Customer Reviews (49)

Dont attempt to read it without proper background
I wanted to plunge directly to learn solid state physics and i bought the most widely used book in town. But that was a big mistake since I did not have a good background in electrodynamics and quantum mechanics. My personal opinion is you must know classical mechanics, quantum mechanics and electrodynamics in and out before attempting to understand solid state physics since its a complicated web woven with all these ideas. Though i did not benefit much from the book,I don't want to bias other people from buying it. Give it a reading first and buy only if u like it

I hated this book
... until I cared about actually learning the topic instead of trying to pass a class and do homework. This text is pretty amazing, and on the level of Landau/Lifshitz's theory of 'every single sentence counts'. It's definitely not a book to pick up and skim to page 300 and pick up a single topic, you have to be in it for the long haul, it is best read straight through from the beginning. I was in the group of people frothing at the mouth over this book, but now I find it very accessible and prefer it to Ashcroft's text. The two books cover roughly the same material (I don't know why people are calling A&M's more advanced), but Kittel definitely has a style you need to get used to. 'Relentless' is a good word, actually. But if you learn to trust what Kittel is trying to do, you will end up in a good place at the end.(And rote memorization never hurt anyone.) He is trying to lay a rough foundation and preparation of things to come, a proper quantum treatment of condensed matter theory. There is a method to his madness, and all of the explanations and examples everyone is looking for are there, in the depths of the figures, context, and periodic tables he provides. Trust in Kittel, he may seem like a sadomasochist at first, but, as many are saying, there is a reason this is a standard text. Like many good texts, the more you hate it at first, the more you love it when you understand it after the fact. Have a good fight with this book. You'll thank Kittel if you continue on in physics.

Lacking
I am a researcher trying to learn Solid State Physics on my own. And this book does not do a whole great deal for me. It took me just 2 days to get half way through the book, not from skimming but because its so simple. This is a senior undergraduate/early graduate book so why does he skimp on math so much and seem to shy away from quantum mechanics at almost every possible point? This book is disjointed. The approaches make little sense for someone who eventually wants to be able to research. No physical interpretations are given. No examples are given. The first 6 chapters feel like a mere summary of a random assortment of topics with no effort to delve deeper. The problems at the end are basic but the texts gives little in the way to interpret or solve these problems. Too much is left up to classical treatments. If you are taking a course like this then you should be beyond the need for that. Its hard to find any merits to this book. It would seem to me that this is aimed at students who have had a modern physics course and not the full breadth of undergraduate physics which is why this seems so lacking. Its a specialized topic. Treat it as such .

Not very great book.
The first couple chapter is fine. Generally it includes a lot of useless details. Not really concentrates on important aspects (for electrical engineers). I think the Pierret book is much better.

Not a Introductory Book!
First day of class, Professor states we're going with Kittel because that is the "standard" and there just aren't many options to choose from on this subject matter, and went on to explain how it really isn't a great introductory book.

It took very little time to see what he was talking about. There are no examples, Kittel doesn't really explain pictures and graphs very well. He doesn't state things in the most logical manner or concise manner.Maybe Kittel is a genius but not at writing an introductory book from what I have seen. There's really no help beyond your fellow students, and professor on solving any of the problems.Moreover, Kittel leaves a lot of steps out of his derivations.We were assigned to derive the Debye T^3 model, which only took Kittel I think a page, page and a half at most. It took me and a fellow student 8 or 9 pages of derivations.

I will pass the course with probably an A, but honestly if asked what I have learned, I probably couldn't tell you anything more than a short discussion on lattice points.

Professors, please try to find better material, there is better out there. ... Read more

Product Description
Mirroring the growth and direction of science for a century, the CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, now in its 91st edition, continues to be the most accessed and respected scientific reference in the world, used by students and Nobel Laureates. Available in its traditional print format, the Handbook is also available as an innovative interactive product on CD-ROM and online. This year’s edition adds many new tables and major revisions ...

For the electronic version of the Handbook, go to theCRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, CD-ROM 2010

NEW AND UPDATED TABLES FOR THIS EDITION

Section 6: Fluid Properties
-- New tables on thermophysical properties of selected fluids at saturation and on the dependence of liquid density on temperature and pressure
-- Major updates for tables on the density of water and properties of ice and D₂O
-- Major update and expansion of the table on critical constants of organic compounds
Section 8: Analytical Chemistry
-- Major updates for tables on the ionization constants of water and heavy water
Section 9: Molecular Structure and Spectroscopy
-- Updates for tables on atomic radii of the elements, bond dissociation energies, and spectroscopic constants of diatomic molecules
Section 10: Atomic, Molecular Structure and Spectroscopy
-- Major update for the table on atomic transition probabilities (added new elements) and updates for tables on electron affinities and atomic and molecular polarizabilities
Section 12: Properties of Solids
-- New table on electron stopping powers of elements
Section 13: Polymer Properties
-- New tables on abbreviations in polymer science and on physical properties of polymers

The benchmark of scientific reference since the days of Einstein, Eddington, and Planck, no book is held to a higher standard than the Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. Perpetually vetted for misspellings, miscalculations, misperceptions, and misnomers, it is republished every year, so no mistake needs to be long abided, no enhancement long awaited.

