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9781119519508

Understanding Physics

by ;
  • ISBN13:

    9781119519508

  • ISBN10:

    1119519500

  • Edition: 3rd
  • Format: Paperback
  • Copyright: 2020-08-24
  • Publisher: Wiley

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Supplemental Materials

What is included with this book?

Summary

An updated and thoroughly revised third edition of the foundational text offering an introduction to physics with a comprehensive interactive website

The revised and updated third edition of Understanding Physics presents a comprehensive introduction to college-level physics. Written with today's students in mind, this compact text covers the core material required within an introductory course in a clear and engaging way. The authors – noted experts on the topic – offer an understanding of the physical universe and present the mathematical tools used in physics.

The book covers all the material required in an introductory physics course. Each topic is introduced from first principles so that the text is suitable for students without a prior background in physics. At the same time the book is designed to enable students to proceed easily to subsequent courses in physics and may be used to support such courses.  Relativity and quantum mechanics are introduced at an earlier stage than is usually found in introductory textbooks and are integrated with the more 'classical' material from which they have evolved.

Worked examples and links to problems, designed to be both illustrative and challenging, are included throughout.  The links to over 600 problems and their solutions, as well as links to more advanced sections, interactive problems, simulations and videos may be made by typing in the URL’s which are noted throughout  the text or by scanning the micro QR codes given alongside the URL’s, see: http://up.ucc.ie

This new edition of this essential text:

  • Offers an introduction to the principles for each topic presented
  • Presents a comprehensive yet concise introduction to physics covering a wide range of material
  • Features a revised treatment of electromagnetism, specifically the more detailed treatment of electric and magnetic materials
  • Puts emphasis on the relationship between microscopic and macroscopic perspectives
  • Is structured as a foundation course for undergraduate students in physics, materials science and engineering
  • Has been rewritten to conform with the revised definitions of SI base units which came into force in May 2019

Written for first year physics students, the revised and updated third edition of Understanding Physics offers a foundation text and interactive website for undergraduate students in physics, materials science and engineering.

Author Biography

Michael Mansfield, PhD, is Emeritus Professor in the Department of Physics, University College Cork, Ireland.

Colm O’Sullivan, PhD, is Emeritus Professor in the Physics Department, University College Cork, Ireland.

Table of Contents

Preface

The Understanding Physics website

Problems

1 Understanding the physical universe

1.1 The programme of physics

1.2 The building blocks of matter

1.3 Matter in bulk

1.4 The fundamental interactions

1.5 Exploring the physical universe: the scientific method

1.6 The role of physics: its scope and applications

2 Using mathematical tools in physics

2.1 Applying the scientific method

2.2 The use of variables to represent displacement and time

2.3 Representation of data

2.4 The use of differentiation in analysis: velocity and acceleration in linear motion

2.5 The use of integration in analysis

2.6 Maximum and minimum values of physical quantities: general linear motion

2.7 Angular motion: the radian

2.8 The role of mathematics in physics

 Worked examples

Chapter 2 problems (up.ucc.ie/2/)

3 The causes of motion: dynamics

3.1 The concept of force

3.2 The first law of dynamics (Newton's first law)

3.3 The fundamental dynamical principle (Newton's second law)

3.4 Systems of units: SI

3.5 Time dependent forces: oscillatory motion

3.6 Simple harmonic motion

3.7 Mechanical work and energy

3.8 Plots of potential energy functions

3.9 Power

3.10 Energy in simple harmonic motion

3.11 Dissipative forces: damped harmonic motion

 3.11.1 Trial solution technique for solving the damped harmonic motion equation (up.ucc.ie/3/11/)

3.12 Forced oscillations (up.ucc.ie/3/12/)

3.13 Non-linear dynamics: chaos (up.ucc.ie/3/13/)

3.14 Phase space representation of dynamical systems (up.ucc.ie/3/14/)

 Worked examples

 Chapter 3 problems (up.ucc.ie/3/)

4 Motion in two and three dimensions

4.1 Vector physical quantities

4.2 Vector algebra

4.3 Velocity and acceleration vectors

4.4 Force as a vector quantity: vector form of the laws of dynamics

4.5 Constraint forces

4.6 Friction

4.7 Motion in a circle: centripetal force

4.8 Motion in a circle at constant speed

4.9 Tangential and radial components of acceleration

4.10 Hybrid motion: the simple pendulum

 4.10.1 Large angle corrections for the simple pendulum (up.ucc.ie/4/10/)

4.11 Angular quantities as vectors: the cross product

Worked examples

Chapter 4 problems (up.ucc.ie/4/)

