Physics for Scientists and Engineers [Import] [Paperback]

Raymond A. Serway (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 1568 pages
• Publisher: Thomson Learning (October 2, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0534409490
• ISBN-13: 978-0534409494
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.7 x 2.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,903,046 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good introductory text, June 24, 2004

By 

M. Salem "nickname1746" (Pasadena, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Physics for Scientists and Engineers (with PhysicsNOW and InfoTrac ) (Hardcover)

This was the required text for a course I TAed. I found the text useful for preparing my own lectures, as it often reminded me of ideas I would have 'taken for granted' among my students, although I found derivations often uncompelling and examples often glossing over subtle points. Also, examples and homework problems seemed predominantly to explore only straightforward applications of course concepts. I imagine, however, that many students at this level (freshmen bio, geo, and non-science majors) would prefer this kind of treatment, which is why, considering also this text's clarity and simplicity of presentation, I gave the above four star rating.

Students who consider themselves more analytically inclined would be wise to consult instead Purcell. In fewer words Purcell describes E&M more clearly and more completely, with interesting examples and homework problems which evoke a fuller understanding of the theory.

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Mixed Reception, September 17, 2005

By 

Dance Ham "Dane Harmon" (Tampa, FL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Physics for Scientists and Engineers (with PhysicsNOW and InfoTrac ) (Hardcover)

This book has its ups and downs.

Like another reviewer mentioned, this book is very verbose and unnecessarily full of pictures that are not helpful.

Concepts are often very poorly worded. Just because I'm an EE undergrad doesn't mean I like to decipher sentences that appear to be paragraphs at first glance. After 4 commas, two dashes, and a colon, I no longer have any interest in net-torque on a cylinder. A subtitle of "for scientists and engineers" is not an excuse to write in indecipherable technical terms.

There are easier ways to explain things.

Ultimately, I think this book fails for the same reason most physics books and professors fail: it is written by and for people with a natural gift for physics. For the other 98% of the world, it might as well be greek.

While a thorough reference and good guide for physically-inclined folk, this is a very difficult book for first year undergrads to use.

I would opt for a different textbook if I had the chance.

23 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Verbose and not precise writing, August 25, 2005

By 

Phil H (City of Los Angeles) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Physics for Scientists and Engineers (with PhysicsNOW and InfoTrac ) (Hardcover)

When Serway and Jewett confuse me, I read an older Physics book that I have. For an expensive scientific textbook, I would expect less ambiguous writing. Perhaps I am too critical when reading.

A quick example in chapter 20: " . . .we explore more details about heat as a means of energy transfer and consider two other transfer methods that are often related to temperature changes - convection ( a form of matter transfer) and electromagnetic radiation." At first, I thought convection and radiation might be another form of energy transfer that is not heat nor work. I really don't know what they are trying to say. Latter in the section they say radiation is the transfer of energy.

I waste hours in each chapter trying to decipher the ambiguity. Also, The mixture of text with resolving equations is tedious. I would rather have the concepts explained and then have the equations derived. I would rather spend less money and receive less color printing. Most of the color pictures are a waste of space; I think about all of the superfluous pictures and verbose text whenever I lift this heavy book. On the plus side, the quick quizzes are helpful. I bookmark the answer page and check my progress of understanding as I read the chapter.