The job of editing the Handbook requires not only one who is relentless, driven to perpetually push the level of accuracy one more decimal point, but also one who is humble enough and smart enough to understand that the Handbook, like science itself, is a living, changing thing, and that it is both a record of achievement and a foundation for further improvement of that record. Until this year, the Handbook has been guided through 90 editions by just four editors. The last, David Lide, guided the book through 20 editions. Perhaps most importantly, Dr. Lide guided the Handbook into the electronic age, overseeing the creation and the continual improvement of interactive web and CD versions that have now become staples in every research library of note.

It takes a scientist to edit the only scientific handbook that can be rightfully called The Handbook

Introducing Mickey Haynes
For 20 years, we have seen the name of Dr. Lide embossed on the cover of the Handbook as editor-in-chief. Now a new name is embossed in silver: William M. Haynes. Dr. Mickey Haynes brings with him the most absolute qualification: a career devoted to finding and capturing the best data. Most notably, Dr. Haynes worked more than three decades for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). His last three years at NIST were as Chief of the Physical and Chemical Properties Division and currently he is a scientist emeritus with NIST. During his tenure, he was involved in major projects on the properties of natural gas, cryogenic fluids, air, alternative refrigerants, and ammonia/water systems. He was responsible for the development of apparatus for measurements of both transport and thermodynamic properties of fluids and models to represent the data.

Dr. Haynes is Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Thermophysics and a Fellow of the American Physical Society. With his background, Dr. Haynes’ influence will be especially significant in the fluids property data, which he has already expanded for the 91st edition. But it hardly stops there, for like Dr. Lide and the editors before him, Dr. Haynes is already proving himself relentless with his efforts to make all the data more reliable and more stable.

This June, we unveil the 91st edition of the Handbook. And with this landmark edition, we celebrate the changing of the guard, an historic past, and a future yet to be written.

Profile of Dr. Haynes
Mickey Haynes joined the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in 1970 as a National Research Council Postdoctoral Research Associate after completing his Ph.D. in physics at the University of Virginia. During this associateship, he carried out an experimental program on the viscosity of cryogenic fluids. In 1972 he became a permanent staff member and was involved in research on measurements and correlations of the thermophysical properties of fluids and fluid mixtures of scientific and industrial interest. He was involved in major projects on the properties of natural gas, cryogenic fluids, air, alternative refrigerants, and ammonia/water systems. Mickey was responsible for the development of state-of-the-art apparatus for measurements of both transport and thermodynamic properties of fluids (e.g., magnetic suspension densimeters and torsional crystal viscometers). The apparatus were used for fluid thermophysical property measurements at low and high temperatures and at extreme pressures; and for the development of empirical and theoretical models for the prediction of fluid properties.

In 1985, Mickey became Group Leader of the Properties of Fluids Group in the Thermophysics Division and served in that capacity for ten years. In 1989 he assumed the position of Deputy Chief of the Thermophysics Division, which was reorganized and became the Physical and Chemical Properties Division in 1996. While remaining in the Deputy Chief position, Mickey became the Assistant Director for Boulder of the Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory (CSTL) in 1994. He stayed in these positions until becoming the Chief of the Physical and Chemical Properties Division in 1999. Mickey remained in this position until he retired from the NIST in January 2003.

Mickey served on the Editorial Boards of the Journal of Chemical and Engineering Data, Review of Scientific Instruments, and Cryogenics. At the request of the ASME Heat Transfer Division Committee on Thermophysical Properties, he was Chair and Organizer of the 13th and 14th Symposia on Thermophysical Properties in 1997 and 2000, respectively. Mickey has been previously active on ASTM Committee D03 on Gaseous Fuels (Chair of the ASTM Subcommitte D03.08 on Thermophysical Properties) and the ASME K-7 Committee on Thermophysical Properties. He has recently served on the International Advisory Committees of the 16th and 17th European Conferences on Thermophysical Properties, the 6th and 7th Asian Thermophysical Properties Conferences, and the 17th IUPAC Conference on Chemical Thermodynamics. Mickey was elected as a Fellow of the American Physical Society in 1999 and has received several Department of Commerce (DOC)/NIST awards.