5 Force fields

5.1 Newton's law of universal gravitation

5.2 Force fields

5.3 The concept of flux

5.4 Gauss’ law for gravitation

5.5 Applications of Gauss’ law

5.6 Motion in a constant uniform field: projectiles

5.7 Mechanical work and energy

5.8 Power

5.9 Energy in a constant uniform field

5.10 Energy in an inverse square law field

5.11 Moment of a force: angular momentum

5.12 Planetary motion: circular orbits

5.13 Planetary motion: elliptical orbits and Kepler's laws

 5.13.1 Conservation of the Runge-Lens vector (up.ucc.ie/5/13/)

 Worked examples

 Chapter 5 problems (up.ucc.ie/5/)

6 Many-body interactions

6.1 Newton's third law

6.2 The principle of conservation of momentum

6.3 Mechanical energy of systems of particles

6.4 Particle decay

6.5 Particle collisions

6.6 The centre of mass of a system

6.7 The two-body problem: reduced mass

6.8 Angular momentum of systems of particles

6.9 Conservation principles in physics

 Worked examples

 Chapter 6 problems (up.ucc.ie/6/)

7 Rigid body dynamics

7.1 Rigid bodies

7.2 Rigid bodies in equilibrium: statics

7.3 Torque

7.4 Dynamics of rigid bodies

7.5 Measurement of torque: the torsion balance

7.6 Rotation of a rigid body about a fixed axis: moment of inertia

7.7 Calculation of moments of inertia: the parallel axis theorem

7.8 Conservation of angular momentum of rigid bodies

7.9 Conservation of mechanical energy in rigid body systems

7.10 Work done by a torque: torsional oscillations: rotational power

7.11 Gyroscopic motion

 7.11.1 Precessional angular velocity of a top (up.ucc.ie/7/11/)

7.12 Summary- connection between rotational and translational motions

 Worked examples

 Chapter 7 problems (up.ucc.ie/7/)

8 Relative motion

8.1 Applicability of Newton's laws of motion: inertial reference frames

8.2 The Galilean transformation

8.3 The CM (centre-of-mass) reference frame

8.4 Example of a non-inertial frame: centrifugal force

8.5 Motion in a rotating frame: the Coriolis force

8.6 The Foucault pendulum

 8.6.1 Precession of a Foucault pendulum (up.ucc.ie/8/6/)

8.7 Practical criteria for inertial frames: the local view

 Worked examples

 Chapter 8 problems (up.ucc.ie/8/)

9 Special relativity

9.1 The velocity of light

 9.1.1 The Michelson-Morley experiment (up.ucc.ie/9/1/)

9.2 The Principle of Relativity

9.3 Consequences of the Principle of Relativity

9.4 The Lorentz transformation

9.5 The Fitzgerald-Lorentz contraction

9.6 Time dilation

9.7 Paradoxes in special relativity

 9.7.1 Simultaneity: quantitative analysis of the twin paradox (up.ucc.ie/9/7/)

9.8 Relativistic transformation of velocity

9.9 Momentum in relativistic mechanics

9.10 Four-vectors: the energy-momentum 4-vector

9.11 Energy-momentum transformations: relativistic energy conservation

 9.11.1 The force transformations (up.ucc.ie/9/11/)

9.12 Relativistic energy: mass-energy equivalence

9.13 Units in relativistic mechanics

9.14 Mass-energy equivalence in practice

9.15 General relativity

 Worked examples

 Chapter 9 problems (up.ucc.ie/9/)

10 Continuum mechanics: mechanical properties of materials: microscopic models of matter

10.1 Dynamics of continuous media

10.2 Elastic properties of solids

10.3 Fluids at rest

10.4 Elastic properties of fluids

10.5 Pressure in gases

10.6 Archimedes' principle

10.7 Fluid dynamics; the Bernoulli equation

10.8 Viscosity

10.9 Surface properties of liquids

10.10 Boyle's law (Mariotte's law)

10.11 A microscopic theory of gases

10.12 The SI unit of amount of matter; the mole

10.13 Interatomic forces: modifications to the kinetic theory of gases

10.14 Microscopic models of condensed matter systems

 Worked examples

 Chapter 10 problems (up.ucc.ie/10/)

