Author Description

Custom edition prepared for University of Minnesota General Physics is an introduction to physics for science majors with some background in calculus. Like our earlier text, Physics, it is intended to appeal to students with a wide range of interests and needs. However, it differs in that we have rewritten and added numerous topics which can most effectively be presented and understood with the aid of somewhat more advanced mathematical tools. Ideally, students using this text will have completed at least one semester of calculus at the outset, but this is not essential. The derivative is introduced in discussing kinematics in Chapter One. Integrals are used only sparingly until Electricity and Magnetism is reached near the middle of the book. Calculations involving calculus are carried out with a good deal of detail and discussion. A few minor omissions may be appropriate if the students begin their calculus along with the physics. Both our books differ in several ways from many other physics texts. First, the specific needs of science majors, including those in the life sci¬ences, have influenced which physics topics are included or emphasized. Thus we cover some topics no longer of great current interest to many physicists, such as geometric optics, the mechanics of fluids, and acoustics, and minimize historical material and contemporary physics areas with little impact on other sciences. Second, we make extensive use of examples in¬volving biological, chemical, geophysical, and astronomical systems, as well as alternative energy sources. Finally, we devote entire sections and chap¬ters to applications of physics, covering subjects such as nerve conduction, ionizing radiation, and nuclear magnetic resonance. These features help to motivate students while demonstrating the widespread utility of physics and the unity of science.