Physics

by Physical Science Study Committee

Changes to this edition are concentrated in Chapters 17-21: Molecular Motion, Internal Energy, and Conservation of Energy.- Electric Charge.- Coulomb's Law, Electric Fields, and Electrical Potential.- The Motion of Charged Particles in Electric Fields.- Electric Circuits.

686 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1976

Reviews

[Liquidlasagna · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of the finest

[Kevin Prinoski · Rating 3 out of 5]

"PSSC Physics" (4th edition by Haber-Schaim, Cross, Dodge & Walter, 1971 - 673 pages) was my assigned class textbook in advanced high school physics, long ago. It is dated but serves as a reasonable summation of classical Newtonian physics. However, it is in dire need of updating to reflect advances in physics since publication more than five decades ago. There is scant and indirect mention of quantum probabilities - even the well known Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle which is the logical lead-in for quantum probablities, is absent from the index. On page 298, irregularities in the orbit of Mercury contrary to Newtonian predictions but compatible with Einstein's General Theory of Relativity are categorized merely as "exceptional circumstances..." and "rare circumstances...". These brief references hardly do justice to General Relativity. Special Relativity is also barely mentioned and only in passing on page 525. The name Richard Feynman does not even appear in the Index. Due to no fault of the authors of this book, "string theory" is absent, as are broader aspects of cosmology and the relationship of the four fundamental forces. The preceding are a few glaring examples of omissions that caught my eye, as a non-physicist. A trained modern physicist would likely point out others. Physics consists of much more than the contributions of Isaac Newton. I recommend this book and this edition only as a competent reference for classical Newtonian physics. It is not representative of the entire field of physics - not even at an introductory level. The importance of teaching physics well in high school cannot be understated as it is the foundational science on which both chemistry and biology rest. Without physics, there is no chemistry or biology.