11 Thermal physics

11.1 Friction and heating

11.2 The SI unit of thermodynamic temperature; the kelvin

11.3 Heat capacities of thermal systems

11.4 Comparison of specific heat capacities: calorimetry

11.5 Thermal conductivity

11.6 Convection

11.7 Thermal radiation

11.8 Thermal expansion

11.9 The first law of thermodynamics

11.10 Change of phase: latent heat

11.11 The equation of state of an ideal gas

11.12 Isothermal, isobaric and adiabatic processes: free expansion

11.13 The Carnot cycle

11.14 Entropy and the second law of thermodynamics

11.15 The Helmholtz and Gibbs functions

 Worked examples

 Chapter 11 problems (up.ucc.ie/11/)

12 Microscopic models of thermal systems: kinetic theory of matter

12.1 Microscopic interpretation of temperature

12.2 Polyatomic molecules: principle of equipartition of energy

12.3 Ideal gas in a gravitational field: the ‘law of atmospheres’

12.4 Ensemble averages and distribution functions

12.5 The distribution of molecular velocities in an ideal gas

12.6 Distribution of molecular speeds

12.7 Distribution of molecular energies; Maxwell-Boltzmann statistics

12.8 Microscopic interpretation of temperature and heat capacity in solids

 Worked examples

 Chapter 12 problems (up.ucc.ie/12/)

13 Wave Motion

13.1 Characteristics of wave motion

13.2 Representation of a wave which is travelling in one dimension

13.3 Energy and power in a wave motion

13.4 Plane and spherical waves

13.5 Huygen’s principle: the laws of reflection and refraction

13.6 Interference between waves:

13.7 Interference of waves passing through openings: diffraction

13.8 Standing waves

 13.8.1 Standing waves in three dimensional cavity (up.ucc.ie/13/8/)

13.9 The Doppler effect

13.10 The wave equation

13.11 Waves along a string

13.12 Waves in elastic media: longitudinal waves in a solid rod

13.13 Waves in elastic media: sound waves in gases

13.14 Superposition of two waves of slightly different frequencies:

 wave and group velocities

13.15 Other waveforms: Fourier analysis

 Worked examples

 Chapter 13 problems (up.ucc.ie/13/)

14 Introduction to quantum mechanics

14.1 Physics at the beginning of the twentieth century

14.2 The blackbody radiation problem; Planck’s quantum hypothesis

14.3 The specific heat capacity of gases

14.4 The specific heat capacity of solids

14.5 The photoelectric effect

 14.5.1 Example of an experiment to study the photoelectric effect (up.ucc.ie/14/5/)

14.4 The X-ray continuum

14.7 The Compton effect: the photon model

14.8 The de Broglie hypothesis: wave-particle duality

14.9 Interpretation of wave-particle duality

14.10 The Heisenberg uncertainty principle

14.11 The wavefunction: expectation values

14.12 The Schrödinger (wave mechanical) method

 14.12.1 Expectation value of momentum (up.ucc.ie/14/12/)

14.13 The free particle

14.14 The time-independent Schrödinger equation: eigenfunctions and eigenvalues

 14.14.1 Derivation of the Ehrenfest theorem (up.ucc.ie/14/14/)

14.15 The infinite square potential well

14.16 Potential steps

14.17 Other potential wells and barriers

14.18 The simple harmonic oscillator

 14.18.1 Ground state of the simple harmonic oscillator (up.ucc.ie/14/18/)

14.19 Further implications of quantum mechanics

 Worked examples

 Chapter 14 problems (up.ucc.ie/14/)

15 Electric currents

15.1 Electric currents

15.2 The electric current model; electric charge

15.3 The unit of electric current; the ampere

15.4 Heating effect revisited: electrical resistance

15.5 Strength of a power supply: emf

15.6 Resistance of a circuit

15.7 Potential difference

15.8 Effect of internal resistance

15.9 Comparison of emfs: the potentiometer

15.10 Multiloop circuits

15.11 Kirchhoff's rules

15.12 Comparison of resistances: the Wheatstone bridge

15.13 Power supplies connected in parallel

15.14 Resistivity and conductivity

15.15 Variation of resistance with temperature

 Worked examples

 Chapter 15 problems (up.ucc.ie/15/)

