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Introductory PhysicsTracer Bullet 05-7
Subject Headings used by the Library of Congress, under which books on physics can be located in most card, book, and online catalogs:
TEXTBOOKS contain an organized, reliable introduction to physics. Textbooks are especially valuable because of the questions and problem sets they contain. Often an author will use them to emphasize points of special importance, to involve and challenge the student with the material, or even to include supplemental information. While most textbooks deal with the same basic breadth of information, the depth of their treatment depends on the level of mathematical sophistication they employ. Mathematics is the most precise "language" of physics, and advanced study requires mathematical fluency.
BASIC TEXTS - Basic Math Needed
BASIC TEXTS - Algebra, Geometry, and Basic Trigonometry Needed
BASIC TEXTS - Algebra, Geometry, Basic Trigonometry, and Calculus Needed
EXPERIMENTATION is a vital part of the scientific method. While learning basic physics, experiments tie abstract concepts to real-life experience. Some of the following books have been written for younger readers, while others are meant to provide suggestions for physics teachers. They all contain fascinating methods and activities to bring the concepts presented in textbooks to life. SIMPLE LABORATORY INVESTIGATIONS AND DEMONSTRATIONS Cunningham, James B., and Norman Herr. Hands-on physics activities
with real-life applications: easy-to-use labs and demonstrations
for grades 8-12. West Nyack, N.Y., Center for Applied Research
in Education, 1994. 657 p. (Physical science curriculum library,
v. 1) Ehrlich, Robert. Turning the world inside out and 174 other
simple physics demonstrations. Princeton, N.J., Princeton University
Press, 1990. 216 p. Ehrlich, Robert. Why toast lands jelly-side down: zen and the
art of physics demonstrations. Princeton, N.J., Princeton University
Press, 1997. 196 p. Friedhoffer, Robert. Physics lab in a housewares store.
New York, Franklin Watts, c1996. 95 p. Friedhoffer, Robert. Physics lab in the home. New York,
Franklin Watts, c1997. 80 p. Gibbs, Keith. The resourceful physics teacher: 600 ideas for
creative teaching. Bristol, Eng., Philadelphia, Institute of
Physics Publishing, 1999. 229 p. Miller, Julius Sumner. Demonstrations in physics. Sydney,
London, Ure Smith, 1969. 144 p. Pitucco, Anthony P., and Shawn Agut. The restaurant at the
beginning of the universe: exploring the wonderment of the world
through physics. Tucson, Ariz., Zephyr Press, 1997. 152 p.
VanCleave, Janice P. Janice VanCleave's physics for every kid:
101 experiments in motion, heat, light, machines, and sound.
New York, Wiley, c1991. 241 p.
Adair, Robert Kemp. The physics of baseball. 2nd
ed., rev., updated and enl. New York, HarperPerennial, c1994. 142
p. Boys, C. V. Soap bubbles and the forces which mould them.
Garden City, N.Y., Doubleday Anchor Books, 1959. 156 p. (Science
study series, S3) Cole, K. C. First you build a cloud: and other reflections
on physics as a way of life. San Diego, Harcourt Brace, 1999.
231 p. Cole, Rodney. So you want to take physics: a preparatory course.
Fort Worth, Saunders College Pub., 1993. 327 p. Feynman, Richard P. The character of physical law. Cambridge,
Mass., M.I.T. Press, 1965. 173 p. (The M.I.T. Press paperback series,
66) Feynman, Richard P. Six easy pieces: essentials of physics,
explained by its most brilliant teacher. Originally prepared
for publication by Robert B. Leighton and Matthew Sands; new introduction
by Paul Davies. Reading, Mass., Addison Wesley, 1995. 145 p. Feynman, Richard P., Robert B. Leighton, and Matthew Sands. The
Feynman lectures on physics. Redwood City, Calif.,
Addison Wesley, c1989. 3 v. Flatow, Ira. Rainbows, curve balls, and other wonders of the
natural world explained. New York, Perennial Library, 1989,
c1988. 240 p. Gerholm, Tor Ragnar. Physics and man, an invitation to modern
physics. Totowa, N.J., Bedminster Press, 1967. 362 p. Ghose, P. (Partha), and Dipankar Home. Riddles in your teacup:
fun with everyday scientific puzzles. 2nd ed.
London, Philadelphia, Institute of Physics, 1994. 173 p. Glashow, Sheldon L. The charm of physics. New York, American
Institute of Physics, c1991. 306 p. Guillen, Michael. Five equations that changed the world: the
power and poetry of mathematics. New York, Hyperion, c1995.
