Customer Reviews

Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

I am currently in a second semester calculus-based general physics class, using Halliday's extended 6th ed., which I find to be a good text. My professor uses Knight's text as a reference and teaching tool to amplify and explain some concepts. I bought the text as a supplemental reference. This is a new text based on the principles of physics education research. Perhaps an example of the difference between the two texts might help your evaluation. Knight, in Ch. 25, uses 13 pages to cover the principles of charge, insulators, and conductors before he gets to Coulomb's Law. Halliday uses 3 pages. This chapter is introductory and foundational. Knight takes more time with the basics. I also prefer Knight's analogies, diagrams, and visualizations of concepts and mathematical explanantions. A student workbook is included. I recommend the book for the serious beginning physics student, and anyone who desires a great reference for general physics.

I purchased this book after becoming extremely disappointed with Giancoli's treatment of electromagnetism. In kind words, Giancoli is less than clear. However, Knight's treatment of the subject is remarkably clear, with an emphasis on understanding the physical concepts that describe natural phenomena. He then progresses onto describing the mathematical models that help quantify the physical concepts. Giancoli, in contrast, focuses almost entirely on the mathematical models with little discussion on why they are important. The end result is exposure to a jumble of equations without fully grasping how to apply them. Knight's book does not suffer from this ailment and offers a deeper understanding of both the qualitative and quantitative models of natural phenomena. To professors: please choose this text for next year's course; your students will thank you.

I'm taking physics for engineering at a university level, and I this book was required for the course. I found this book to be great for learning. Chapters are small and broken into easily digested chunks. The examples within the chapters can be attemped using what has been taught previously in the chapter - the examples don't try to teach new things, they just show how a particular concept can be applied (this is very useful). I found this book way better than Giancoli's physics book. This one covers theory as well as problem solving strategies.

After taking 3 semesters in college physics, I found this book to be straight to the point. Although I was not lucky enough to have this book through my education, I was able to review it for future classes. After using Woflson's book, this was a pleasant surprise. The book is upfront and get's right into it. There are no cute stories, whimsical comparisons or the like. It's a book for the professional. After each subject, there are ample examples that fully explain how they got there and what the steps are. At the end of each chapter are a full review, the concepts, the formulas and the applications. The graphics are fantastic. None of them look like something out of Dr Seuss. All of the pictures are professional and to the point with more then ample descriptions. I found the book to be slightly dimensioned in how they derived some of the equations, but overall, it's better then any I've looked at thus far. All formulas and terms are highlighted throughout the chapter. The questions at the end of each chapter are the best I've ever seen. Clear, concise, to the point and highly graphic. They leave no room for misunderstanding. This book is NOT for high schoolers, or non-majors. But, if you really want to learn physics, this is it. ( I would have given a five star if I had more to compare it by)

I am a computer science student (well, recent graduate), and am looking to sell similiar books. I used both this book and the Fundamentals of Physics by Halliday/Resnick/Walker. Frankly, I thought this book was very easy to understand (much more than Halliday/Resnick/Walker). I'm not sure how you could want to be a mechanical engineer but not do well with this book. I thought they made it very easy to understand and perhaps spent too much time re-explaining what was covered in a earlier chapters but you can easily skip those parts. A slightly more challenging book was the one by Halliday/Resnick/Walker because it relied more on calculus (at least my professor did) but it too was fairly obvious. I recommend either book.

I just finished the first of two calc-based Physics courses that I was taking at the university for my master's degree - we used Volume 1 of Knight's textbook. I have to say that I couldn't rely on this book for very good explanations on Physics concepts. The problem examples were decent, but were too simplified for the more difficult homework problems assigned in class. Also, since my professor utilized the Mastering Phsysics website for homework assignments, I found that the text didn't help much when I was trying to work on my homework problems. I relied heavily on three other textbooks (checked out from the library) and one that was purchased which I thought were excellent at assisting me with learning the concepts well and completing the homework. 1)Schaum's Outline-Physics for Engineering & Science 2)Physics for Scientists & Engineers by Serway & Jewett and 3)Physics by Resnick, Halliday and Krane.