Since his retirement from the NIST in 2003, Mickey has remained active in several areas. Currently, he is a Scientist Emeritus in CSTL. He has been the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Thermophysics since 1997. Mickey was the President of the Executive Board responsible for organization of THERMO International, a joint conference comprised of the 16th Symposium on Thermophysical Properties, the 19th IUPAC Conference on Chemical Thermodynamics, and the 61st Calorimetry Conference held in Boulder in August, 2006. He has been a member of the ASME K-7 Committee on Thermophysical Properties since 1992 and is currently serving on the Touloukian Award Committee. Since 1998, Mickey has been a permanent member of the International Organizing Committee of the European Conference on Thermophysical Properties; he has also served on the International Advisory Committee of the Asian Thermophysical Properties Conference. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great reference book
Great as a reference book for a lot of different areas of science and even some math.

Classic
This is an item you would not expect any big surprise, in contrary, you expect information to evolve and develop smoothly as years pass by. The huge handbook fulfils almost any expectation you might have in the field of physical and/or chemical data. Long-year friend of mine. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an account of how quantum physics is putting forward ideas that confirm the perceived beliefs of mystics who think the world is an illusion. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

This is what the teachings of a Course in Miracles is all about.
By relating Mystic teachings to the quantum physics explains how we are projecting our world from the mind of ego.If you want to know the truth about this world, look into the Course in Miracles teachings.I recommend Gary Renard.

Mysticism has come of age!
This is a GREAT book that I reccomend to anyone whom wants to take seriously in these modern days just where mysticism comes in our lives. Would find worthwhile information on where mysticism has come from and where it applies to our modern life.

(3.5) Like Quantum Foam: More Fluff, Less Stuff
My first plunge into the world of quantum physics and its religious ramifications started with the book, "God and the New Physics" by Paul Davies. Although I was thoroughly ensnared by the theoretical implications of the "new physics", I was underwhelmed with his treatment of the "God" factor. On the other hand, Micheal Talbot's book, "Mysticism and the New Physics" (which sounds eerily similar to Davies') puts the spiritual factor on overdrive while relegating science to the backseat. This prequel to "The Holographic Universe" pales in comparison to it: In the latter, it is obvious the author has had a chance to fine-tune his theories, flesh out the explanations, add newer material, and in the process, render this book as mere "reading fodder" for Talbot fans.

The book starts off with a cursory explanation of quantum physics (The Uncertainty Principle, Wave-Particle duality, etc.). It then proceeds to elaborate upon the popular paradox known as "Schrodinger's Cat", an analogy that was drawn to highlight the inexplicable behavior of quantum systems that go into superposition before "collapsing" into one of the many possibilities in the very presence of an observer. Whether it is Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle or Schrodinger's Cat, both theories seem to imply that there is no such thing as a truly "objective"non-interfering observer: Moreover, there can only be a "participator" who influences the environment he/she "observes" through the act of consciousness. The author goes on to define human consciousness as a quantum system, albeit holographic, that is capable, like all other such systems (for example, subatomic particles), of emitting electromagnetic "fields" that may interact with other such fields. Of course, all these fields find their expression in "Superspace", a sea of quantum foam (space as "measured" on sub-Planck scales) that is constantly frothing with mini blackholes and whiteholes, enabling photons to travel outside the "light cone" into other regions of space-time and back. This is the basis by which David Bohm's vision of the Holographic Universe is carried out, whereby information about the whole universe is inherent at every "point" in it(non-locality). The grand conclusion here, is the fact that subatomic particles ultimately lack "substance" and are mere essences or "ripples" in superspace, thereby making reality as we know it a hollow illusion, a giant hologram as it were. As a corollary, the paradox that is Schrodinger's Cat places human consciousness at center-stage as "directors" of the cosmic super-hologram. Importance is also placed on the existence of parallel universes (the Many-Worlds Theory or "garden of forking paths") that permeate superspace but is obscured by the illusion we call Reality, or "Maya" by the mystics.

