PREFACE
THIS text aims to present the essentials of Physics to college students who major particularly in science, technology, or engineering. It is intended to give a gradual and logical approach to the subject, to develop and illustrate the fundamental concepts clearly, and to afford a mastery of the basic principles of this fascinating branch of natural philosophy. To those who study Physics for its cultural value, the text should aid in developing a power of analysis that will be useful in any career.
Many years of teaching and professional experience have led the authors to devote considerable space to the subject of Mechanics, so that this initial part of the book may be found clear and understandable even by the student without previous training in Physics. The subsequent parts have been treated with more and more conciseness in keeping with the increased comprehension of the well-grounded student. This policy has been carried out also in connection with the handling of units, the inclusion of worked-out problems, and the mathematical steps in formulating the results.
The book should be found suitable for courses in which all parts of the subject are covered in one year, or for individual courses in Mechanics, Heat, Electricity and Magnetism, and Sound and Light that extend in the aggregate over longer periods. A number of the more advanced sections in the various chapters have been starred; these may be omitted in the shorter courses, but may well be used as additional assignments for the gifted student. It is expected that class work will be supplemented by demonstration lectures and laboratory experiments.
In presenting derivations of physical laws and relationships, the purpose of the proof and the course to be followed are stated before embarking upon the detailed description and mathematical processes. In working out the illustrative examples, attention is given to the units of measurement involved, and in the early part of the text the units are carried through the various steps and balanced. These details of presentation will aid the student in acquiring clarity and definiteness of thought, and should enable him to analyze and solve original problems with confidence.
The gratifying reception accorded the first edition of this book has encouraged the authors to believe that they have met, at least in part, the objectives they had sought. They have carried out the revision along the same general lines, striving for greater clarity and usefulness.