As a physicist, understanding how things work is part of my nature. While there are many books out there that introduce physics, I have been in search of something more advanced. In this article, I will provide some recommendations for resources that dive deep into everyday phenomena on the basis of physical laws and formulas.
1. “The Physics of Everyday Phenomena” by W. Thomas Griffith and Juliet Brosing
This book is an excellent resource for anyone looking to understand the physics behind everyday phenomena. The authors start with basic concepts such as motion, force, and energy, and then delve into more complex topics like optics, sound, electricity, and magnetism. Each chapter contains numerous examples and exercises that help to reinforce the concepts.
The book is also filled with colorful illustrations and diagrams that make it easy to visualize the concepts. What sets this book apart is the authors’ emphasis on applying physical laws and formulas to real-world scenarios. For example, they use the laws of thermodynamics and fluid mechanics to explain how refrigerators and air conditioners work. They also explain how noise-cancelling headphones reduce ambient noise by using destructive interference.
One of the key formulas covered in the book is the change in entropy formula shown above. This formula is used to explain how the process of refrigeration works, and how it requires energy to transfer heat from a cold region to a hot region.
2. “The Essence of Electricity and Magnetism” by Shoham Sheps
This book is a great resource for anyone interested in understanding the fundamental principles of electricity and magnetism. The author does an excellent job of explaining complex concepts in a clear and concise manner. He starts by introducing the basic concepts of electric charge, electric field, and electric potential, and then builds upon these concepts to explain more complex phenomena such as capacitance, inductance, and electromagnetic waves.
The author also provides numerous examples and exercises throughout the book, which help to reinforce the concepts. He also includes numerous diagrams and illustrations that help to visualize the concepts.
One of the key formulas covered in the book is Gauss’s law, which is shown above. This formula is used to calculate the electric field due to a given charge distribution. It is an important formula for understanding how electric fields are created and how they interact with charges.
3. “Classical Mechanics” by Herbert Goldstein
This book is an excellent resource for anyone interested in understanding classical mechanics. The author starts with basic concepts such as Newton’s laws and then builds upon these concepts to explain more complex phenomena such as Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics, rigid body motion, and celestial mechanics.
The book is filled with numerous examples and exercises that help to reinforce the concepts. It also includes numerous diagrams and illustrations that make it easy to visualize the concepts.
One of the key formulas covered in the book is Newton’s second law, which is shown above. This formula is used to calculate the acceleration of a given object given its mass and the force acting upon it. It is an important formula for understanding how objects move and interact with each other.
Conclusion
If you are a physicist looking to dive deep into the physics behind everyday phenomena, I recommend checking out the resources mentioned above. These resources cover a wide range of topics and provide numerous examples and exercises to help reinforce the concepts. They also use physical laws and formulas to explain real-world scenarios, making it easy to see how the physics is applied in everyday life.
Everyday Phenomena For Physicists
Everyday Phenomena for Physicists
As a physicist, understanding how things work is part of my nature. While there are many books out there that introduce physics, I have been in search of something more advanced. In this article, I will provide some recommendations for resources that dive deep into everyday phenomena on the basis of physical laws and formulas.
1. “The Physics of Everyday Phenomena” by W. Thomas Griffith and Juliet Brosing
This book is an excellent resource for anyone looking to understand the physics behind everyday phenomena. The authors start with basic concepts such as motion, force, and energy, and then delve into more complex topics like optics, sound, electricity, and magnetism. Each chapter contains numerous examples and exercises that help to reinforce the concepts.
The book is also filled with colorful illustrations and diagrams that make it easy to visualize the concepts. What sets this book apart is the authors’ emphasis on applying physical laws and formulas to real-world scenarios. For example, they use the laws of thermodynamics and fluid mechanics to explain how refrigerators and air conditioners work. They also explain how noise-cancelling headphones reduce ambient noise by using destructive interference.
One of the key formulas covered in the book is the change in entropy formula shown above. This formula is used to explain how the process of refrigeration works, and how it requires energy to transfer heat from a cold region to a hot region.
2. “The Essence of Electricity and Magnetism” by Shoham Sheps
This book is a great resource for anyone interested in understanding the fundamental principles of electricity and magnetism. The author does an excellent job of explaining complex concepts in a clear and concise manner. He starts by introducing the basic concepts of electric charge, electric field, and electric potential, and then builds upon these concepts to explain more complex phenomena such as capacitance, inductance, and electromagnetic waves.
The author also provides numerous examples and exercises throughout the book, which help to reinforce the concepts. He also includes numerous diagrams and illustrations that help to visualize the concepts.
One of the key formulas covered in the book is Gauss’s law, which is shown above. This formula is used to calculate the electric field due to a given charge distribution. It is an important formula for understanding how electric fields are created and how they interact with charges.
3. “Classical Mechanics” by Herbert Goldstein
This book is an excellent resource for anyone interested in understanding classical mechanics. The author starts with basic concepts such as Newton’s laws and then builds upon these concepts to explain more complex phenomena such as Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics, rigid body motion, and celestial mechanics.
The book is filled with numerous examples and exercises that help to reinforce the concepts. It also includes numerous diagrams and illustrations that make it easy to visualize the concepts.
One of the key formulas covered in the book is Newton’s second law, which is shown above. This formula is used to calculate the acceleration of a given object given its mass and the force acting upon it. It is an important formula for understanding how objects move and interact with each other.
Conclusion
If you are a physicist looking to dive deep into the physics behind everyday phenomena, I recommend checking out the resources mentioned above. These resources cover a wide range of topics and provide numerous examples and exercises to help reinforce the concepts. They also use physical laws and formulas to explain real-world scenarios, making it easy to see how the physics is applied in everyday life.