The second part of the book is where the author dives straight into mysticism. Talbot draws comparisons between Quantum Physics and Tantric studies, especially the concept of the Akasa, that he likens to superspace, and the Nada/Bindu duality (you guessed it, the wave/particle duality of light). Taking the Many Worlds theory one step further and calling it "Interpenetrating Universes", the author paints reality as a "mass" hallucination shared by the collective consciousness and brought into being from a palette of infinite possibilities. In the words of don Juan (from Carlos Castaneda's "Journey to Ixtlan"), we see with our "tonal" eyes (that "fixes" things in space-time)when the "nagual" is the infinity that exists beyond it. As shown by the miraculous feats of Himalayan Yogis and Tamil priests (such as walking on hot coals), andmass hallucinations of the Virgin of Fatima (experienced by 70,000 people in Spain), reality is "omnijective": a middle ground between objective and subjective where the reality of an event is determined by the strength of people's belief in it. Herein lies the rub: How does one break this veil of illusion called Reality? According to Talbot, as "Reality-Structurers", we must dismantle the "metaprograms" (the sum total of all our conditionings) that permeate our nervous systems by engaging in religious disciplines. The practice of religion, despite its negative connotations in the modern world, can possibly furnish us with new sets of metaprograms that may help us un-block our energy centers (also "Chakras" or "Kundalini"). This way, our nervous systems may learn to see with "nagual" eyes (a dreamlike state of malleable possibilities)and not the "tonal". As an afterthought, the author also stresses the inadequacy of words to describe the "nagual" because language is inherently fragmentary (emphasis on duality and separation) and therefore cannot comprehend the undivided wholeness that lies beyond Maya.

The author has added appendices to the book in order to incorporate newer information that has become available since the original publication. As I said, this book is a far cry compared to his later masterpiece. Although including many interesting factoids that he omitted in "The Holographic Universe", this publication nonetheless is riddled with too many citations and quotes. It is excessively done to the point where reading one page may require the reader to switch "reading modes" several times to accommodate the rhetorical styles of the sources Talbot cites. Such chaotic juxtapositions can create a great deal of confusion and leaps of logic especially for those who have not read his follow-up masterpiece. I know people have given this book five stars, but in my opinion, it is more a reflection of the author's reputation than the actual book itself, which, while engaging and engrossing, I still found to be quite patchy and disorganized. There's just too much quantum foam in this cup of coffee!

Every page is mind expanding
I love this book, and am very surprised its not a lot more popular. Talbot doesn't dance around the subject like more other authors and books do! He gets straight to the point with very informed and powerful concepts. I often find it burdensome to have to deal with an authors "filler" material, and if I can speak for myself, I want to get to the point, and then relate that point to different perspectives. Excellent book and probably one of the top 5 books I've read out of about 30 or so. If your at all interested in the topic, pick it up!

Another great book by Michael Talbot!
First read the Holographic Universe and was entralled because I see or have worked with wierd things before and after Reiki. His examples made sense, all getting back to quantum physics. Now comes a book to refine the info in the Holographic Universe as related to the unexplained in mysticism. Well done, both are must reads for some leads to explanations of how it all works, which is not at all like we were told!Peggy Griffin ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Physics Can Be Fun
This book along with its supplements is a great program for both honors level and lower level students. The readability level is perfect and the lab ideas has inspired me.Both my students and I love it. ... Read more

Product Description

This new volume contains four previously unpublished lectures that Feynman gave to students preparing for exams. With characteristic flair, insight and humor, Feynman discusses topics students struggle with and offers valuable tips on solving physics problems. An illuminating memoir by Matthew Sands — who originally conceived The Feynman Lectures on Physics — gives a fascinating insight into the history of Feynman’s lecture series and the books that followed. This book is rounded off by relevant exercises and answers by R. B. Leighton and R. E. Vogt, originally developed to accompany the Lectures on Physics.

Customer Reviews (9)

Inessential but Entertaining Reading
As a Feynman completist, I felt compelled to pick up this latest addition to the canon of one of science's greatest expositors, which is made up largely of excised review lectures from the course that generated some of the most highly regarded physics books ever printed (The Feynman Lectures on Physics including Feynman's Tips on Physics: The Definitive and Extended Edition).

Whereas those lectures are voyages of discovery that make the reader feel that he is a true participant in the enterprise of science, those contained in this volume are generally more straightforward, and the reader is again but a lowly student ... albeit a student of one of the subject's greatest teachers.But that switch in mood is part of this book's appeal, for even as the reader trades the laboratory for the classroom in some of the more mundane aspects of problem solving, Feynman does so along with him.In fact, Feynman's admissions of the variety of mistakes he made while working out problems (some of which he admits to having to do several times in order to get them right while preparing for the lecture) made for some of the most entertaining and encouraging parts of the book.Feynman, one of the 20th century's greatest physicists, is grinding it out along with us, revealing himself to be vulnerable to the same little pitfalls that can haunt and discourage students in any hard science.

Beyond that, there are some true practical gems in the book, including a wonderfully simple method of differentiation that I had not seen presented Feynman's way until I read this book.Rounding out the lectures are some problems and solutions (not presented by Feynman) that solidify the book's practical aim.None of it is absolutely essential, and the book is arguably a bit pricey for its length.But it is certainly a worthwhile read, further enhanced, perhaps, by imagining Feynman's Far Rockaway accent as you read to make the experience of being his student seem a little more real.

feynman lecture
I was there and heard these things in the early 60's.the lectures are still just as fascinating now as they were then, although I have forgotten most or all of the math that went with them.

