College Physics Second Edition

Book Preface

Bridge conceptual understanding and problem solving with resources to support active teaching and learning.
This new integrated learning system brings together a groundbreaking media program with an innovative text presentation of algebra-based physics. An experienced author team provides a unique set of expertise and perspectives to help students master concepts and succeed in developing problem-solving skills necessary for College Physics. Now available for the first time with SaplingPlus—an online learning platform that combines the heavily research-based FlipItPhysics Prelectures (derived from smartPhysics) with the robust Sapling homework system, in which every problem has targeted feedback, hints, and a fully worked and explained solution. This HTML5 platform gives students the ability to actively read with a fully interactive e-Book, watch Prelecture videos, and work or review problems with a mobileaccessible learning experience. Integration is available with Learning Management Systems to provide single sign-on and grade-sync capabilities compatible with the iClicker 2 and other classroom response systems to provide a seamless full course experience for you and your students.

Roger Freedman This groundbreaking text boasts an exceptionally strong writing team that is uniquely qualified to write a college physics textbook. The College Physics author team is led by Roger Freedman, an accomplished textbook author of such best-selling titles as Universe (W. H. Freeman), Investigating Astronomy (W. H. Freeman), and University Physics (Pearson). Dr. Freedman is a lecturer in physics at
the University of California, Santa Barbara. He was an undergraduate at the University of California campuses in San Diego and Los Angeles, and did his doctoral research in theoretical nuclear physics at Stanford University. He came to UCSB in 1981 after 3 years of teaching and doing research at the University of Washington. At UCSB, Dr. Freedman has taught in both the Department of physics and the College of Creative Studies, a branch of the university intended for highly gifted and motivated undergraduates. In recent years, he has helped to develop computer-based tools for learning introductory physics and astronomy and has been a pioneer in the use of classroom response systems and the “flipped” classroom model at UCSB. Roger holds a commercial pilot’s license and was an early organizer of the San Diego Comic-Con, nowthe world’s largest popular culture convention.

Todd Ruskell As a Teaching Professor of Physics at the Colorado School of Mines, Todd Ruskell focuses on teaching at the introductory level and continually develops more effective ways to help students learn. One method used in large enrollment introductory courses is Studio Physics. This collaborative, hands-on environment helps students develop better intuition about, and conceptual models of, physical phenomena through an active learning approach. Dr. Ruskell brings his experience in improving students’ conceptual understanding to the text, as well as a strong liberal arts perspective. Dr. Ruskell’s love of physics began with a BA in physics from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin. He went on to receive an MS and a PhD in optical sciences from the University of Arizona. He has received awards for teaching excellence, including Colorado School of Mines’ Alumni Teaching Award. Dr. Ruskell currently serves on the physics panel and advisory board for the NANSLO (North American Network of Science Labs Online) project.

Philip Kesten, Associate Professor of Physics and Associate Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies at Santa Clara University, holds a BS in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and received his PhD in high-energy particle physics from the University of Michigan. Since joining the Santa Clara faculty in 1990, Dr. Kesten has also served as Chair of Physics, Faculty Director of the ATOM and da Vinci Residential Learning Communities, and Director of the Ricard Memorial Observatory. He has received awards for teaching excellence and curriculum innovation, was Santa Clara’s Faculty Development Professor for 2004–2005, and was named the California Professor of the Year in 2005 by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Education. Dr. Kesten is co-founder of Docutek (a SirsiDynix Company), an Internet software company, and has served as the Senior Editor for Modern Dad, a newsstand magazine

David L. Tauck Unlike any other physics text on the market, College Physics includes a physiologist as a primary author. David Tauck, Associate Professor of Biology, holds both a BA in biology and an MA in Spanish from Middlebury College. He earned his PhD in physiology at Duke University and completed postdoctoral fellowships at Stanford University and Harvard University in anesthesia and neuroscience, respectively. Since joining the Santa Clara University faculty in 1987, he has served as Chair of the Biology Department, the College Committee on Rank and Tenure, and the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee; he has also served as president of the local chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. Dr. Tauck currently serves as the Faculty Director in Residence of the da Vinci Residential Learning Community.

Build a conceptual foundation…before class

We place a high value on learning physics concepts prior to class time instruction and have created resources to make this as effective as possible for student learning and easy toimplement for instructors. Groundbreaking Prelecture videos introduce students to physics topics and concepts as well as reinforce understanding with embedded questions ahead of class. In tandem, College Physics, Second Edition, provides an exceptional narrative and purposeful pedagogical tools focused on moving both conceptual learning and quantitative skill acquisition prior to class. A unique visual program and seamless blend of biological applications are interwoven throughout the book to provide relevance and interest for students taking algebra-based physics. By providing Prelectures with reading assignments, our goal is to jump-start student learning and allow for more productive class time.

Make classroom engagement meaningful
Instructor–student engagement can become more meaningful in class when students are aware of misconceptions and instructors have better insight into what students know before coming to class. Bridge questions (developed from research-based smartPhysics) provide a vehicle for students to demonstrate and communicate how well they understand the material that they learned before class. This invaluable instructor insight provides you with a way of identifying gaps in understanding and student misconceptions as you develop lectures to make the most efficient and meaningful use of class time. To further support an engaged classroom, Roger Freedman has refined an active classroom approach and shares in-class activities he has written to apply conceptual knowledge and engage students in the process of problem solving in class.

Develop problem-solving skills
Every effort in developing the print and digital materials for College Physics, Second Edition has been made to encourage students to develop a deep understanding of physics concepts and foster the reasoning and analytical skills necessary to solve problems. This goal motivated the student-centered pedagogy demonstrated in the worked examples and consistent Set Up—Solve It—Reflect problem-solving strategy found in College Physics, as well as the design and development of the Prelecture videos. Text problems incorporate conceptual questions, basic concepts, synthesis of multiple concepts, and life science applications. Paired with the Sapling homework platform, students are provided a tutorial experience with every problem in the system. Sapling adheres to the philosophy that every problem counts—therefore requiring that ALL problems have hints, targeted feedback, and a detailed solution—thus ensuring that students learn how to approach a problem, not just whether they answered correctly or incorrectly.