Physics (General)

Physics for Scientists and Engineers 3rd Edition

5 stars (Physics Student) - This is a great book for Calculus base physics. It offer in-depth explaintion of the theory and how it derive a theory. The problem at the end of each chapter are challenging and encourge the student to work at it in able to solve it. Also, after doing these problem, it a guarantee that you will at least learn something. 2 stars (blehhh) - Like the other reviewer from UCB, I had to use Giancoli for two semesters of physics, and this book did not help me one bit. All it did was make me feel completely helpless. The explanations of most concepts are pretty clear and concise. The problem is when you get to the problems. Most of the practice problems at the end of the chapters are much harder than the level at which the actual text covers the physics. As another reviewer said, this book may be good if you've taken a rigorous Honors Physics or AP Physics class in high school, but not everyone has. If your high school only offered a regular college-prep physics class (non-calculus based at that), you will suffer from all the knowledge that it is assumed you can automatically derive or figure out (as if it were common sense) on your own. I highly regret not looking for other, better, physics textbooks at the time I took my introductory physics classes. I urge anyone who doesn't feel like they already have a good solid background in calculus-based physics, and is assigned this book, to go and find one that explains things in a more in-depth way. Physics is all about the problems, if you can't do the problems then you're screwed in the class. This book does not help you figure out how to solve problems. 5 stars (well written) - Great book, well written, great organization, one of the best books for classroom. Very good and practical examples. You'll actually see how knowing a little bit of physics can help you understand your usage of daily appliances, and you can participate in intelligent converstaions without sounding silly! ...
Prentice Hall :: Science & Physics :: Science&Mathematics :: Science :: Physics (General) :: Physics :: Douglas C Giancoli :: :: Physics for Scientists and Engineers (3rd Edition)

Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Modern Physics- Third Edition

5 stars (Good deal) - I got a quick response to my email. Happy to do business with an organization doing some good in the community. 4 stars (Outstanding) - I had to use this book during my two semesters of non-calculus college physics, and my first reaction to this 1000+ page monster was mathematical FEAR. However, as I kept reading the book I realized that it explained the majority of concepts clearly even for a person with limited calculus knowledge. The book does an excellent job early on with the 3 Laws of motion, but it gets a little confusing on statics. The last half of the book was covered in my second semester, and it was also excellent in explaining the topics of thermodynamics, DC and AC circuits, Magnetisms and Optics among others. Nevertheless, there were times when the explanation and examples of the book were not enough to answer some of the problems at the end of each chapter. Furthermore, my only complain about the book is that sometimes it uses what my instructor called "Shortcuts" in the sample problems without explaining how the author arrived to a given equation or derivation of a formula. Physics is by no means an easy subject and to do well at it you will need a great instructor and a great book - I was lucky enough to have both. There are very few books that I keep after I take a class, but I have to say that this book is an invaluable reference that will be in my professional bookshelf for many years. 5 stars (excellent book) - This book is very easy to understand and fun to study from. Very helpful for beginners. ...
Prentice Hall :: Science & Physics :: Science&Mathematics :: Science :: Physics (General) :: Physics :: Applied Physics :: Douglas C Giancoli :: :: Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Modern Physics- Third Edition

Physics- Second Edition

3 stars (Didn't think that much of it ) - Of course, that may be because I didn't like the course all that much. I thought that the text was too wordy and did not present concepts well enough. The example problems are good to have and so are the chapter summaries. All in all, I thought the concepts could have been explained much better and with less words. 3 stars (I've neven seen a book used less by students that this book.) - The better book lets you get ahead of the class by simply devoting your time on it, in some cases, you don't even need to attend lecture. This book, doesn't allow you that--your pace is limited to the pace of the class. (Students in my class don't rely on this book--only on the lecture--our prof doesn't even refer to the book!) The worked out examples are too simple. I know what you're thinking...you just need to synthesize key concepts from simplier problems to solve the complicated ones...but imagine solving complicated assignments and the book doesn't even explain --at all-- how to approach that kind of problem? The book should deal more with larger number of exercises with varying difficulty. The book should extend key examples in like "what if scenarios," (i.e. if this variable is missing this is how to approach it; if that is missing, this is how you aproach that . . .) The publisher should think about cutting more of the introductory section to each chapter and devote that to added worked out problems. For $150 each, shouldn't the book at least come with a multimedia cd with more worked out problems? Come on! 3 stars (Decent but not great) - I used this book for my first class in college physics. The book is a decent text for learning physics, but I think that several improvements could be made. This book is Volume 1 of a two volume set. It includes topics about kinematics, Newton's Laws, Energy, Waves and Sound, Fluids, and Thermodynamics, among other topics. To tell the truth, I don't r...
Prentice Hall :: Science & Physics :: Science&Mathematics :: Science :: Physics (General) :: Physics :: James S Walker :: :: Physics- Second Edition