Excellent Leftovers
Different parts of this book will appeal to different readers.
There is a lot of information about how the book came to be published, providing insight into Feynman's style.
There are the actual lectures,delivered mostly to students that were having trouble in the physics class, including the observation, mentioned in another review, that half the students have to be below average, even at Cal Tech.
These can help you improve your physical intuition.
There is a lecture on applied physics, covering gyroscopes and accelerometers
in navigation systems.
The numerical coefficients have probably been improved since then,
but the presentation is excellent.
There is also a collection of problems to practice on.
These seemed much better, much more realistic, much more interesting, than those I solved as a physics minor decades ago.

I hope a culinary analogy will help potential readers understand this book.
Yes this book is a bunch of leftovers.
Some chef's leftovers are better than most cooks' best efforts.
Feynman was a master chef in physics.

rummaging to put together one last [?] book by Feynman
Sometimes when a prominent author dies, his estate might authorise someone to go through his notes. In the hope of finding unpublished material that is of enough quality to be published. This could necessitate some editorial or extra authorial assistance. Think perhaps of fiction authors. Where final stories trickle out in the years after their deaths.

Precisely the case here. The 2 other authors of this book, Gottlieb and Leighton, have rummaged through Feynman's records, and found these 4 "lost" lectures. In case you're wondering, his 2 children have approved this venture. As perhaps the last new book you are likely to see with Richard Feynman's name on it.

Of the chapters, the most interesting is really the introduction, that describes the circumstances by which the book came about. The actual physics is well done, of course. But this is not one of Feynman's major works. Let's be clear about it. Think of it as marginalia. An addendum to his Lectures on Physics.

The cover's photo shows him as young and in good health. Unlike when I saw him in his last years, ravaged by cancer.

Feynmann on Physics
Firstly, ANYTHING by Richard Feynman is compulsive reading.Having said that I was a little bit disappointed because I was expecting some personal tips on his math techniqes.There is an interesting approach to differentiation and some stuff on numerical integration.There is a great deal on gyroscopes. There is a common sense homily to those who have to face the fact that SOMEONE has to be in the lower quartile of a class, and not to get disturbed by this statistical fact.For the few dollars it costs it is well worth it ! ... Read more

Product Description
This book provides a comprehensive introduction to the field of solid state physics for undergraduate students in physics, chemistry, engineering, and materials science. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

Solid State Physics Textbook
The textbook came in good condition.The seller provided an accurate description ahead of time and shipped it in a timely fashion.This textbook was the required text for the Theory of Solids I college course.

very good book
This is still one of the best books on Solid-State Physics. Very well written, easy to follow and with a wide range of topics. I would suggest it to any student interested in learning the basics.

ashcroft and mermin
when i become the king of the world i will make it compulsory on everyone to study physics and then people will know about this book.

Old book, but the physics is the same
The Ashcroft text is superior to other Solid State texts because of its readbility. It is not over-written like some texts, and its presentation of fundamentals is appropriate for a graduate course in solid state physics. It is not fair to under-rate the book simply because it is "old". Despite having several decades to write a better book, few authors have.

There are advanced chapters toward the end of the book that lay the foundations for superconductivity and vibrations in solids, among other things. Like most physics books, the direct application of the physics to real world tools is an afterthought, as it took me 5 years of experience to finally realize that Ashcroft's treatment of phonons in later chapters could be used to describe the piezoelectric efficiency of acoustic sensors. Perhaps this is because the book is dated, or perhaps it is because many physics texts fail to make the link between consumer technologies and fundamental breakthroughs in understanding, as if it is beneath the moral integrity of physics to worry about the engineering that follows. The work in superconductivity is advanced for a typical solid state course and might be better for a special topics series, as it was when I was a graduate student.

Ashcroft will serve as a good primer for most solid state topics, and it is well augmented with Kittel. A lesser book by Ibach and Luth, while it has just a few positive qualities, will fail a student unless they have Ashcroft on hand. Between Ashcroft and Kittel, a student would have a strong reference library.

As a side note, while it seems to be par for the course for most solid state texts, little is done to address the findamentals of crystalline structure that have led to the growth and evolution of the field of materials science. One of Ashcroft's introductory chapters summarizes a fundamental MSE text (such as Callister) very well by describing different crystalline structures and calculating packing fractions. However, it requires a leap of understanding to see that solid state physics is not just about semiconductors, but it is also about strength of materials and the fundamentals of transmission electron microscopy, among other things. Ashcroft is not to blame for this oversight - perhaps publishers would rather separate these topics for diversification and an overall increase in sales.

