Fundamentals of Physics Description:

Fundamentals of Physics review:
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. There are problems which are flat out insoluble if you utilize only the material in the book. There are problems are so far beyond the examples given in the body of the chapter as to leave you swimming for a method to solve them.



I am presently searching for secondary companion books that will present the material in such a fashion that I don't have to count on blind luck intuitive leaps of logic to solve the problems, but rather on solid problem solving methodology.