Are these physics works accessible to high school students?

[Kendall]

Advance Physics by Apologia is killing my son's desire to do physics. I want to give him a change even if only for a few weeks or a month. Are any of these works accessible? He likes to read and has great comprehension. If you were to use/have used these books, what would you require from your child in terms of output?

 

Thermodynamics by Fermi

 

The Forces of Matter by Faraday

 

Experimental Researches in Electricity by Faraday

 

Thanks in advance,

Kendall

[jlovebaker]

Touch This! Conceptual Physics for Everyone by Paul Hewitt but caveat: it's for my almost 13 yo who is science crazed. Hewitt has such great reviews and I love the conceptual idea - something I never got - even with college physics.

 

Paul Hewitt has also written many textbooks for the hi school level - there are even DVD lectures. And the guy has gotten 5 star reviews all the way.

[Jane in NC]

Hi Kendell,

 

I did not use any of these books although wish we had had more time to work through things like this. I have read The Chemical History of the Candle--loved it and wished that we had designed 7th grade science around these remarkable Faraday lectures. But I had that thought too late.

 

Knowing what I know of Faraday's writing, I pulled Experimental Researches in Electricity off the shelf (nice to have been given that set of Great Books from Dad). This book looks highly readable with descriptive passages on experiments. Could you try to duplicate some of them? Building some of the apparatus required might be an interesting project. This would be an excellent venture in the history of science.

 

Jane

[Kendall]

Thanks for the Conceptual Physics recommendation. My son used Hewitts book in 8th grade and we did like it.

 

 

Jane - Thanks for looking at it for me. Our local college library has a book called Faraday's Experimental researches in electricity : guide to a first reading / by Howard J. Fisher I'm going to try to get it tomorrow. Quite a few years ago my son read and loved the candle book. I'm so glad you mentioned it because my 12 year old would like it and I'd forgotten about it.

 

Kendall

[MyThreeSons]

Have you looked at Kinetic Books Physics? It's very engaging, and if you get the web access version, it's quite reasonably priced. Not that the other options are expensive, but the web access is downright cheap. It is only good for one year, though.

 

I'm switching from Apologia to KB for our co-op next year.

[Beth S]

We are just starting Apologia Physics next week, so I'm hoping this doesn't backfire on US, too. :tongue_smilie:

 

But Richard Feynman has written several enjoyable books, which may bring back some of the wonder of physics (& investigating things around us).

 

"Surely you're joking, Mr. Feynman" is a great place to start. Just for a break!

[Kendall]

Thanks Beth,

 

I read those aloud a few years ago and we all enjoyed them. You've reminded me, though, that our library has an audio by or about Feynman called "the Pleasure of Finding Things out" or something like that. I think I'm also going to have him read some of Feynman's lectures and also Six Easy Pieces.

 

Are you starting the Advanced book? The regular Apologia Physics worked great for us.

[Kareni]

... Richard Feynman has written several enjoyable books, which may bring back some of the wonder of physics (& investigating things around us).

 

"Surely you're joking, Mr. Feynman" is a great place to start. Just for a break!

 

I heartily second this suggestion. I recommend this book in particular Classic Feynman: All the Adventures of a Curious Character by Richard P. Feynman and Ralph Leighton which includes the title that Beth mentioned above. This copy that I've linked also includes a great CD of Feynman telling stories.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Spock]

I always assign 3-4 "non-textbook" books alongside high school science texts. This year along with Apologia Physics (first book) my son has read:

 

• The New World of Mr. Tomkins by George Gamow (updated by Russell Stannard)
  
• Alice in Quantumland by Robert Gilmore
  
• The Wizard of Quarks by Robert Gilmore (will be starting the week after next)
  

Of these three, his favorite is The New World of Mr. Tomkins. It covers the theory of relavity and quantum mechanics, while being clear (as much as possible with those topics) and entertaining. The other two feel like a review after this book, though they do expand on the topics.

 

Because of these books even more than the actual physics textbook, he really likes physics. Even during the introductory chapters of the text (which he disliked), he enjoyed the supplementary book.

 

Next year he will use Apologia Advanced Physics. I am planning to use Six Easy Pieces by Feynmann, along with two or three other books. I am thinking about one of the books by Michio Kaku (Physics of the Impossible, Parallel Worlds, Hyperspace, etc.), The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene, and/or Six Not So Easy Pieces by Feynmann.

 

In your situation, I think I would use The New World of Mr. Tomkins along with either one of the Feynmann books or one of the books by Michio Kaku to supplement the Apologia Advanced textbook and add interest.

 

Another possibilty would be to have him read ALL of the supplemental books instead of the textbook, and just use the textbook for labs.

[Kendall]

Kathleen,

 

Thanks so much! I'm so glad to learn of these books.

 

By alongside, do you mean that they have a small number of pages in the books to read each day or each week or do you have them read in between Modules? Do you have them do any more than read the books?

 

Do you have a list for Chemistry and Biology, too? I really like this idea of assigning books along with the Apologia.

 

Thanks again,

Kendall