In short, if you are an instructor considering a text for you upcoming course, I strongly recommend Ashcroft. The physics hasn't changed since the book was introduced, though the applications have.

Bible for Solid State Physics
Unfortunately this is the only solid fundamental Solid State physics book available. The problems at the ends of chapters have very little to do with the reading and there is no solution manual available. As a source for reading the book works very well, as concepts are explained throughly. However I do not recommend using this book as a source for homework since the problems are more concerned with mindless algebra rather than physical concepts. A lot of "make this expression look like this" type problems. ... Read more

Product Description
The most comprehensive, rigorous analysis of MCAT physics available! Dr. Biehle's classic MCAT Physics Book presents a clear, insightful analysis of MCAT physics. His lively prose and subtle wit make this challenging topic more palatable. The MCAT Physics Book offers the most comprehensive and rigorous analysis of MCAT physics available. Including, * 49 MCAT-style passages * 500 MCAT-style practice problems and detailed solutions to all problems. Illustrations and tables are included wherever necessary to focus and clarify key ideas and concepts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (29)

shipped before expected date
book was shipped via normal delivery well before scheduled date, in good condition. i highly recommend this seller

Must-have for the MCAT and physics course
I bought quite a few books to study for the MCAT - the entire Exam Krackers study package and question books, and the Gold Standard MCAT book.The only one that I can say absolutely made a huge difference for me was the MCAT Physics Book.

I did awful (like, embarrassingly awful!) in both semesters of physics in college and essentially had to start from scratch when preparing for the MCAT.I wish I would have had this book when I was taking physics!It was like 'Hallelujah!", I finally understand.

Each chapter effectively and concisely explains the concepts, gives good examples, and is never tedious to read.The practice problems are not MCAT-style format but they are great for learning the material.

To anyone taking the MCAT who needs extra help in the physics department, I would say do not rely on EK Physics!This book is exponentially better.

Stellar compliment to other programs.
I recommend this to every student who finds the physics aspect of the MCAT the most challenging. For my first rough go around as a junior on an AAMC pre-test, I scored a 13 on the Biological sciences (my organic chemistry is pristine), and a 10 on the Physical sciences, the massive chasm being a result of solubility/phase chemistry and archaic physics topics (my modern physics is also pristine). This book, which I received three days ago, has illuminated several issues. If you have problems with:: Centripetal force, banking, cars; gravitational force; and reading graphs & knowing when to utilize the area under the curve, this will compliment everything taught in the Examkrackers or Kaplan versions. I actually recommend this PLUS Examkrackers Physics, as they seem to compliment one another where I had areas of weaknesses.

Great Product and fast shipment
this is brand new just as described as in the product details.the shipment also came in quickly

Great review and practice
I'm really glad I got this book. I was able to review my physics material quickly and efficiently. The author encourages you to understand rather than memorize concepts and provides questions with increasing difficulty to help you practice using concepts in direct and abstract settings. There are also detailed solutions to each question. It only took me three days to understand all the basic concepts from first-semester physics (the first 1/2 of the book).

It has been several years since my last physics class, someone who needs less review and more practice may need a more advanced book. ... Read more

