Physics Book?

[trulycrabby]

Hello! DS12 is taking a homeschool high school physics lab course at a science museum. Since it is the lab portion only, they do not have an accompanying physics text, but recommended Conceptual Physics by Paul Hewitt. I was wondering if The Hive could recommend some others, especially if they are considered exceptional or classics (like Dolciani is for Algebra).

 

Here's the recommended text: http://www.amazon.com/Conceptual-Physics-12th-Edition-Hewitt/dp/0321909100/ref=pd_sim_14_2?ie=UTF8&dpID=51XYYwf62zL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR125%2C160_&refRID=0SR2VWKWFWSNF191ZRKY

Edited January 15, 2016 by trulycrabby

[Suzanne in ABQ]

I'm pretty sure that's the text that my son used for his dual credit Physics 1010 course at the local community college.  If the museum is recommending it, it probably follows the same scope and sequence of their lab course.  I would use it.

[Pippen]

Conceptual Physics is a very popular textbook and does a great job in terms of providing explanatory text and diagrams. There isn't a strong emphasis on math, but if that's what they're recommending for the course I'd go with it. 

 

You can save yourself a ton of money by buying one of the older editions, either high school or college. The college editions treat the topics a little more in depth and I think actually make the content easier to understand than the high school version.

 

You can pick up one of the early (original?) college edition for a few pennies. Not much will have changed in the chapters they're likely to cover.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316359742?keywords=conceptual%20physic%20little%20brown&qid=1452895696&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

 

[trulycrabby]

Thanks! I will buy the older book, but ds12 is extremely strong in math and would like more emphasis on math. Is there another good book we could purchase in addition to Conceptual Physics?

Edited January 15, 2016 by trulycrabby

[Suzanne in ABQ]

The next level of college physics would be General Physics, which is calculus based.  It is taught concurrently with Calculus 1 and 2 in college.  Is your son ready for calculus?  

 

If not, then this book will probably be fine.  It is meant for college freshmen, and is algebra based.

[Mama Geek]

Halliday and Resnick for Calculus based Physics.  This is the text dh used as a physics major 30 years ago and he loves it.  No bells and whistles but very  good on material.  It covers Physics 1, 2 and 3 at the college level.

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/047134530X?ref_=cm_lmf_img_14

Edited January 15, 2016 by Mama Geek

[trulycrabby]

Hee hee, not quite ready for calculus-based physics, but my dh will love that book. :)

[regentrude]

The next level of college physics would be General Physics, which is calculus based.  It is taught concurrently with Calculus 1 and 2 in college.

The bolded is incorrect. The next level would be College Physics which is algebra/trig based and does not require calculus.

[Cherylanne]

I've used Conceptual Physics and was very disappointed in the lack of math. It also lacked challenging problems at the end of each chapter. When I taught in PS, we used Giancoli for a solid algebra-based book. But there are many out there. Maybe check the pinned physics thread on the high school board?

 

[Pippen]

Hee hee, not quite ready for calculus-based physics, but my dh will love that book. :)

 

 

For HS students with strong math skills, check out Giancoli or Holt which are high school algebra-based texts. Again, the older versions will be fine and cheaper, especially when it comes to purchasing solutions manuals, teacher's editions, or supplemental materials.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Holt-Physics-RINEHART-WINSTON-HOLT/dp/0030735483/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1452900464&sr=1-1&keywords=holt+physics

 

http://www.amazon.com/Physics-Principles-Applications-Douglas-Giancoli/dp/0136119719/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1452900556&sr=1-4&keywords=giancoli+physics

 

Both provide a variety of problems without a lot of repetition that stronger students don't need. Neither are anywhere near as strong at explaining the basic concepts as Conceptual Physics.

[Arcadia]

Hee hee, not quite ready for calculus-based physics, but my dh will love that book. :)

My hubby didn't like the Halliday & Resnick book which was his high school textbook :lol:

 

My kids don't mind the Giancoli books and the Knight books. We frequent the Half Price Bookstore after local community colleges have their semester exams and let our kids browse through the racks. That way we know what "authors" they prefer for maths and sciences.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

The bolded is incorrect. The next level would be College Physics which is algebra/trig based and does not require calculus.

