Do you have a handle on basic physics terms and concepts, but your problem-solving skills could use some static friction? Physics Workbook for Dummies helps you build upon what you already know to learn how to solve the most common physics problems with confidence and ease.Physics Workbook for Dummies gets the ball rolling with a brief overview of the nuts and bolts (i.e., converting measures, counting significant figures, applying math skills to physics problems, etc.) before getting into the nitty gritty. If you’re already a pro on the fundamentals, you can skip this section and jump right into the practice problems. There, you’ll get the lowdown on how to take your problem-solving skills to a whole new plane—without ever feeling like you’ve been left spiraling down a black hole.With easy-to-follow instructions and practical tips, Physics Workbook for Dummies shows you how to you unleash your inner Einstein to solve hundreds of problems in all facets of physics, such as:Acceleration, distance, and timeVectorsForceCircular motionMomentum and kinetic energyRotational kinematics and rotational dynamicsPotential and kinetic energyThermodynamicsElectricity and magnetismComplete answer explanations are included for all problems so you can see where you went wrong (or right). Plus, you’ll get the inside scoop on the ten most common mistakes people make when solving physics problems—and how to avoid them.When push comes to shove, this friendly guide is just what you need to set your physics problem-solving skills in motion!
Author(s): Steve, Ph.D. Holzner
Edition: 1
Publisher: For Dummies
Year: 2007
Language: English
Pages: 338
PhysicsWorkbook......Page 3
Author’s Acknowledgments......Page 5
Contents at a Glance......Page 7
Table of Contents......Page 9
Foolish Assumptions......Page 13
How This Book Is Organized......Page 14
Where to Go from Here......Page 15
Part I: Applying Physics......Page 17
Measuring the Universe......Page 19
Putting Scientific Notation to Work......Page 22
Converting between Units......Page 24
Converting Distances......Page 26
Converting Times......Page 28
Counting Significant Figures......Page 29
Coming Prepared with Some Algebra......Page 30
Being Prepared with Trigonometry......Page 32
Answers to Problems about Getting Started with Physics......Page 34
From Point A to B: Displacement......Page 37
Reading That Speedometer......Page 39
Putting Pedal to Metal: Acceleration......Page 40
Connecting Acceleration, Time, and Displacement......Page 43
Connecting Speed, Acceleration, and Displacement......Page 46
Answers to Problems about Acceleration, Distance, and Time......Page 48
Creating a Vector......Page 53
Understanding Vector Components......Page 55
Finding a Vector’s Components......Page 57
Finding a Vector’s Magnitude and Direction......Page 59
Adding Vectors Together......Page 61
Handling Motion As a Vector......Page 65
Answers to Problems about Vectors......Page 67
Part II: May the Forces Be with You......Page 71
Newton’s First Law of Motion......Page 73
Newton’s Second Law of Motion......Page 74
Force Is a Vector......Page 77
Calculating Net Force and Acceleration......Page 79
Sorting Out Weight and Mass......Page 81
Newton’s Third Law of Motion......Page 84
Answers to Problems about Force......Page 86
Breaking Ramps Up into Vectors......Page 93
Acceleration and Inclined Planes......Page 96
Running Down Ramps: Speed......Page 97
It’s a Drag: The Coefficient of Friction......Page 99
Static Friction along Ramps......Page 102
Kinetic Friction along Ramps......Page 104
Acceleration along Ramps Including Friction......Page 106
Answers to Problems about Inclined Planes......Page 108
Converting between Angles......Page 113
Period and Frequency......Page 115
Getting into Angular Velocity......Page 116
Whipping Around with Angular Acceleration......Page 119
Connecting Angular Velocity and Angular Acceleration to Angles......Page 121
Connecting Angular Acceleration and Angle to Angular Velocity......Page 123
