Physics demystified

Classical physics. Review of scientific notation ; Units and constants ; Mass, force, and motion ; Momentum, work, energy, and power ; Particles of matter ; Basic states of matter ; Temperature, pressure, and changes of state

Electricity, magnetism, and electronics. Direct current ; Alternating current ; Magnetism ; More about alternating current ; Semiconductors

Waves, particles, space, and time. Wave phenomena ; Forms of radiation ; Optics ; Relativity theory.

Acknowledgments

How to use this book

Part 1: Classical Physics:

Review of scientific notation:

Subscripts and superscripts

Power-of-10 notation

Rules for use

Approximation, error, and precedence

Significant figures

Quiz

Units and constants:

Systems of units

Base units

Derived units

Constants

Unit conversions

Quiz

Mass, force, and motion:

Mass - Force

Displacement

Speed

Velocity

Acceleration

Newton's law of motion

Quiz

Momentum, work, energy, and power:

Momentum

Collisions

Work

Energy

Power

Quiz

Particles of matter:

Early theories

Nucleus

Outside the nucleus

Energy from matter

Compounds

Quiz

Basic states of matter:

Solid phase

Liquid phase

Gaseous phase

Quiz

Temperature, pressure, and changes of state:

What is heat?

Temperature

Some effects of temperature

Temperature and states of matter

Quiz

Test: Part 1

Part 2: Electricity, Magnetism, And Electronics:

Direct current:

What electricity does

Electrical diagrams

Voltage/current/resistance circuits

How resistances combine

Kirchhoff's laws

Quiz

Alternating current:

Definition of alternating current

Waveforms

Fractions of a cycle

Amplitude

Phase angle

Quiz

Magnetism:

Geomagnetism

Magnetic force

Magnetic field strength

Electromagnets

Magnetic materials

Magnetic machines

Quiz

More about alternating current:

Inductance

Inductive reactance

Capacitance

Capacitive reactance

Graphs of complex impedance

Quiz

Semiconductors:

Diode

Bipolar transistor

How a bipolar transistor amplifies signals

Field-effect transistor

How a JFET amplifies signals

MOSFET

Integrated circuits

Quiz

Test: Part 2

Part 3: Waves, Particles, Space, And Time:

Wave phenomena:

Intangible waves

Fundamental properties

Wave interaction

Wave mysteries

Particle or wave?

Quiz

Forms of radiation:

Electromagnetic fields

ELF fields

RF fields

Beyond the radio spectrum

Radioactivity

Quiz

Optics:

How light behaves

Lenses and mirrors

Refracting telescopes

Reflecting telescopes

Telescope specifications

Compound microscope

Quiz

Relativity theory:

Telling time

Time dilation

Spatial distortion

Mass distortion

General relativity

Quiz

Test: Part 3

Final exam

Answers to quizzes, tests, and final exam

Suggested additional reading

Index.

Part Zero : A review of mathematics. Equations, formulas, and vectors (Notation ; One-variable first-order equations ; One-variable second-order equations ; One-variable higher-order equations ; Vector arithmetic ; Some laws for vectors) ; Scientific notation (Subscripts and superscripts ; Power-of-10 notation ; Rules for use ; Approximation, error, and precedence ; Significant figures) ; Graphing schemes (Rectangular coordinates ; The polar plane ; Other systems) ; Basics of geometry (Fundamental rules ; Triangles ; Quadrilaterals ; Circles and ellipses ; Surface area and volume) ; Logarithms, exponentials, and trigonometry (Logarithms ; Trigonometric functions ; Trigonometric identities) ; Test : part zero

Part one : Classical physics. Units and constants (Systems of units ; Base units in SI ; Other units ; Prefix multipliers ; Constants ; Unit conversions) ; Mass, force, and motion (Mass ; Force ; Displacement ; Speed ; Velocity ; Acceleration ; Newton's laws of motion) ; Momentum, work, energy, and power (Momentum ; Collisions ; Work ; Energy ; Power) ; Particles of matter (Early theories ; The nucleus ; Outside the nucleus ; Energy from matter ; Compounds) ; Basic states of matter (The solid phase ; The liquid phase ; The gaseous phase) ; Temperature, pressure, and changes of state (What is heat? ; Temperature ; Some effects of temperature ; Temperature and states of matter) ; Test : part one

Part two : Electricity, magnetism, and electronics. Direct current (What does electricity do? ; Electrical diagrams ; Voltage/current/resistance circuits ; How resistances combine ; Kirchhoff's laws) ; Alternating current (Definition of alternating current ; Waveforms ; Fractions of a cycle ; Amplitude ; Phase angle) ; Magnetism (Geomagnetism ; Magnetic force ; Magnetic field strength ; Electromagnets ; Magnetic materials ; Magnetic machines ; Magnetic data storage) ; More about alternating current (Inductance ; Inductive reactance ; Capacitance ; Capacitive reactance ; RLC impedance) ; Semiconductors (The diode ; The bipolar transistor ; Current amplification ; The field-effect transistor ; Voltage amplification ; The MOSFET ; Integrated circuits) ; Test : part two

Part three : Waves, particles, space, and time. Wave phenomena (Intangible waves ; Fundamental properties ; Wave interaction ; Wave mysteries ; Particle or wave?) ; Forms of radiation (EM fields ; ELF fields ; Rf waves ; Beyond the radio spectrum ; Radioactivity) ; Optics (Behavior of light ; Lenses and mirrors ; Refracting telescopes ; Reflecting telescopes ; Telescope specifications ; The compound microscope) ; Relativity theory (Simultaneity ; Time dilation ; Spatial distortion ; Mass distortion ; General relativity) ; Test : part three

Final exam

Answers to quiz, test, and exam questions.