* Free * Physics Textbook - Downloadable

[Analog]

Warning: 19MB PDF File

The text is free - under two conditions: that (1) you do not charge money to others for anything containing any part of the text and that (2) you send a feedback email to fb @ motion mountain . net (without the spaces) with your comments on the sections you looked at. In return, I will answer every mail with questions or suggestions; for a mail with good suggestions you will be mentioned in the acknowledgments or receive a reward - or both. The text is copyright © Christoph Schiller 1997 - 2005. You are not allowed to charge money for anything containing any part of this text; it was and remains free for everybody. All rights are reserved. Commercial reproduction, distribution, or use, in whole or in part, is not allowed without the written consent of the copyright owner.

I have posted this in years past - and is a great addition to any student (or faculty member such as yours truly). Yes, this is a repost, but a new edition and the old posts have been archived.

You can download only the chapters that interest you, if 19MB is too much to swallow.

Enjoy.



Here

edit: This is a science book, and I have nothing to do with the author etc. His writing style is entertaining, but doesn't skimp on the details. It is calc based, from what I've read, here is a screenshot of a page from general relativity.

screen shot

:beer:

 

[emeraldsky]

Thanks OP.

 

[mwmorph]

thx. needed to polish up on my physics anyway.

 

[2Xtreme21]

Definitely not your typical physics book. It mostly covers physics by "perception" rather than the laws of physics.

 

[Darknight]

Originally posted by: 2Xtreme21
Definitely not your typical physics book. It mostly covers physics by "perception" rather than the laws of physics.

Say what? Is this one of those pseudo-science books from the Scientologists or something?

 

[VooDooAddict]

Originally posted by: Darknight

Originally posted by: 2Xtreme21
Definitely not your typical physics book. It mostly covers physics by "perception" rather than the laws of physics.

Say what? Is this one of those pseudo-science books from the Scientologists or something?

Please clarify ... i was about to download it.

 

[Trevelyan]

" In an entertaining and challenging way, with little mathematics, the text introduces thermodynamics, special and general relativity, electrodynamics, quantum theory, quantum field theory and modern unification attempts."

 

[TechnoKid]

Damn, its [pratically] non-calc based, wont help me much in college.

 

[Trevelyan]

Originally posted by: TechnoKid
Damn, its [pratically] non-calc based, wont help me much in college.

Yeah, but maybe a good brush up on theory for some?

 

[Analog]

TABLE OF CONTENTS
(The links below are to the separate chapter files; for file sizes and for the full book file, see the Text & Search page.)

1 An appetiser 25
FIRST PART Classical Physics - How Do Things and Images Move? 29
Chapter I Galilean Motion 30
2 Why care about motion? 30
3 Galilean physics - motion in everyday life 41
4 Global descriptions of classical motion - the simplicity of complexity 146
5 From the limitations of Galilean physics to the limits of motion 218
Chapter II Special Relativity 227
6 The speed of light and the observer at rest 227
Chapter III Gravitation and Relativity 288
7 Maximum force: a simple principle encompassing general relativity 288
8 The new ideas on space, time and gravity 312
9 Motion in general relativity - bent light and wobbling vacuum 330
10 Why can we see the stars? - Motion in the universe 365
11 Does space differ from time? 399
12 Black holes - falling forever 405
13 General relativity in ten points - a summary for the layman 417
Chapter IV Classical Electrodynamics 432
14 Liquid electricity and invisible fields 432
15 What is light? 462
16 Charges are discrete - the limits of classical electrodynamics 483
17 Electromagnetic effects and challenges 484
18 Classical physics in a nutshell - one and a half steps out of three 509
Intermezzo
The Brain, Language, and the Human Condition
523

SECOND PART Quantum Theory - What Is Matter? What Are Interactions? 589
Chapter V Quanta of Light and Matter 590
19 Minimum action - quantum theory for poets and lawyers 590
20 Light - the strange consequences of the quantum of action 602
21 Motion of matter - beyond classical physics 618
22 Colours and other interactions between light and matter 632
Chapter VI Permutation of Particles 648
23 Are particles like cond-oms? 656
24 Rotations and statistics - visualising spin 658
Chapter VII Details on Quantum Theory and Electromagnetism 667
25 Superpositions and probabilities - quantum theory without ideology 667
26 Applications of quantum mechanics - life, pleasure and the means to achieve them 688
27 Quantum electrodynamics - the origin of virtual reality 713
28 Quantum mechanics with gravitation - first approaches 724
Chapter VIII Inside the Nucleus 747
29 The structure of the nucleus - the densest clouds 747
30 The strong nuclear interaction and the birth of matter 767
31 The weak nuclear interaction and the handedness of nature 778
32 The standard model of elementary particle physics - as seen on television 781
33 Grand unification - a naive dream 782
Chapter IX Advanced Quantum Theory (not yet available) 788
Chapter X Quantum Physics in a Nutshell 789
Intermezzo
Bacteria, Flies and Knots
804