277 p. Irwin, Keith Gordon. The romance of physics. New York,
Scribner, 1966. 240 p. Jargodzki, Christopher. Science brain-twisters, paradoxes,
and fallacies. New York, Scribner, c1976. 183 p. Krauss, Lawrence Maxwell. Fear of physics: a guide for the
perplexed. New York, Basic Books, c1993. 206 p. Physics experiments on file. The Diagram Group. New York, Facts On File,
c2003. 1 v. Physics. Chicago, Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, 2001. 278 p.
(Hutchinson trends in science) Potter, Frank, and Christopher P. Jargodzki. Mad about modern physics:
braintwisters, paradoxes, and curiosities. Hoboken, N.J., Wiley, c2005. 296 p. Rothman, Tony. Instant physics: from Aristotle to Einstein
and beyond. New York, Fawcett Columbine, 1995. Segrè, Emilio. From falling bodies to radio waves: classical
physicists and their discoveries. New York, W. H. Freeman,
c1984. 298 p. Speyer, Edward. Six roads from Newton: great discoveries in
physics. New York, Wiley, c1994. 196 p. Spielberg, Nathan, and Byron Anderson. Seven ideas that shook
the universe. New York, Wiley, 1995. 355 p. Von Baeyer, Hans Christian. Rainbows, snowflakes, and quarks:
physics and the world around us. New York, Random House, c1993.
175 p. Walker, Jearl. The flying circus of physics. New York,
Wiley, 1975. 224 p.
Abstracting and Indexing Services that index relevant journal articles and other literature on physics. While the abstracts may be somewhat advanced for a beginning physics student, they offer a glimpse of the field's cutting edge. Consult a reference librarian for location of these materials in the Science Reading Room. Several of these titles may also be available on-line.
Journals contain information about learning, teaching, and understanding both classic concepts and the latest discoveries in physics:
Altshuler, Ken. Art and physics. Physics teacher, v. 32,
May 1994: 271-273. Biryukov, A. Karate chop. Quantum, v. 9, May/June 1999:
14-18. De Seve, Karen. Where do I go with physics? Career world, v. 34, Nov./Dec. 2005: 22-25. Edelman, Bruce. The greatest lab on earth. Science teacher,
v. 57, May 1990: 33-35. Escobar, Carole. Amusement park physics. Physics teacher,
v. 28, Oct. 1990: 446-453. Fischette, Mark. Working knowledge: radar gun. Scientific American,
v. 284, March 2001: 76-77. Folger, Tim. From here to eternity. Discover, v. 21, Dec.
2000: 54-61. Krauss, Laurence M. Questions that plague physics: a conversation with
Lawrence Krauss. Scientific American, Larabec, David. Car collisions, physics, and the state highway
patrol. Physics teacher, v. 38, Sept. 2000: 334-336 Long, Dale D. Suggestions for physics students. Physics teacher,
v. 34, March 1996: 186-188. Ludlam, Thomas, and Larry McLerran. What have we learned from the relativistic heavy ion collider? Physics
today, v. 56, Oct. 2003: 48-54. Rist, Curtis. Roll over, Newton. Discover, v. 22, Apr.
2001: 44-49. Rosenfeld, Arthur, Tina Kaarsberg, and Joseph Romm. Technologies
to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the next decade. Physics
today, v. 53, Nov. 2000: 29-34 Swinson, Derek B. Physics and snowboarding. Physics teacher,
v. 32, Dec. 1994: 530-534. Tegmark, Max and John Archibald Wheeler. 100 Years of quantum mysteries.
Scientific American, v. 284, Feb. 2001: 68-75. Trout, K. P., and Charles A. Gaston. Active-learning physics experiments using the Tarzan Swing. Physics teacher, v. 39, Mar. 2001: 160-163. Volpe, Michael. Super bowl physics. Physics teacher, v.
32, Oct. 1994: 399-402.
Selected Materials available in the Science Reading Room pamphlet boxes include the following:
Materials and Internet resources offered by a number of outstanding organizations are especially valuable to the beginning physics student. Several of the best-known are listed below.
In addition to the websites listed above, the Internet supplies a wide range of resources to the introductory physics student, providinglessons, links, physics news, physics history, and physics humor. Sample sites are listed below. Internet book supply services may be a handy source of printed material listed elsewhere in this Tracer Bullet, if your local library or bookstore cannot supply the titles you need.
Compiled by Richard Halada - updated 6/2006 |
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