Physics of Everyday Phenomena, 10th Edition
Genres: Physics
Book Preface
The satisfaction of understanding how rainbows are formed, how ice skaters spin, or why ocean tides roll in and out—phenomena that we have all seen or experienced—is one of the best motivators available for building scientific literacy. This book attempts to make that sense of satisfaction accessible to non-science majors. Intended for use in a one-semester or two-quarter course in conceptual physics, this book is written in a narrative style, frequently using questions designed to draw the reader into a dialogue about the ideas of physics. This inclusive style allows the book to be used by anyone interested in exploring the nature of physics and explanations of everyday physical phenomena.
How This Book Is Organized
The organization of chapters is traditional, with some minor variations. The chapter on energy (chapter 6) appears prior to that on momentum (chapter 7), so that energy ideas can be used in the discussion of collisions. Wave motion is found in chapter 15, following electricity and magnetism and prior to chapters 16 and 17 on optics. The chapter on fluids (chapter 9) follows mechanics and leads into the chapters on thermodynamics. The first 17 chapters are designed to introduce students to the major ideas of classical physics and can be covered in a one-semester course with some judicious paring.
The complete 21 chapters could easily support a two-quarter course, and even a two-semester course in which the ideas are treated thoroughly and carefully. Chapters 18 and 19, on atomic and nuclear phenomena, are considered essential by many instructors, even in a one-semester course. If included in such a course, we recommend curtailing coverage in other areas to avoid student overload. Sample syllabi for these different types of courses can be found on the instructor’s website.
Some instructors would prefer to put chapter 20 on relativity at the end of the mechanics section or just prior to the modern physics material. Relativity has little to do with everyday phenomena, of course, but is included because of the high interest that it generally holds for students. The final chapter (21) introduces a variety of topics in modern physics—including particle physics, cosmology, semiconductors, and superconductivity—that could be used to stimulate interest at various points in a course.
One plea to instructors, as well as to students using this book: Don’t try to cram too much material into too short a time! We have worked diligently to keep this book to a reasonable length while still covering the core concepts usually found in an introduction to physics. These ideas are most enjoyable when enough time is spent in lively discussion and in consideration of questions, so that a real understanding develops. Trying to cover material too quickly defeats the conceptual learning and leaves students in a dense haze of words and definitions. Less can be more if a good understanding results.
Mathematics in a Conceptual Physics Course
The use of mathematics in a physics course is a formidable block for many students, particularly non-science majors. Although there have been attempts to teach conceptual physics without any mathematics, these attempts miss an opportunity to help students gain confidence in using and manipulating simple quantitative relationships.
Clearly, mathematics is a powerful tool for expressing the quantitative relationships of physics. The use of mathematics can be carefully limited, however, and subordinated to the physical concepts being addressed. Many users of the first edition of this text felt that mathematical expressions appeared too frequently for the comfort of some students. In response, we substantially reduced the use of mathematics in the body of the text in the second edition. Most users have indicated that the current level is about right, so we have not changed the mathematics level in subsequent editions.
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Logical coherence is a strong feature of this book. Formulas are introduced carefully after conceptual arguments are provided, and statements in words of these relationships generally accompany their introduction. We have continued to fine tune the example boxes that present sample exercises and questions. Most of these provide simple numerical illustrations of the ideas discussed. No mathematics prerequisite beyond high school algebra should be necessary. A discussion of the basic ideas of very simple algebra is found in appendix A, together with some practice exercises, for students who need help with these ideas.
New to This Edition
Building on the existing strengths of the Physics of Everyday Phenomena text, we have made additions to our offerings based on reviewer feedback. The most significant changes in this edition have come with the digital enhancements.
• We have added to our Connect® offerings by incorporating the concept videos, narrated by one of the authors, into the Connect question bank. These videos explain how physics is involved in everyday situations, so question content has likewise been authored and enhanced to showcase the everyday application of physics. The Instructor’s Manual for each chapter also lists the specific section of the text each video corresponds to, and the videos are then hyperlinked in the eBook and noted in the print text with an icon. These additional guides will help faculty, should they wish to use the videos during class. Each video is no more than 5 minutes long.
• We have developed additional conceptual questions and exercises and made them available as Connect online homework.