16 Electric fields

16.1 Electric charge at rest

16.2 Electric fields: electric field strength

16.3 Force between point charges: Coulomb's law

16.4 Electric flux and electric flux density

16.5 Electric fields due to systems of charges

16.6 The electric dipole

16.7 Gauss’ law for electrostatics

16.8 Applications of Gauss’s law

16.9 Potential difference in electric fields

16.10 Electric potential

16.11 Equipotential surfaces

16.12 Determination of electric field strength from electric potential

16.13 Acceleration of charged particles

16.14 The laws of electrostatics in differential form (up.ucc.ie/16/14)

 Worked examples

 Chapter 16 problems (up.ucc.ie/16/)

17     Electric fields in materials

17.1 Conductors in electric fields

17.2 Insulators in electric fields; polarisation

17.3 Electric susceptibility

17.4 Boundaries between dielectric media

17.5 Ferroelectricity and paraelectricity; permanently polarised materials

17.6 Uniformly polarised rod; the ‘bar electret’

17.7 Microscopic models of electric polarisation

17.8 Capacitors

17.9 Examples of capacitors with simple geometry

17.10 Energy stored in an electric field

17.11 Capacitors in series and in parallel

17.12 Charge and discharge of a capacitor through a resistance

17.13 Measurement of permittivity

 Worked examples

 Chapter 17 problems (up.ucc.ie/17/)

18 Magnetic fields

18.1 Magnetism

18.2 The work of Ampère, Biot and Savart

18.3 Magnetic pole strength

18.4 Magnetic field strength

18.5 Ampère's law

18.6 The Biot-Savart law

18.7 Applications of the Biot-Savart law

18.8 Magnetic flux and magnetic flux density

18.9 Magnetic fields of permanent magnets; magnetic dipoles

18.10 Forces between magnets; Gauss’ law for magnetism

18.11 The laws of magnetostatics in differential form (up.ucc.ie/18/11/)

 Worked examples

 Chapter 18 problems (up.ucc.ie/18/)

19 Electric currents and moving charges in magnetic fields

19.1 Forces between currents magnets

19.2 The force between two long parallel wires

19.3 Current loop in a magnetic field

19.4 Magnetic fields due to moving charges

19.5 Force on a moving electric charge in a magnetic field

19.6 Applications of moving charges in uniform magnetic fields; the classical Hall effect

19.7 Charge in a combined electric and magnetic field; the Lorentz force

19.8 Magnetic dipole moments of charged particles in closed orbits

19.9 Polarisation of magnetic materials; magnetisation, magnetic susceptibility

19.10 Paramagnetism and diamagnetism

19.11 Boundaries between magnetic media

19.12 Ferromagnetism; the magnetic needle revisited

19.13 Moving coil meters and electric motors

19.14 Electric and magnetic fields in moving reference frames (up.ucc.ie/19/14/)

 Worked examples

 Chapter 19 problems (up.ucc.ie/19)

20 Electromagnetic induction: time-varying emfs

20.1 The principle of electromagnetic induction

20.2 Simple applications of electromagnetic induction

20.3 Self-inductance

20.4 The series L-R circuit

20.5 Discharge of a capacitor through an inductor and resistor

20.6 Time-varying emfs: mutual inductance: transformers

20.7 Alternating current (a.c.)

20.8 Alternating current transformers

20.9 Resistance, capacitance and inductance in a.c. circuits

20.10 The series L-C-R circuit: phasor diagrams

20.11 Power in an a.c. circuit

 Worked examples

 Chapter 20 problems (up.ucc.ie/20/)

21 Maxwell’s equations; Electromagnetic radiation

21.1 Reconsideration of the laws of electromagnetism: Maxwell's equations

21.2 Plane electromagnetic waves

21.3 Experimental observation of electromagnetic radiation

21.4 The electromagnetic spectrum

21.5 Polarization of electromagnetic waves

21.6 Energy, momentum and angular momentum in electromagnetic waves

21.7 The photon model revisited

21.8 Reflection of electromagnetic waves at an interface between non-conducting media (up.ucc.ie/21/8/)

21.9 Electromagnetic waves in a conducting medium (up.ucc.ie/21/9/)

21.10 Invariance of electromagnetism under the Lorentz transformation (up.ucc.ie/21/10/)

21.11 Maxwell’s equations in differential form (up.ucc.ie/21/11/)

 Worked examples

 Chapter 21 problems (up.ucc.ie/21/)