Product Description
Master modern physics with Schaum's--the high-performance study guide. It will help you cut study time, hone problem-solving skills, and achieve your personal best on exams! Students love Schaum's Outlines because they produce results. Each year, hundreds of thousands of students improve their test scores and final grades with these indispensable study guides. If you don't have a lot of time but want to excel in class, this book helps you brush up before tests, find answers fast, study quickly and more effectively, and get the big picture without spending hours poring over lengthy textbooks. Schaum's Outlines give you the information your teachers expect you to know in a handy and succinct format--without overwhelming you with unnecessary details. You get a complete overview of the subject. Plus, you get plenty of practice exercises to test your skill. Compatible with any classroom text, Schaum's let you study at your own pace and remind you of all the important facts you need to remember--fast! And Schaum's are so complete, they're perfect for preparing for graduate or professional exams. Inside, you will find: 486 solved problems, including step-by-step solutions; Hundreds of additional practice problems, with answers supplied; Clear explanations of all major topics covered in modern physics courses; New sections on quarks and superconductivity. If you want top grades and thorough understanding of modern physics, this powerful study tool is the best tutor you can have! Chapters include:Galilean Transformations / Postulates of Einstein / Lorentz Coordinate Transformations / Relativistic Length Measurements / Relativistic Time Measurements / Relativistic Space-Time Measurements / Relativistic Velocity Transformations / Mass, Energy, and Momentum in Relativity / The Relativistic Doppler Effect / Electromagnetic Radiation--Photons / Matter Waves / The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle / The Bohr Atom / Electron Orbital Motion and the Zeeman Effect / Electron Spin / Many Electron Atoms / The Pauli Exclusion Principle / Many-Electron Atoms and the Periodic Table / X-Rays / Properties of Nuclei / Nuclear Models / Nuclear Decays / Nuclear Reactions / Fission and Fusion / Fundamental Forces in Nature--Mediating Field Particles / Particle Names and Properties / Conservation Laws / Band Theory/ The Eight-Fold Way / Quarks / Construction of Hadrons from the Quarks / Leptons / Molecular Bonding / Excitations of Diatomic Molecules / Kinetic Theory / Distribution Functions / Classical Statistics: The Maxwell-Boltzmann Distribution / Quantum Statistics / The Classical Metal / Fermi Electron Gas / Specific Heats of Crystalline Solids / Semiconductors / Superconductivity. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Pretty Good, But Could Be Better
I am working through the book from beginning to end, so far I have found one mistake in a solved problem per chapter (the chapters are only a few pages long with roughly 10 to 12 questions for each section).I'm a big fan of Schaum's outlines, but this one seems to be lacking in good problems and careful editing.The answers are correct, they just have typos in the solved problems. I still like the book, but be ready to get frustrated once in a while when that isn't really a negative sign and you waste a bunch of time.

Super fast delivery!
I'm very pleased with the book and the promptness of delivery.I would definitely buy from this seller again!

Modern Physics Outline Review
I'm a PhD in Mechanical Engineering with minors in Physics and Mathematics.I've chosen this book to supplement a textbook on Modern Physics which I studied in the 1960s.I browsed the outline and itlooks excellent.It contains certain recent topics not included in my earlier text.
Regards,Donald W. Seaton

Modern Physics Course
As a college student taking Modern Physics, I found this book to be very helpful with my homework.Many of the subjects covered in my course were found to also be in the Schaum's Outline of Modern Physics.What it does severely lack in is explanation.For me, I skipped using it to learn anything, and just focused on following the example problems step-by-step (with different numbers, of course!)For the average student looking for a little help, I'd definitely suggest this book!

A good book for engineers studying modern physics
Unlike other reviewers, I found that this book hits all of the main points that you are likely to run across in an undergraduate course on Modern Physics. I particularly liked the short explanations on the various subtopics, the numerous and clear diagrams, as well as the helpful examples.

The other reviewers are correct in that this book takes a different approach from most textbooks on Modern Physics, but I feel that this is most helpful to engineering students. This is because the modern physics textbooks I have examined tend to be abstract and, quite frankly, geared towards and - of course - written by physicists. Engineers need a more practical and visual problem-oriented viewpoint to understand the subject matter than is provided in such books. The content of this outline does tend to jump around a great deal, and you may need to search carefully for the subject matter you are needing help with, but most of it should be in this outline somewhere. The book does come up a little short on the quantum end of things, and if you need specific help with that subject I recommend the "Schaum's Outline of Quantum Mechanics", which is also quite helpful.

If you are a student of pure physics, you might not find this outline as helpful as the engineering students probably will. ... Read more

Product Description
Basic and advanced topics in physics, specifically tailoredfor high school students.Topics include vectors, statics, kinematics,dynamics, energy/power, impulse/momentum, hydrostatics/aerostatics,electric circuits, magnetics, and radiation. Also included are chapterintroductions which review major physics principles and theirapplications to problem-solving. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

THE HIGH SCHOOL PHYSICS TUTOR 2nd ed.
The book has been great in helping my students better understand concepts associated with high school physics.The examples are numerous and the calculations are clearly shown. This is a great addition for a high school reference library. ... Read more

Product Description

Do you cringe when a linebacker flattens a quarterback? Hold your breath when a field goal sails toward the goalpost? Watch in amazement as a touchdown pass spirals down the field? Behind those big hits, long kicks, and sensational throws is a science that will give you a whole new perspective on the game of football.

Customer Reviews (2)

The Physics--Especially Collisional--Aspects of Football
The author provides many lucid explanations, with numbers and equations, that deal with the physics of football. There is a good deal of emphasis on collisions. He thus distinguishes between inelastic and elastic conditions, giving a hilarious example of the latter (football players wearing spring-filled suits, so that they could bounce off each other. The bounces would be unpredictable.)

One form of collision is that between the tackler and runner. Another one is that which occurs between the foot of the kicker and the football. Gay's equations show how the force of the kicking leg, including its angular velocity, is transferred to the ball. The forces of football-related kicks are computed. Record-setting punts and field goals are featured and examined. The spin of the football is also factored.

