WITH A NEW BONUS STUDY GUIDE!
"...makes genuine fun out of rigorous science....Wiggins's friendly, stress-free approach will teach readers how to measure, observe and calculate, and he enriches his study with short history lessons and biographies of physics pioneers....With the exception of chapters on nuclear and astrophysics, each chapter contains quick-and-easy experiments....Clever cartoons by Sydney Harris and quotes from such worthies as Jeff Foxworthy provide laugh-out-loud moments, while the very human travails of pioneers like Tesla and Bernoulli remind us that life (and science) is seldom easy, even for geniuses. A welcome volume, Wiggins's gentle but thorough text could do much to quell perennial student bellyaching over introductory physics courses."
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
"The joy, excitement, and humor that inspired generations of Professor Wiggins's college students radiates from this volume .... Wiggins's approach, based on solid, practical applications, is empirical: he leads readers through the classic experiments simplified, easily displaying the associated math and explaining fundamental issues with clear and engaging prose.... Readers with little background will move readily through the text; more advanced readers will welcome the succinct overview....Art Wiggins's book is a welcome addition to the bookshelf of science for everyman."
MICHAEL G. CROW, Ph.D.
Director, Institutional Research & Planning
Savannah State University
" 'Joy' and 'physics' aren't two words that are often associated with one another. Arthur Wiggins's book, though, is just plain fun."
JAMES TREFIL, Clarence J. Robinson Professor of Physics
George Mason University
Co-author of The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy
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. This new paperback edition includes a new study guide useful for teachers and self-learners.
Readers interested in a series of provocative questions that reinforce this book's ideas on a chapter-by-chapter basis should visit www.TheJoyofPhysics.com.
FURTHER PRAISE FOR THE JOY OF PHYSICS:
"Like a master chef, Arthur Wiggins has put together a potpourri of common ingredients with his zest for experiment to create a feast of physics. In page after page Arthur shares his love of the universe, making clear and understandable the physical phenomena we encounter in our everyday lives. If you've ever been dazzled by lightning, amazed by a rainbow, or captured by a song on the radio, then this book is for you. The Joy of Physics will bring you just a little closer to what's cooking in our incredible universe."
DAVE STODDARD, Professor of Physics and Astronomy
Oakland Community College, Farmington Hills, MI
"The upfront experiments give the reader a common background, and create a willingness to engage the concepts behind the experiments. The content of each chapter is concise and easily understandable. Within his concise presentation, he offers a wealth of informative/interesting tidbits that serve to solidify and broaden the reader's understanding. Art's style is engaging, thus enjoyable. Excellent!!!"
DR. GLENNIS EDGE CUNNINGHAM
Assistant Professor of Teacher Education
Texas A& M University - Corpus Christi
"Some people wouldn't think of linking joy and phyiscs, but this book demonstrates that connection better than any book I've seen. It reveals the inner workings of physics in a way that should appeal to non-scientists as well as scientists."
DR. CHARLES M. WYNN SR., Professor of Chemistry
Eastern Connecticut State University
Book Binding: Paperback
Pages: 466 (illustrations)
ISBN: 978-1-61614-453-1
Shipping Weight: 1lbs
Author Bio:
Arthur W. Wiggins (Bloomfield Hills, MI), is the coauthor, with Charles M. Wynn, of the critically acclaimed The Five Biggest Ideas in Science, Quantum Leaps in the Wrong Direction, The Five Biggest Unsolved Problems in Science, and the textbook Natural Science: Bridging the Gaps. Wiggins is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Physics, Oakland Community College.