Physics

4 stars (Thoughts from both sides...) - Because this book is paperback, and only the first half of the entire book it is awesome. As far as the information goes inside, it is helpful. The only thing that bothers me about this book is that some of the problems at the end of the chapters make NO sense what so ever, and there is no help in sight of figuring out HOW to do the ridiculous problem they present. I have heard, though, that this is true of any physics book and that you can still make a good grade without ever getting the book's answer for homework problems. Another unfortunate thing is that unless you are a professor you really have no say in whether you get this book or not. =) 2 stars (Newton betrayed) - At a first glance I was attracted by this book and reccommendd it to the library. But later I realized tha the too many figures are close to be junk stuff...but later on I discovered a very band thing: Calculus is completely absent, i.e., the powerful instrument devised by Netwon and Leibniz is completely avoided and I think deliberately. A book for ignorants of mathematics and a betrayal of Newton and Leibniz, that what it is. In my country it would not even be adopted for High Schools. 4 stars (solid textbook) - this comment only refers to volume one of the text, as i bought the two separately and just finished physics I. i hated physics in high school and almost failed it too. i got an A this time around, by studying the book. my professor in college wasnt of much help, so the class had to learn from the text. for the most part, the concepts are very well explained, with sample problems throughout the text. there is also a very helpful website which has concept understanding questions, chapter tests and interactive solutions. there are more than enough review questions at the end of the chapter, with answers to odd problems at the back of the book. the book is especially good for explaining kinematics in 1 and 2D, if that's a problem for ...
Wiley :: Science & Physics :: Science&Mathematics :: Science :: Physics (General) :: Physics :: Kenneth W Johnson :: John D Cutnell :: :: Physics

Fundamentals of Physics

5 stars (How I learned physics) - This book saved me in my first physics class. Working through the example problems really helped me when the teacher was obtuse. Most of basic physics that I know now I learned from this text. I found it slow reading, but what engineering/physics text is not? If you're looking to be spoon-fed the Understanding of Physics, then this book is not it. If you're looking to do well in class, then this book is worth the time and effort. My high regard for this book is biased by my abysmally low regard for the "teacher" who taught me less physics ideas than I can count with one hand of fingers. But when it's 1 am in the morning, you have a physics test in 9 hours, and you can only have one text, this is definitely it. 2 stars (Overrated) - The book is very overrated. It is obtuse and most of the problems are completely unsolvable based on the information and examples given. It is grossly overpriced. This book is worth maybe $50, and that is pushing it. I get good grades in physics, but not because of this book. If it wasn't for my fantastic instructor, this series of courses would be a total nightmare. The chapters dealing with force, energy, torque, momentum, and angular momentum are among the worst that I have gone through. The optics section is also pretty weak. I did like the chapter on gravitational force(13). There are too many textbooks out there that assume that the reader already knows the subject, as hard as it is too believe, math books are notorious for it. This book is yet another one. 1 stars (Irritating) - I am not an idiot. Far from it. However, I can't understand the glowing praise I see this book receiving. As I am currently working through this text, I may be a bit closer to home than those who have completed the task. I am seriously less than fond of this book. There doesn't seem to be enough background in the material to handle the problems. This is most noticeable in the middle chapters. Ther...
Wiley :: Science & Physics :: Science&Mathematics :: Science :: Physics (General) :: Physics :: Jearl Walker :: Robert Resnick :: David Halliday :: :: Fundamentals of Physics

University Physics with Modern Physics- 11th Edition

5 stars (Fast Service, Great Service!!) - This is too awesome! I already received my book and it has only been 3 days! Thank you for such a fast response, I really appreciate the attention you gave my order! With some texts from other sellers I haven't even received any order notification yet! Thanks again! 5 stars (Superb book for the beginning Physics student) - This book is the best book out there that I have seen for the beginning Physics student. It is a bit wordy as some of the reviews have said, but I think the authors have done their best to bend over backwards to explain each Physics topic in a simple, clear, and unassuming way for the neophyte. Even as reference, this textbook is invaluable, because it explains concepts down to the nitty gritty detail; unlike a book like Physics by Halliday, Resnick, and Krane which just drops you onto your head expecting you to have some understanding of the subject already. This book is unpresumptious, unpretentious, and yes for some; unsophisticated, but when you're just starting out in Physics, no one expects you to be an Einstein or Feynman right from the start. 2 stars (This book is one of the worst texts I've read.) - It starts off confusing from Chapter One and continues in that manner. Multiple times I was unable to work homework problems from the sections using only the text in this book, relying instead on the internet or a friend's old physics book to help me figure out the matieral that was either glossed over or not covered in this book. The wording is often imprecise, misleading, or generally obfuscated. Useful tables were few and far between, and the math was a confusing mix of Pre-Calc through Complex Analysis (though they never seem to quite spell out exactly what they are getting at, so I feel sorry for anyone using this book before at least Calc II). The book is paced so that it can be taught to students currently enroled in Calc 1, so if you know more advanced math you should skim it at least...
Addison Wesley :: Science & Physics :: Science&Mathematics :: Science :: Physics (General) :: Physics :: Roger A Freedman :: Hugh D Young :: :: University Physics with Modern Physics- 11th Edition