• The Instructor’s Manual, downloadable from the instructor resources in Connect, has also been improved and describes which PowerPoint slides and which clicker questions go with each section of the text, making it easier for an instructor to prepare for an engaged class period with a minimum of effort. Within the Instructor’s Manual, instructors will also find suggestions for demonstrations and discussions.
• For maximum flexibility, the test bank is available in both the Connect question bank and Test Builder. Found in Connect under the Library Tab, Test Builder is a cloud-based tool that enables instructors to format tests that can be printed or administered within a Learning Management System.
In addition to the enhanced digital offerings, we have continued to improve upon the text with the 10th edition. As the book has evolved, we have tried to remain faithful to the principles that have guided the writing of the book from the outset. One of these has been to keep the book to a manageable length, in both the number of chapters and the overall content.
We have revised and updated the end-of-chapter material in the text and added some new conceptual questions and exercises. All odd-numbered exercises have the answers in appendix D in the hard copy of the text, as well as links to the answers in the e-book. Answers to about one-sixth of the conceptual questions are also included in appendix D. Answers to a different one-sixth of the conceptual questions are included as a Student Resource on the Connect instructor resources and may be provided to students at the instructor’s discretion. We encourage users to adopt the digital homework system, Connect. The value of this is that parameters in the exercises have been randomized for students. Thus, students spend time discussing how to solve the problems, rather than simply focusing on the answer. We have found this to be very powerful pedagogically. We have worked hard to reword the conceptual questions as multiple choice offerings in Connect—a significant tool to enhance conceptual understanding.
The everyday phenomenon boxes have been praised by many users. We have updated several of these boxes, particularly those in chapters 10 and 18, and have added a new one in chapter 1 (on dealing with proportions). In addition to these specific changes, we have also revised the text in many places to enhance understanding of some of the more difficult concepts.
Building an Energy Emphasis. Although this book remains a basic conceptual physics text, we are working to make the book better serve instructors who want to teach a conceptual physics course with an energy emphasis. A syllabus for instructors wishing to teach a course with an energy emphasis can be found in the Connect instructor resources. We plan to continue building this emphasis in future editions.
Continued Refinements in Artwork and Textual Clarity. Although the textual clarity of this text has been extensively praised by many reviewers and users, it can always be improved. Reviewers continue to point out places where either the art or the text can be improved, and we have responded to many of these suggestions. To this end, we have made many changes, often subtle, to both the art and the text.
Digital Learning Tools
Connect
McGraw-Hill Connect® is a highly reliable, easy-to-use homework and learning management solution that utilizes learning science and award winning adaptive tools to improve student results.
Homework and Adaptive Learning
• Connect’s assignments help students contextualize what they’ve learned through application, so they can better understand the material and think critically.
• Connect will create a personalized study path customized to individual student needs through SmartBook®.
• SmartBook helps students study more efficiently by delivering an interactive reading experience through adaptive highlighting and review.
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Robust Analytics and Reporting
• Connect Insight® generates easy-to-read reports on individual students, the class as a whole, and specific assignments.
• The Connect Insight dashboard delivers data on performance, study behavior, and effort. Instructors can quickly identify students who struggle and focus on material that the class has yet to master.
• Connect automatically grades assignments and quizzes, providing easy-to-read reports on individual and class performance.
Brief Contents
1 Physics, the Fundamental Science
Unit One The Newtonian Revolution
2 Describing Motion
3 Falling Objects and Projectile Motion
4 Newton’s Laws: Explaining Motion
5 Circular Motion, the Planets, and Gravity
6 Energy and Oscillations
7 Momentum
8 Rotational Motion of Solid Objects
Unit Two Fluids and Heat
9 The Behavior of Fluids
10 Temperature and Heat
11 Heat Engines and the Second Law of Thermodynamics
Unit Three Electricity and Magnetism
12 Electrostatic Phenomena
13 Electric Circuits
14 Magnets and Electromagnetism
Unit Four Wave Motion and Optics
15 Making Waves
16 Light Waves and Color
17 Light and Image Formation
Unit Five The Atom and Its Nucleus
18 The Structure of the Atom
19 The Nucleus and Nuclear Energy
Unit Six Relativity and Beyond
20 Relativity
21 Looking Deeper into Everyday Phenomena
| Download Ebook | Read Now | File Type | Upload Date |
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Read Now | Epub | January 28, 2022 |
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