Handling Centripetal Acceleration......Page 124
Getting Forceful: Centripetal Force......Page 126
Answers to Problems about Circular Motion......Page 128
Part III: Being Energetic: Work......Page 133
A Different Kind of Work......Page 135
Dealing with the Net Force......Page 138
Getting Energetic: Kinetic Energy......Page 139
Getting Kinetic Energy from Work......Page 141
Storing Your Energy: Potential Energy......Page 143
Powering It Up......Page 145
Answers to Problems about Work......Page 147
Acting on Impulse......Page 155
Getting Some Momentum......Page 157
Relating Impulse and Momentum......Page 158
Conserving Momentum......Page 160
Conserving Kinetic Energy—or Not......Page 161
Collisions in Two Dimensions......Page 163
Answers to Problems about Momentum and Kinetic Energy......Page 166
Finding Tangential Speed......Page 173
Targeting Tangential Acceleration......Page 176
Angular Velocity as a Vector......Page 177
Angular Acceleration as a Vector......Page 178
Doing the Twist: Torque......Page 180
The Balancing Act: Rotational Equilibrium......Page 182
Answers to Problems about Rotational Kinematics......Page 185
Putting Newton on Wheels......Page 189
Moments of Inertia for Everyone......Page 191
Doing Some Rotational Work......Page 194
Round and Round: Rotational Kinetic Energy......Page 195
Getting Working with Ramps Again......Page 197
Can’t Stop This: Angular Momentum......Page 199
Answers to Problems about Rotational Dynamics......Page 201
Hooking into Hooke’s Law......Page 207
Simply Simple Harmonic Motion......Page 209
Getting Periodic......Page 211
Considering Velocity......Page 213
Figuring the Acceleration......Page 215
Bouncing Around with Springs......Page 216
Talking about Energy......Page 218
Following the Ticktock of Pendulums......Page 219
Answers to Problems about Simple Harmonic Motion......Page 221
Part IV: Obeying the Laws of Thermodynamics......Page 227
Converting Between Temperature Scales......Page 229
Getting Bigger: Linear Expansion......Page 231
Plumping It Up: Volume Expansion......Page 233
Getting Specific with Heat Capacity......Page 235
Changes of Phase: Latent Heat......Page 238
Answers to Problems about Thermodynamics......Page 240
How Heat Travels: Convection......Page 245
How Heat Travels: Conduction......Page 246
How Heat Travels: Radiation......Page 249
A Biggie: Avogadro’s Number......Page 251
Ideally Speaking: The Ideal Gas Law......Page 253
Molecules in Motion......Page 255
Answers to Problems about Pressure......Page 256
The First Law of Thermodynamics......Page 261
Constant Pressure: Isobaric Processes......Page 262
Constant Volume: Isochoric Processes......Page 265
Constant Temperature: Isothermal Processes......Page 266
At Constant Heat: Adiabatic......Page 268
Making Heat Work: Heat Engines......Page 271
Maximum Efficiency: Carnot Heat Engines......Page 274
The Third Law of Thermodynamics......Page 275
Answers to Problems about Heat and Work......Page 276
Part V: Zap: Electricity and Magnetism......Page 281
Talking about Electric Charges......Page 283
Getting Forceful with Charges......Page 284
Electrical Forces Are Vectors......Page 286
Force at a Distance: Electric Fields......Page 287
Easy Electric Field: Parallel Plate Capacitors......Page 289
Ramping Up Some Voltage......Page 291
Electric Potential from Point Charges......Page 293
Answers to Problems about Static Electricity......Page 295
Electrons in a Whirl: Current......Page 301
Giving You Some Resistance: Ohm’s Law......Page 302
Powering It Up......Page 304
One after the Other: Series Circuits......Page 305
All for One: Parallel Circuits......Page 307
The Whole Story: Kirchhoff’s Rules......Page 309
Answers to Problems about Circuits......Page 312
Part VI: The Part of Tens......Page 319
Swapping Radians and Degrees......Page 321
Getting Refraction Angles Wrong......Page 322
Adding Resistors Incorrectly......Page 323
Using the Wrong Rays in Ray Diagrams......Page 324
Roman Goc’s Physics Tutorial......Page 325
Vector Resolver......Page 326
Index......Page 327
