41 Physics
Advanced Library Skills for Physics Research
Lauren Stieglitz (University of Alberta Library)
2020
Licence: CC BY
Literature searching and information evaluation for upper level undergraduates and Master’s students, from the University of Alberta Library.
Formats: Online, PDF
All Things Flow: Fluid Mechanics for the Natural Sciences
W.D. Smyth (Oregon State University)
2019
Licence: CC BY-NC
This book began as lecture notes for an Oregon State University course in fluid mechanics, designed for beginning graduate students in physical oceanography. Because of its fundamental nature, this course is often taken by students outside physical oceanography, e.g., atmospheric science, civil engineering, physics and mathematics.
Formats: PDF
Suggested for: PHYS 204, PHYS 205
Applications of Maxwell’s Equations
John F. Cochran and Bretislav Heinrich (Simon Fraser University)
2020
Licence: CC BY
This book was developed at Simon Fraser University for an upper-level physics course. Along with a careful exposition of electricity and magnetism, it devotes a chapter to ferromagnets.
Formats: PDF
BCIT Physics 0312 Textbook
Charles Hooge (BCIT)
Licence: CC BY
An adaptation of OpenStax’s College Physics for courses at the British Columbia Institute of Technology. College Physics is organized such that topics are introduced conceptually with a steady progression to precise definitions and analytical applications. The analytical aspect (problem solving) is tied back to the conceptual before moving on to another topic. Each introductory chapter, for example, opens with an engaging photograph relevant to the subject of the chapter and interesting applications that are easy for most students to visualize.
Formats: Online, PDF
Suggested for: PHYS 200, PHYS 201, PHYS 202
Body Physics: Motion to Metabolism
Lawrence Davis
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA
Body Physics sticks to the basic functioning of the human body, from motion to metabolism, as a common theme through which fundamental physics topics are introduced.
Formats: Online, PDF, EPUB, and more
BSc Optics
Sander Konijnenberg, Aurèle J.L. Adam, and H. Paul Urbach (Delft University of Technology)
2021
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA
This book treats optics at the level of students in the later stage of their bachelor or the beginning of their master. It is assumed that the student is familiar with Maxwell’s equations. Although the book takes account of the fact that optics is part of electromagnetism, special emphasis is put on the usefulness of approximate models of optics, their hierarchy and limits of validity. Approximate models such as geometrical optics and paraxial geometrical optics are treated extensively and applied to image formation by the human eye, the microscope and the telescope.
Format: PDF
College Physics
Paul Peter Urone (California State University), Roger Hinrichs (SUNY at Oswego), and Kim Dirks (University of Auckland) (OpenStax)
2012
Licence: CC BY
This introductory, algebra-based, two-semester college physics book is grounded with real-world examples, illustrations, and explanations to help students grasp key, fundamental physics concepts. This online, fully editable and customizable title includes ample practice opportunities to solve traditional physics application problems.
Formats: Online and PDF
Suggested for: PHYS 200, PHYS 201, PHYS 202
Detectors in Particle Physics
Georg Viehhauser and Tony Weidberg
2024
Licence: CC BY
This textbook provides an accessible yet comprehensive introduction to detectors in particle physics. It emphasises the core physics principles, enabling a deeper understanding of the subject for further and more advanced studies. In addition to the discussion of the underlying detector physics, another aspiration of this book is to introduce the reader to practically important aspects of particle detectors, like electronics, alignment, calibration and simulation of particle detectors. Case studies of the various applications of detectors in particle physics are provided. The primary audience is graduate students in particle or nuclear physics, in addition to advanced undergraduate students in physics.
Formats: PDF
Introduction to Electricity, Magnetism, and Circuits
Samuel J. Ling, Jeff Sanny, William Moebs, and Daryl Janzen (University of Saskatchewan)
2018
Licence: CC BY
This textbook emphasizes connections between theory and application, making physics concepts interesting and accessible to students while maintaining the mathematical rigour inherent in the subject. Frequent, strong examples focus on how to approach a problem, how to work with the equations, and how to check and generalize the result.
Formats: Online, EPUB, PDF, MOBI, and more
Introductory Physics: Building Models to Describe Our World
Ryan D. Martin, Emma Neary, Joshua Rinaldo, and Olivia Woodman (Queen’s University)
Licence: CC BY-SA
This is an open ACCESS textbook for calculus-based introductory physics courses. The textbook is specifically intended for a flipped-classroom approach, wherein students complete readings at home and the material is then discussed in class.
