Joy of Physics

by Arthur W. Wiggins, Sidney Harris (Illustrator)

For those who have always wanted to discover the joy of physics, this is the book that they've been waiting for. Many people remember their struggles with the topic in high school and have wished for the right opportunity to gain an appreciation of this significant area of knowledge. Now is their chance not only to understand physics, but to do physics.

Physics professor and popular science writer Arthur W. Wiggins provides the general reader with a fun-filled, entertaining, and truly educational tour of this all-important science. What makes the study of physics so worthwhile? Wiggins says that, despite its reputation for difficulty, physics has an enormously ambitious goal, which appeals to people's innate curiosity: to understand the workings of the entire universe, from the smallest quarks to the largest galaxies. Learning and comprehending as much as we can about the inner and outer workings of the universe is what evokes the joy of physics.

Taking a hands-on approach, he invites the reader to share the joy. Easy, practical experiments pepper the book and connect the ideas of physics with the reality of the universe. The yo-yo, flying disc, shake flashlight, laser pointer, LED, and even a microwave experiment with an edible result add to the fun. Understanding and enjoyment go hand in hand as the whole enterprise of physics is explored, explained, and illustrated with clear, recognizable examples and with good humor. Explanations of motion, energy, sound, electricity, and magnetism lead to intriguing discussions of such groundbreaking ideas as relativity, quarks, string theory, and dark energy.

Complete with lively, memorable cartoons by Sidney Harris--America's premier science cartoonist--The Joy of Physics reveals the inherent fun, intellectual pleasure, and supreme importance of a subject that we can now finally tackle and enjoy.

Genres: Physics, Science, Nonfiction, Reference

472 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 2007

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fared poorly in physics in high school and avoided the subject altogether at university due to my arithmophobia. As an adult, I have developed a fascination for more of the sciences -- microbiology, epidemiology, psycho-neurology, toxicology -- but have steered a course well clear of physics for half a century. Yet physics is all about how stuff works and how stuff works is really interesting. Along came Arthur W. Wiggins, a professor of physics emeritus, and met the need. He wrote a book about physics for people who don't want to become mired in pushing numbers through the equations. He uses the stories of some of the great physicists -- Newton, Bernoulli, Tesla, Einstein, Feynman --
to engage the reader in the development of knowledge. And it has cartoons! By the end of my reading, I am at least calling things by their proper names (e.g. the difference between force and work) and have some elementary grasp of why boats don't sink, why gasses disperse, and why the olive oil floats atop the vinegar until you stir the hell out of it. You knew I'd bring this around to food in some way, didn't you?

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just won a copy of "The Joy of Physics" by Arthur Wiggins! I am thrilled! Can't wait to read it! I will post a reivew also. Thank you-thank you!

I received my (SIGNED) copy of The Joy of Physics. The post off did their level best to mangle the package and then re-wrapped everything in a plastice bag. The book is mostly alright and hopefully all of the tools for the experiments are there.

Thank you for the book. I look forward to reading it and as I work for a community college was thrilled to see a connection there also. I took a beginning physics class a couple of years ago for fun and think this will be a great continuation.

This book is fun! I roped family members into the first two experiments and after reading chapter one decided "hey, I have a couple of dogs, a house and a lot of rope--let's see what my seven year-old grandson and I can do with illustrating dog position/displacement/acceleration etc." We had a great time. I think he got the basic concepts and we both are still laughing.

I very much enjoyed this book and will pass it on to a friend who teaches Geology and Physics.

[Gary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like it more than I actually did, and I certainly didn't hate it. There was something sincere and homegrown (?) about it that made it charming, and the author seems like a really cool guy, which is why it just seems mean to say anything negative about the book. Not a great endorsement, but at only 20 bucks I certainly don't regret buying it. There are many worse ways to spend 20 dollars than on something which I'm sure I'm at least a little smarter for having read.

[Arthur Wiggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not really cricket to rate your own book, but this one could be a great help to someone taking a physics class, or who just wants to know what physics has been able to figure out about this universe in which we find ourselves.

[Chris M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read that combines history, physics and math in a way that is not dry or boring. This is a book that you can either read linearly or bounce around from different topics.

[Ken · Rating 3 out of 5]

easy review for those who took and enjoyed Physics in the past, but still not a quick read for the non-techie.

short biographies of the physicists are interesting, too bad not much was elaborated (not expected for this kind of book) on the hypothesis that Newton' laws were invented by Hooke and how Newton spent his life making Hooke's life miserable....still sent a chill to my spine thinking if that may be true - it'd be the biggest lie behind the major discovery in science.

[Sheri Fresonke Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Joy of Physics by Arthur W. Wiggins provides the fun my high school teacher provided in a small compact book that is short on lecture. The concepts are laid out with the necessary formulas for calculating problems with a simple explanation, combined with easy to do at home experiments, cartoons, and practical applications.

Here's the full review:
http://www.compulsivereader.com/html/...

[R. Kitchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. For me, it was a physics primer. I never took a physics class, per se, and it's been over a year since I took any science or math classes. Some of the math I got from the written explanation, and some went over my head. However, I feel I really did gain a better understanding and affinity for physics overall because I read this book.

[Steve Schlutow · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book as an alternative resource book.. The explanations and possible experiments are just other examples to teach the subject.. I came across this book, and as a physics teacher, I cannot have enough examples..

[Fabio Osorio · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. In my opinion, Wiggins explains concepts in a pablum way. It's really easy to understand. Besides, the mini-biographies were highly entertaining.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book is easy to read, understand, comprehend, and makes sense...I like to learn things...I just don't have the time to get more into it right now

[D.L. Morrese · Rating 3 out of 5]

An overview of physics, with short biographies, a bit of history, and experiments.... It would make a great textbook for a high school or college freshman physics class.