Description
LEVEL: This book covers physics with calculus at the university level. (If instead you’re looking for a trig-based physics book, search for ISBN 1941691145.) Note that the calculus-based edition includes all of material from the trig-based book, plus ample coverage of the calculus-based material.
DESCRIPTION: This combination of physics study guide and workbook focuses on essential problem-solving skills and strategies:
- Fully solved examples with explanations show you step-by-step how to solve standard university physics problems.
- Handy charts tabulate the symbols, what they mean, and their SI units.
- Problem-solving strategies are broken down into steps and illustrated with examples.
- Answers, hints, intermediate answers, and explanations are provided for every practice exercise.
- Terms and concepts which are essential to solving physics problems are defined and explained.
VOLUME: This volume covers motion, including uniform acceleration, calculus-based motion, vector addition, projectile motion, Newton’s laws, center of mass integrals, conservation of energy, collisions, the scalar and vector product, rotation, moment of inertia integrals, satellites, and more. (Vol. 2 covers electricity and magnetism, while Vol. 3 covers waves, fluids, heat, sound, and light. Vol.’s 2-3 will be released in the spring of 2017.)
AUTHOR: The author, Dr. Chris McMullen, has over 20 years of experience teaching university physics in California, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Louisiana (and has also taught physics to gifted high school students). Dr. McMullen currently teaches physics at Northwestern State University of Louisiana. He has also published a half-dozen papers on the collider phenomenology of superstring-inspired large extra dimensions. Chris McMullen earned his Ph.D. in particle physics from Oklahoma State University (and his M.S. in physics from California State University, Northridge).
Dr. McMullen is well-known for:
- engaging physics students in challenging ideas through creativity
- breaking difficult problems down into manageable steps
- providing clear and convincing explanations to subtle issues
- his mastery of physics and strong background in mathematics
- helping students become more fluent in practical math skills
MATH REVIEW: Separate chapters cover essential calculus skills (like derivatives and relevant integration techniques) as well as essential algebra, geometry, and trigonometry skills.
SOLUTIONS: The back of the book includes a detailed section of hints, intermediate answers, final answers, and explanations to help you solve each problem one step at a time. It’s like having a physics tutor in the back of the book. (However, if you would prefer complete solutions, search for ISBN 194169117X.)
USES: This study guide workbook can be used to:
- learn how to solve fundamental problems in physics with calculus
- find fully-solved examples of standard physics problems
- develop fluency in physics via practice exercises that include answers, hints, and explanations
- quickly find the most essential physics terms, concepts, and formulas
- prepare for the AP physics exam
- review for standardized exams, such as AP Physics or the fundamentals of the GRE.
CALCULATOR: Every problem in this book can be solved without the aid of a calculator. This is handy for students who will take a standardized exam like the GRE Physics, which doesn’t allow a calculator. (It’s also a handy skill to be able to estimate an answer without relying on a calculator.)
Very well done. Shows how to do things from the start. Lays down the foundations and builds from that. Excellent examples and problems that explain everything clearly. Its great to be able to understand and learn. Highly recommended.
I was planning to start tutoring and I needed a refresher. Also I need a study plan. This book was perfect.
Clear, easy to understand, has solutions, not TEDIOUS like other physics books.
For review and problem solving, not much on theory, but that’s not it’s purpose. I also own the author’s study guides for Diff EQ and Multivariate Calculus. The problems are worked out in great detail but can be uneven in level of difficulty, a real mixed bag. I purchased all of them to jump start my memory of courses taken many years ago and they are serving that purpose well.
There is no way to really learn Physics without coming to grips with the math and the only way to come to grips with the math is to do problems. I was having some trouble understanding some of the concepts and problems in my 1500 page Physics book so my advisor recommended this resource. It’s phenomenal! It gives short and concise descriptions of the concepts, walks through several example problems by showing all steps, and then gives you several problems to do yourself. If you get stuck, the step-by-step solutions to your problems are in the back of the book. If you really want to understand the math problems in your calculus-based Physics course then this resource (and the other two volumes) is for you!