Physics I Workbook For Dummies with Online Practice 3rd Edition

Book Preface

Physics is about the world and everything in it. Physics describes that world and the kinds of things that take place in it. Sometimes, however, physics seems like an imposition from outside — a requirement you have to get through.

That’s a shame, because it’s your world that physics describes. Under the burden of physics problems, though, things can get tough. That’s where this book comes in, because it’s designed to let you tackle those problems with ease.
Kirchhoff’s laws? No problem. Carnot engines? No worries. This book addresses these topics and more. After you’re done reading, you’ll be a problem-solving pro.

About This Book

This book is crammed with physics example problems and practice questions that are designed to show you solutions for the kinds of problems you may encounter in physics classes. And when you see how the solutions to problems are done step by step, solving similar problems should be a breeze.
Many books have endless conventions that you have to learn before you can start reading. Not this one. In fact, all you need to know is that new terms are given in italics, like this, when they’re introduced. You should also know that vectors, which are those items that have both a magnitude and a direction, are given in bold, like this: B.

Foolish Assumptions

We’re assuming that you’re using this book in conjunction with a physics class or textbook, because this book keeps the derivation of physical formulas to a minimum. The emphasis here is on solving problems, not deriving formulas. So some knowledge of the physics you’re going to be using here is helpful. This book is designed to help you with the nitty-gritty, not to intro-duce the topics from scratch.
You should also know some algebra. You don’t need to be an algebra pro, but you should know how to move items from one side of an equation to another and how to solve for values. Take a look at the discussion in Chapter 1 if you’re unsure.

You also need a little knowledge of trigonometry, but not much. Again, take a look at the dis-cussion in Chapter 1, where all the trig you need to know — a grasp of sine and cosine — is reviewed in full.

Beyond the Book

In addition to what you’re reading right now, this book has a free access-anywhere Cheat Sheet for when you need a quick physics refresher. To get this Cheat Sheet, simply go to www. dummies.com and type Physics I Workbook For Dummies Cheat Sheet in the Search box. There you’ll find common mistakes to avoid, the values of important constants, and equations to remember.
This book also comes with over 200 online practice questions that you can use to test your knowledge of different physics topics. To gain access to the online practice, all you have to do is register. Just follow these simple steps:

1. Register your book or ebook at Dummies.com to get your PIN. Go to www.dummies. com/go/getaccess.
2. Select your product from the dropdown list on that page.
3. Follow the prompts to validate your product, and then check your email for a confirmation message that includes your PIN and instructions for logging in.

If you do not receive this email within two hours, please check your spam folder before con-tacting us through our Technical Support website at http://support.wiley.com or by phone at 877-762-2974.
Now you’re ready to go! You can come back to the practice material as often as you want — simply log on with the username and password you created during your initial login. No need to enter the access code a second time.
Your registration is good for one year from the day you activate your PIN.

Where to Go from Here

You’re ready to jump into Chapter 1. You don’t have to start there, of course. You can read this book in any order you like instead of reading it from beginning to end. But if you want some important, general, problem-solving background, take a look at Chapter 1 first.