22 Wave optics

22.1 Electromagnetic nature of light

22.2 Coherence: the laser

22.3 Diffraction at a single slit

22.4 Two slit interference and diffraction: Young's double slit experiment

22.5 Multiple slit interference: the diffraction grating

22.6 Diffraction of X-rays: Bragg scattering

22.7 The SI unit of luminous intensity, the candela

 Worked examples

 Chapter 22 problems (up.ucc.ie/22/)

23 Geometrical optics

23.1 The ray model: geometric optics

23.2 Reflection of light

23.3 Image formation by spherical mirrors

23.4 Refraction of light

23.5 Refraction at successive plane interfaces

23.6 Image formation by spherical lenses

23.7 Image formation of extended objects: magnification

23.8 Dispersion of light

 Worked examples

 Chapter 23 problems (up.ucc.ie/23/)

24 Atomic Physics

24.1 Atomic models

24.2 The spectrum of hydrogen: the Rydberg formula

24.3 The Bohr postulates

24.4 The Bohr theory of the hydrogen atom

24.5 The quantum mechanical (Schrödinger) solution of the one-electron atom

 24.5.1 The angular and radial equations for a one-electron atom (up.ucc.ie/24/5/1/)

 24.5.2 The radial solutions of the lowest energy state of hydrogen (up.ucc.ie/24/5/2/)

24.6 Interpretation of the one-electron atom eigenfunctions

24.7 Intensities of spectral lines: selection rules

 24.7.1 Radiation from an accelerated charge (up.ucc.ie/24/7/1/)

 24.7.2 Expectation value of the electric dipole moment (up.ucc.ie/24/7/2/)

24.8 Quantisation of angular momentum

24.8.1 The angular momentum quantisation equations (up.ucc.ie/24/8/)

24.9 Magnetic effects in one-electron atoms: the Zeeman effect

24.10 The Stern-Gerlach experiment: electron spin

24.10.1 The Zeeman effect (up.ucc.ie/24/10)

24.11 The spin-orbit interaction

24.11.1 The Thomas precession (up.ucc.ie/24/11/)

24.12 Identical particles in quantum mechanics: the Pauli exclusion principle

24.13 The periodic table: multielectron atoms

24.14 The theory of multielectron atoms

24.15 Further uses of the solutions of the one-electron

 Worked examples

 Chapter 24 problems (up.ucc.ie/24/)

25 Electrons in solids: quantum statistics

25.1 Bonding in molecules and solids

25.2 The classical free electron model of solids

25.3 The quantum mechanical free electron model of solids: Fermi energy

25.4 The electron energy distribution at 0 K

25.5 Electron energy distributions at T > 0 K

25.5.1 The quantum distribution functions (up.ucc.ie/24/5/)

25.6 Specific heat and conductivity in the quantum free electron model

25.7 Quantum statistics: systems of bosons

25.8 Superconductivity

 Worked examples

 Chapter 25 problems (up.ucc.ie/25/)

26 Semiconductors

26.1 The band theory of solids

26.2 Conductors, insulators and semiconductors

26.3 Intrinsic and extrinsic (doped) semiconductors

26.4 Junctions in conductors

26.5 Junction in semiconductors; the p-n junction

26.6 Biased p-n junctions; the semiconductor diode

26.7 Photodiodes, particle detectors and solar cells

26.8 Light emitting diodes; semiconductor lasers

26. 9 The tunnel diode

26.10 Transistors

Worked examples

 Chapter 26 problems (up.ucc.ie/26/)

27 Nuclear and particle physics

27.1 Properties of atomic nuclei

27.2 Nuclear binding energies

27.3 Nuclear models

27.4 Radioactivity

27.5 -, - and -decay

27.6 Detection of radiation: units of radioactivity

27.7 Nuclear reactions

27.8 Nuclear fission and nuclear fusion

27.9 Fission reactors

27.10 Thermonuclear fusion

27.11 Sub-nuclear particles

27.12 The quark model

Worked examples

Chapter 27 problems (up.ucc.ie/27/)

Appendix A: Mathematical rules and formulas

Appendix B: Some fundamental physical constants

Appendix C: Some astrophysical and geophysical data

Appendix D: The 2019 revision of SI

Bibliography

Index

Supplemental Materials

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