A bibliography contains references for further study. As an experienced science teacher, I think that this book would serve as an excellent supplement to high school and early-college physics courses.

Great Book
I bought this book for my son to use to help him with a school science project. It was great, it had so much information that really helped him turn in a great project! ... Read more

Product Description
Solutions to the problems in the Saxon Physics Student Book, first edition. Grade 12. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

a book that charts its own course
This is an odd book but I admire the author for taking a unique approach to teaching physics.

It's strange because it does not have traditional chapters. It has 100 lessons which the author says should be covered at a rate of 3-4 per week over 2 semesters. The different topics like mechanics, electricity, optics have not been put in any specific order which results in no clear or consistent flow i.e. logically related topics are scattered throughout the book. Pedagogically, I've never seen anything like this attempted before and I don't know if I like it.

I disagree that this book should be covered in 2 semesters. A full 4 semester (2 year) program is needed if this material is to be completed at a reasonable and comprehensible pace when combined with lab experiments.

The discussion of the basic phenomena or concepts is quite short in most cases. The author quickly jumps into problem solving which he believes is at the core of physics. This book could be profitably combined with something like "Understanding Physics" by Cassidy, Holton et al. so as to thoroughly cover both concepts and problem solving.

As mentioned, problem solving is at the heart of this book. The problem types to be mastered are traditional: projectiles, sliding blocks on inclined planes, springs, vectors, friction, rotary motion, banked curves, simple machines and so on. They're more challenging than what's found in an average high school textbook. They're a good prep for the non-calculus AP test. However, the they do not show enough variety. Learning is not promoted if students aren't challenged with new problems they've never seen before.

The book is designed so that all problems should be attempted and material from previous lessons is continuously reinforced - that's why the word "Incremental" is in the title. The author uses the same problems from earlier lessons but incrementally makes them more difficult by adding newly covered material. Given that the lesson sequence is almost random the problem sets become a motley collection of different subjects.

Some of the material is not really high school physics at all. For instance, I never encountered the sections on thermodynamics and fluid mechanics until university.

One thing I can't figure out is just who the intended audience is. The inside front cover has space for assigning book to high school students. The preface then says the topics covered are what you'd see in a 2-semester engineering physics course and also says book is suitable for pre-med students. Well, is this a high school book or a university book?

After reading through it I can unequivocally say it's not for average high school students. At a minimum only honors H.S. students should attempt it.

An Easy Choice
Our children used Saxon from 54 to 87, then moved on to advanced math, calculus and physics and they have excelled with this method. Although my background doesn't include an emphasis in math or science, my husband's education and professional life is steeped in these subjects. He's enthusiastic about Saxon because it creates such a strong foundation.

Using this incremental method of learning made homeschooling through high school a breeze and our college-age children sailed through their college math courses as well. In hindsight, it would be easy to choose it again.

Too Jumpy
This book does not shy away from introducing advanced topics to high school students.Also, like all Saxon books, it does a good job of reviewing the concepts learned instead of just letting them drop at the end of the chapter.These are the reasons for the second star in my rating.

On the other hand, the book jumps around from topic to topic.This is a poor way to get students to learn Physics.Physics is not a procedure to memorize like working in an assembly line.It is a thought process.Students need time to focus on a particular concept and develop it before they move on.They need to understand it and play with it, not just solve problems.

That brings me to my other major objection.This book suggests saving labs for the second semester.In that case, this is not a science book.Science is not a set of procedures to memorize and problems to solve.It is a way of thinking.Students need to know where the ideas come from, and they need the chance to play with them and explain them.That comes from labs.

Overall, although this book is better than most Physics books (which I would rank at 0 stars), it is still not a very good one.My qualifications to say this are that I am a high school Physics teacher, and I have my degree in Physics (which isn't always the same thing).

The book I would recommend instead is PSSC Physics from Kendall Hunt.Unfortunately, it appears that book may be going out of print, so get it while you can.

Physics: An Incremental Development
This the clearest, best physics book I have seen. Each lesson reviews every skill previously taught to aid in retention of concepts and skills. I recommend it very highly.

Excellent way to learn beginning physics on your own
Using an incremental approach Mr. Saxon develops an understanding on the part of those who work the problems that surpasses that gained using other aroaches.Problem topics are mixed in each set with those from previoussections thus the student learns not just how to do problems in an isolatedcontext but in many different contexts.This addresses a long-standingimpediment to learning physical science: how are previous tools andprinciples used in combination and in different contexts.However: Whereis the solutions manual? ... Read more