THIRD PART Motion Without Motion What Are Space, Time, and Particles? 824
Chapter XI General Relativity Versus Quantum Mechanics 825
34 Does matter differ from vacuum? 827
35 Nature at large scales - is the universe something or nothing? 858
36 The physics of love - a summary of the first two and a half parts 880
37 Maximum force and minimum distance - physics in limit statements 890
38 The shape of points 917
Chapter XII Strings and M-Theory (not yet available) 947
Chapter XIII
The Top of the Mountain (not yet available)
948

APPENDICES 949
Appendix A Notation and Conventions 950
Appendix B Units, Measurements, and Constants 960
Appendix C Particle Properties 977
Appendix D Numbers and Spaces 995
Appendix E Information Sources on Motion 1023
Appendix F Challenge Hints and Solutions 1029
Appendix G List of Figures 1067
Appendix H List of Tables 1077
Appendix I Subject and Name Index 1080

 

[kaymin]

Let's just say it's not college level Physics. Where's the mutual inductance?

 

[RideFree]

Originally posted by: yellowfiero
Thanks!

YF, yet another in a long list of memorable threads or worthy posts that you have contributed over the years.

Also, this couldn't come at a better time as I was about to do some research on angular momentum, more from the practical angle as opposed to the math. Looks like I don't even have to search for any old text books.

As a bit of humor, I note the following deficiencies or speculative stuff in the tome...

Advanced Quantum Theory (Not yet Available)
Chapter XII Strings and M-theory (Not yet Available)
Chapter XIII The Top of the Mountain (Not yet Available)

Come to think of it, I'm not ready for "M" theory just yet.
Coming to grips with The Big Bang regularly being originated by the collision of membranes is too much for me. I'm going back to my Holographic Universe!

 

[Analog]

Originally posted by: RideFree

Originally posted by: yellowfiero
Thanks!

YF, yet another in a long list of memorable threads or worthy posts that you have contributed over the years.

Also, this couldn't come at a better time as I was about to do some research on angular momentum, more from the practical angle as opposed to the math. Looks like I don't even have to search for any old text books.

As a bit of humor, I note the following deficiencies or speculative stuff in the tome...

Advanced Quantum Theory (Not yet Available)
Chapter XII Strings and M-theory (Not yet Available)
Chapter XIII The Top of the Mountain (Not yet Available)

Come to think of it, I'm not ready for "M" theory just yet.
Coming to grips with The Big Bang regularly being originated by the collision of membranes is too much for me. I'm going back to my Holographic Universe!

Cool!

Thanks for the comments - BTW, I like your handle!

:beer:

 

[Hulk]

Originally posted by: kaymin
Let's just say it's not college level Physics. Where's the mutual inductance?

What do you want to know about mutual inductance? Current induced in one element produces same but smaller reverse direction effect on primary inductor.

 

[kaymin]

Originally posted by: Hulk

Originally posted by: kaymin
Let's just say it's not college level Physics. Where's the mutual inductance?

What do you want to know about mutual inductance? Current induced in one element produces same but smaller reverse direction effect on primary inductor.

My 'university physics' textbook devotes an entire chapter on inductance. I'm just saying you won't get college level infomration from that book. It's more like a magazine then a textbook.

 

[weepul]

saw this posted years ago. actually saved a copy. never really opened or used it tho. hehe.

//krunk (^_^x)

 

[hytek369]

thanks

 

[DaiShan]

Originally posted by: Trevelyan

Originally posted by: TechnoKid
Damn, its [pratically] non-calc based, wont help me much in college.

Yeah, but maybe a good brush up on theory for some?

Good for me, I'm a finance major and will never be taking another math or science class, so this is a good read for me

 

[happyshopping007]

good, thanks op :gift:

 

[fbrdphreak]

Bah, who needs physics? You drop something, it hits the ground eventually. <---All the physics u need
j/k, thanks OP

 

[Smokin Gunn]

:thumbsup:

 

[fitzov]

Speculative stuff? Well, since string theory is more coherent than general relativity, mathematically, then I guess it's good to be speculative.

 

[OgreFade]

Dl'd it

 

[RideFree]

Originally posted by: fitzov
Speculative stuff? Well, since string theory is more coherent than general relativity, mathematically, then I guess it's good to be speculative.

You will find that I never did quite agree with Einstein and while I find string theory to be a potential panacea, both M theory and it's subsets still leave too many unanswered questions.

 

[fitzov]

Originally posted by: RideFree

Originally posted by: fitzov
Speculative stuff? Well, since string theory is more coherent than general relativity, mathematically, then I guess it's good to be speculative.

You will find that I never did quite agree with Einstein and while I find string theory to be a potential panacea, both M theory and it's subsets still leave too many unanswered questions.

From my infantile understanding of the issue the benefits of string theory are that it can (mathematically) account for: gravity, electro-magnetism, and the weak and strong nuclear forces; while relativity, on the other hand can only account for the gravitational force (Quantum mechanics being used for all the others). The downside of string theory is that it currently cannot yield falsifiable hypotheses and is, therefore, considered unscientific.