Physics I For Dummies

Introduction 1

Part 1: Putting Physics into Motion 5

Chapter 1: Using Physics to Understand Your World 7

Chapter 2: Reviewing Physics Measurement and Math Fundamentals 15

Chapter 3: Exploring the Need for Speed 29

Chapter 4: Following Directions: Motion in Two Dimensions 53

Part 2: May the Forces of Physics Be with You 79

Chapter 5: When Push Comes to Shove: Force 81

Chapter 6: Getting Down with Gravity, Inclined Planes, and Friction 101

Chapter 7: Circling Around Rotational Motion and Orbits 119

Chapter 8: Go with the Flow: Looking at Pressure in Fluids 141

Part 3: Manifesting the Energy to Work 165

Chapter 9: Getting Some Work Out of Physics 167

Chapter 10: Putting Objects in Motion: Momentum and Impulse 191

Chapter 11: Winding Up with Angular Kinetics 211

Chapter 12: Round and Round with Rotational Dynamics 237

Chapter 13: Springs 'n' Things: Simple Harmonic Motion 255

Part 4: Laying Down the Laws of Thermodynamics 273

Chapter 14: Turning Up the Heat with Thermodynamics 275

Chapter 15: Here, Take My Coat: How Heat Is Transferred 291

Chapter 16: In the Best of All Possible Worlds: The Ideal Gas Law 307

Chapter 17: Heat and Work: The Laws of Thermodynamics 319

Part 5: The Part of Tens 349

Chapter 18: Ten Physics Heroes 351

Chapter 19: Ten Wild Physics Theories 357

Glossary 365

Index 369



ntroduction 1

Part 1: Putting Physics into Motion 5

Chapter 1: Using Physics to Understand Your World 7

Chapter 2: Reviewing Physics Measurement and Math Fundamentals 15

Chapter 3: Exploring the Need for Speed 29

Chapter 4: Following Directions: Motion in Two Dimensions 53

Part 2: May the Forces of Physics Be with You 79

Chapter 5: When Push Comes to Shove: Force 81

Chapter 6: Getting Down with Gravity, Inclined Planes, and Friction 101

Chapter 7: Circling Around Rotational Motion and Orbits 119

Chapter 8: Go with the Flow: Looking at Pressure in Fluids 141

Part 3: Manifesting the Energy to Work 165

Chapter 9: Getting Some Work Out of Physics 167

Chapter 10: Putting Objects in Motion: Momentum and Impulse 191

Chapter 11: Winding Up with Angular Kinetics 211

Chapter 12: Round and Round with Rotational Dynamics 237

Chapter 13: Springs 'n' Things: Simple Harmonic Motion 255

Part 4: Laying Down the Laws of Thermodynamics 273

Chapter 14: Turning Up the Heat with Thermodynamics 275

Chapter 15: Here, Take My Coat: How Heat Is Transferred 291

Chapter 16: In the Best of All Possible Worlds: The Ideal Gas Law 307

Chapter 17: Heat and Work: The Laws of Thermodynamics 319

Part 5: The Part of Tens 349

Chapter 18: Ten Physics Heroes 351

Chapter 19: Ten Wild Physics Theories 357

Glossary 365

Index 369