 

 

When I took College Physics, it was algebra based and required no trig.  (That was about 30 years ago).  When I took General Physics at a different college (about 20 years ago), there wasn't anything other than the Intro. level course and the General Physics course.  The General Physics course did require trig, and was taught concurrently with Calculus.  It required mostly derivatives, little integrals.

 

This book (Conceptual Physics) was used for my son's Intro. to Physics course (which he took as a senior in high school, and for which he received both college and hs credit).   If there was any trig required, perhaps it was minimal, and the instructor taught them what they needed to know.  I know my son hasn't had a trig course.  At our college, there is no other physics course between the Intro. to Physics course that uses this book and the General Physics course (which is taught concurrently with Calculus).

 

Perhaps some colleges have an intermediate level course, but that hasn't been my experience at the four colleges/universities I've experienced.

[regentrude]

When I took College Physics, it was algebra based and required no trig.  (That was about 30 years ago).  When I took General Physics at a different college (about 20 years ago), there wasn't anything other than the Intro. level course and the General Physics course.  The General Physics course did require trig, and was taught concurrently with Calculus.  It required mostly derivatives, little integrals.

 

This book (Conceptual Physics) was used for my son's Intro. to Physics course (which he took as a senior in high school, and for which he received both college and hs credit).   If there was any trig required, perhaps it was minimal, and the instructor taught them what they needed to know.  I know my son hasn't had a trig course.  At our college, there is no other physics course between the Intro. to Physics course that uses this book and the General Physics course (which is taught concurrently with Calculus).

 

Perhaps some colleges have an intermediate level course, but that hasn't been my experience at the four colleges/universities I've experienced.

 

There is a large number of different algebra based College Physics textbooks on the market, with a big focus on life science applications. It is fairly standard that biology majors and premedical students are not required to take a calculus based physics course, but only an algebra based one - this is why most of those texts have a biology slant.

I have been teaching such a course for several years now.

 

The tiny amount of trigonometry required can be learned in 30 minutes, but without trigonometry it is impossible to deal with two dimensional situations; one cannot cover trajectory motion, motion on an inclined plane, anything with angled forces. A full trigonometry course is not needed.

 

 

[Cinder]

Halliday and Resnick for Calculus based Physics.  This is the text dh used as a physics major 30 years ago and he loves it.  No bells and whistles but very  good on material.  It covers Physics 1, 2 and 3 at the college level.

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/047134530X?ref_=cm_lmf_img_14

 

Did your dh, perchance, go to RPI? That's the text *all* freshmen (and first semester sophomores) used regardless of major. At least, that's how it was back in the day.  :D

[Mama Geek]

Did your dh, perchance, go to RPI? That's the text *all* freshmen (and first semester sophomores) used regardless of major. At least, that's how it was back in the day.  :D

No he went to school in Maryland.

[trulycrabby]

I've used Conceptual Physics and was very disappointed in the lack of math. It also lacked challenging problems at the end of each chapter. When I taught in PS, we used Giancoli for a solid algebra-based book. But there are many out there. Maybe check the pinned physics thread on the high school board?

Thanks! I looked there before and completely missed it! :)

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/540313-homeschool-high-school-physics/

 

I also ordered Giancoli 6th edition text and student workbook. Looks like I need to get another bookshelf! :)

Edited January 16, 2016 by trulycrabby

[Arcadia]

Just a FYI. The SAT Physics subject test does not allow calculators :) Since engineering is my kids choice of safety major, SAT physics is on my radar.

 

ETA:

My DS10 understands concepts fast but need a few rounds for things to go into long term memory. So we do physics every year as well as bio and chem.

Edited January 16, 2016 by Arcadia

[trulycrabby]

Just a FYI. The SAT Physics subject test does not allow calculators :) Since engineering is my kids choice of safety major, SAT physics is on my radar.

Thanks!

[Cinder]

No he went to school in Maryland.

 

My dh was a physics major so I just wondered. When I was in school Dr Resnick actually taught my Physics II recitation. (The profs usually only taught the lecture for freshman courses and TA's did the recitations.) He was great, and I didn't blame him one bit for my less-than-stellar performance in that course. :p