An edition of Understanding physics (2010)

Understanding physics

2nd ed.
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Understanding physics
Mansfield, Michael
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December 19, 2023 | History
An edition of Understanding physics (2010)

Understanding physics

2nd ed.
  • 0 Ratings
  • 1 Want to read
  • 0 Currently reading
  • 0 Have read

"Understanding Physics - Second edition is a comprehensive, yet compact, introductory physics textbook aimed at physics undergraduates and also at engineers and other scientists taking a general physics course. Written with today's students in mind, this text covers the core material required by an introductory course in a clear and refreshing way. A second colour is used throughout to enhance learning and understanding. Each topic is introduced from first principles so that the text is suitable for students without a prior background in physics. At the same time the book is designed to enable students to proceed easily to subsequent courses in physics and may be used to support such courses. Mathematical methods (in particular, calculus and vector analysis) are introduced within the text as the need arises and are presented in the context of the physical problems which they are used to analyse. Particular aims of the book are to demonstrate to students that the easiest, most concise and least ambiguous way to express and describe phenomena in physics is by using the language of mathematics and that, at this level, the total amount of mathematics required is neither large nor particularly demanding. 'Modern physics' topics (relativity and quantum mechanics) are introduced at an earlier stage than is usually found in introductory textbooks and are integrated with the more 'classical' material from which they have evolved. This book encourages students to develop an intuition for relativistic and quantum concepts at as early a stage as is practicable. The text takes a reflective approach towards the scientific method at all stages and, in keeping with the title of the text, emphasis is placed on understanding of, and insight into, the material presented"--

"Understanding Physics -- Second edition is a comprehensive, yet compact, introductory physics textbook aimed at physics undergraduates and also at engineers and other scientists taking a general physics course"--

Publish Date
Publisher
Wiley
Language
English
Pages
694

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Edition Availability
Cover of: Understanding physics
Understanding physics
2010, Wiley
in English - 2nd ed.

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Book Details


Table of Contents

Machine generated contents note: Preface
1 Understanding the physical universe
1.1 The programme of physics
1.2 The building blocks of matter
1.3 Matter in bulk
1.4 The fundamental interactions
1.5 Exploring the physical universe: the scientific method
1.6 The role of physics: its scope and applications
2 Using mathematical tools in physics
2.1 Applying the scientific method
2.2 The use of variables to represent displacement and time
2.3 Representation of data
2.4 The use of differentiation in analysis: velocity and acceleration in linear motion
2.5 The use of integration in analysis
2.6 Maximum and minimum values of physical variables: general linear motion
2.7 Angular motion: the radian
2.8 The role of mathematics in physics
Worked examples
Problems
3 The causes of motion: dynamics
3.1 The concept of force
3.2 The first law of dynamics (Newton's first law)
3.3 The fundamental dynamical principle (Newton's second law)
3.4 Systems of units: SI
3.5 Time dependent forces: oscillatory motion
3.6 Simple harmonic motion
3.7 Mechanical work and energy: power
3.8 Energy in simple harmonic motion
3.9 Dissipative forces: damped harmonic motion
3.10 Forced oscillations
3.11 Nonlinear dynamics: chaos
Worked examples
Problems
4 Motion in two and three dimensions
4.1 Vector physical quantities
4.2 Vector algebra
4.3 Velocity and acceleration vectors
4.4 Force as a vector quantity: vector form of the laws of dynamics
4.5 Constraint forces
4.6 Friction
4.7 Motion in a circle: centripetal force
4.8 Motion in a circle at constant speed
4.9 Tangential and radial components of acceleration
4.10 Hybrid motion: the simple pendulum
4.11 Angular quantities as vectors: the cross product
Worked examples
Problems
5 Force fields
5.1 Newton's law of universal gravitation
5.2 Force fields
5.3 The concept of flux
5.4 Gauss' law for gravitation
5.5 Motion in a constant uniform field: projectiles
5.6 Mechanical work and energy
5.7 Energy in a constant uniform field
5.8 Energy in an inverse square law field
5.9 Moment of a force: angular momentum
5.10 Planetary motion: circular orbits
5.11 Planetary motion: elliptical orbits and Kepler's laws
Worked examples
Problems
6 Many-body interactions
6.1 Newton's third law
6.2 The principle of conservation of momentum
6.3 Mechanical energy of a system of particles
6.4 Particle decay
6.5 Particle collisions
6.6 The centre of mass of a system
6.7 The two-body problem: reduced mass
6.8 Angular momentum of a system of particles
6.9 Conservation principles in physics
Worked examples
Problems
7 Rigid body dynamics
7.1 Rigid bodies
7.2 Rigid bodies in equilibrium: statics
7.3 Torque
7.4 Dynamics of rigid bodies
7.5 Measurement of torque: the torsion balance
7.6 Rotation of a rigid body about a fixed axis: moment of inertia
7.7 Calculation of moments of inertia: the parallel axis theorem
7.8 Conservation of angular momentum of rigid bodies
7.9 Conservation of mechanical energy in rigid body systems
7.10 Work done by a torque: torsional oscillations: rotational power
7.11 Gyroscopic motion
7.12 Summary: connection between rotational and translational motions
Worked examples
Problems
8 Relative motion
8.1 Applicability of Newton's laws of motion: inertial reference frames
8.2 The Galilean transformation
8.3 The CM (centre-of-mass) reference frame
8.4 Example of a noninertial frame: centrifugal force
8.5 Motion in a rotating frame: the Coriolis force
8.6 The Foucault pendulum
8.7 Practical criteria for inertial frames: the local view
Worked examples
Problems
9 Special relativity
9.1 The velocity of light
9.2 The principle of relativity
9.3 Consequences of the principle of relativity
9.4 The Lorentz transformation
9.5 The Fitzgerald-Lorentz contraction
9.6 Time dilation
9.7 Paradoxes in special relativity
9.8 Relativistic transformation of velocity
9.9 Momentum in relativistic mechanics
9.10 Four-vectors: the energy-momentum 4-vector
9.11 Energy-momentum transformations: relativistic energy conservation

Edition Notes

Includes index.

Published in
Hoboken, N.J

Classifications

Dewey Decimal Class
530
Library of Congress
QC23 .M287 2010, QC23.2, QC30.M3 2010

The Physical Object

Pagination
p. cm.
Number of pages
694

ID Numbers

Open Library
OL24538888M
ISBN 13
9780470746387, 9780470746370
LCCN
2010025111

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History

Download catalog record: RDF / JSON / OPDS | Wikipedia citation
December 19, 2023 Edited by ImportBot import existing book
November 8, 2023 Edited by ImportBot import existing book
October 18, 2022 Edited by ImportBot import existing book
October 18, 2022 Edited by ImportBot import existing book
December 15, 2010 Created by ImportBot Imported from Library of Congress MARC record