Formats:
Suggested for: PHYS 200, PHYS 201, PHYS 202
Mechanics
Ben Crowell (Fullerton College)
2017
Licence: CC BY-SA
This is a calculus-based book meant for the first semester of a first-year survey course taken by engineering and physical science majors. It has a traditional order of topics whereby force is discussed before energy. It is divided into 17 chapters that cover a review of high school physics, scaling and estimation, vectors, velocity, acceleration, forces, circular motion, gravity, conservation of energy, work, conservation of momentum and angular momentum, vibrations, and resonance. A treatment of relativity is interspersed with the Newtonian mechanics, in optional sections.
Formats: Online and PDF
Physics 132: What is an Electron? What is Light?
Roger Hinrichs, Paul Peter Urone, Paul Flowers, Edward J. Neth, William R. Robinson, Klaus Theopold, Richard Langley, Julianne Zedalis, John Eggebrecht, and E.F. Redish (UMass Amherst)
2020
Licence: CC BY
A second-semester introductory physics course for life sciences students that looks to deepen students’ understanding of biology and chemistry through physics all through the lens of understanding two of the most fundamental particles in the Universe: electrons and photons. The book begins with exploring the quantum mechanical nature of these objects to expand on what students have learned in chemistry and then proceeds to geometric optics (using the human eye as a theme), electrostatics (using membrane potentials), circuits (using the neuron), and finally synthesizing everything in a unit exploring the meaning of “light is an electromagnetic wave.”
Formats: Online, EPUB, PDF, and HTML
Relativity Lite: A Pictorial Translation of Einstein’s Theories of Motion and Gravity
Jack C. Straton (Portland State University)
2020
Licence: CC BY-NC
Relativity Lite is designed for the General Astronomy sequence (PH 361-2U, SCI 315-6U) whose primary book glosses over Special Relativity and General Relativity while trying to explain the Cosmology that is based on those subjects. Relativity Lite translates the mathematical equations conventional relativity texts rely upon into pictures that are readily understood and contain within them the mathematical essentials. This book provides the comprehensive coverage needed to understand, in sufficient depth, these three linked areas of our reality. Readers seeking this knowledge on their own, and those in other courses for nonscientists, may also find it helpful.
Formats: Online and PDF
Spiral Physics
Paul D’Alessandris (Monroe Community College)
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA
Spiral Physics is a research-based introductory physics curriculum developed at Monroe Community College. It integrates text and workbook activities in a modular fashion, and arranges topics so that students receive repeated exposure to concepts with increased complexity.
Formats: Online, PDF
University Physics I: Classical Mechanics
Julio Gea-Banacloche (University of Arkansas)
2019
Licence: CC BY-NC
This is a “minimalist” textbook for a first semester of university, calculus-based physics, covering classical mechanics (including one chapter on mechanical waves, but excluding fluids), plus a brief introduction to thermodynamics.
Formats: PDF
Suggested for: PHYS 200, PHYS 201, PHYS 202
University Physics Volume 1
Jeff Sanny (Loyola Marymount University) and Samuel Ling (Truman State University) (OpenStax)
2016
Licence: CC BY
University Physics is a three-volume collection that meets the scope and sequence requirements for two- and three-semester calculus-based physics courses. Volume 1 covers mechanics, sound, oscillations, and waves. This textbook emphasizes connections between theory and application, making physics concepts interesting and accessible to students while maintaining the mathematical rigor inherent in the subject. Frequent, strong examples focus on how to approach a problem, how to work with the equations, and how to check and generalize the result.
Formats: Online and PDF
Suggested for: PHYS 200, PHYS 201, PHYS 202
University Physics Volume 2
Jeff Sanny (Loyola Marymount University) and Samuel Ling (Truman State University) (OpenStax)
2016
Licence: CC BY
University Physics is a three-volume collection that meets the scope and sequence requirements for two- and three-semester calculus-based physics courses. Volume 2 covers thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism. This textbook emphasizes connections between theory and application, making physics concepts interesting and accessible to students while maintaining the mathematical rigor inherent in the subject. Frequent, strong examples focus on how to approach a problem, how to work with the equations, and how to check and generalize the result.
Formats: Online and PDF
Suggested for: PHYS 200, PHYS 201, PHYS 202
University Physics Volume 3
Jeff Sanny (Loyola Marymount University) and Samuel Ling (Truman State University) (OpenStax)
2016
Licence: CC BY
University Physics is a three-volume collection that meets the scope and sequence requirements for two- and three-semester calculus-based physics courses. Volume 3 covers optics and modern physics. This textbook emphasizes connections between between theory and application, making physics concepts interesting and accessible to students while maintaining the mathematical rigor inherent in the subject. Frequent, strong examples focus on how to approach a problem, how to work with the equations, and how to check and generalize the result.
Formats: Online and PDF