I won't say that the Knight textbook is bad...it does an okay job but the textbook needs improvement.

By the way, I was able to complete the Phsyics course with the help of these supplements and receive an "A" in the course.

The book does a wonderful job of explaining how concepts taught in previous chapters are used to derive new concepts. The book sometimes over-explains concepts, however that's a much better fault than not explaining enough.

I read about half of the E&M chapters (E&M tending to be more difficult conceptually than Mechanics) and Knight was incredibly lucid in its explanations. Where Halliday/Resnick left me completely confused and unsatisfied with their random assertions about Gauss' Law, Knight built it up step by step, carefully explaining each, leaving me with a very deep understanding of the concepts. I aced that test.

If you want a bunch of plug and chug formulas and nothing else, look elsewhere. But if you actually have the capacity and the desire to understand, this book will do you loads of good.

Randall Knight (the author) really has a keen understanding of where students go astray when learning physical concepts. He patiently explains with words all the key steps as opposed to just finding a numerical solution (and then assuming everyone understands it). Unlike many other physics text authors, Knight does not use mathematics like a crutch and Knight does not fall into the trap of too little mathematics. There are many excellently crafted problems that IF USED PROPERLY, can really advance student understanding.

Now the downside.

1) If you are looking for a text that most rapidly helps you find the right equation to plug numbers into, pick another text. This is clearly NOT what Knight had in mind when writing this text. Knight wants students to use a much small set of equations and Knight wants students to see how various topics are interconnected.

2) In courses where the instructor does not emphasize conceptual understanding, students (and probably the instructor as well) will find "the strategic approach" slow and cumbersome. Knight advocates a very structured problem solving approach. If the course instructor does not follow a similar approach, I can easily envision students and instructors hating this text.

Over all, I think this is a big step up on Halliday, Resnick and Walker. But I would strongly recommend that any instructor thinking about adopting this text also read Knight's 5 easy lessons. Instructors should make sure they do not have too many pedagogical differences when compared to Knight.

I am an electrical engineer with 20 years of experience. I have encountered physics in one form or another since 1984 as an undergraduate. As a practicing engineer (and I have taught review courses for the FE and PE exams in electrical engineering), I wanted to learn more about electricity and magnetism and I felt it was better to look at introductory texts instead of using an engineering electromagnetics book (as e-mag books assume some competence that I do not have yet).

I used Halliday and Resnick in college and now also own Young's University Physics. Of the 3 I own, I refer back to Knight's book for concepts.

My take on this book is that it is very conceptually strong.From the student's perspective this is very good if you are willing to put in the work.Knight puts plenty of little problems in the book to keep you on the straight and narrow BEFORE you dive into homework. This will mean that you need to probably read each chapter AT LEAST 2X before you can feel comfortable with the problems. You will also HAVE to do a great deal of ground work in basic problem solving drills BEFORE you can attempt the homework. All of these materials are available as supplements to his text. You can also use a Schaum's Outline or other book of worked problems should you need to do so.

All of this sounds like a lot of work and to be truthful, it is considering the daunting workload of an undergraduate engineering student. This text provides the best conceptual frame work that allows you to develop good habits because the author gives you a strategy to help you work through problems.

In essence, the book drives home the idea that if you learn the concepts, the problems will be easier to solve. If you're looking to read the book and do "plug and chug" type of study, this book will NOT work for you. I also note that most college level exams have very MINIMAL numbers of problems that are simply placing numbers in equations to find a single unknown variable. Most professors will place several basic concepts inside 1 problem since they cannot write questions on every single equation you may need for a test since exams may be confined to the space of 1 hour for a regular exam and 3-4 hours for a final or mid-term.This statement applies not only for a physics but for most engineering courses you take.

As an example, Knight's coverage of Electricity and Magnetism is excellent. He uses examples that relate to concepts in classical mechanics to give you a feel for the material. While some people may complain that he takes a lot of words to explain a little, his emphasis is exactly right for a person who needs their hand held (as I do). Personally, I do not like the author cop-out that a certain concept is "intuitive" and then the author leaves the reader without the frame work to see how an equation may work.

I should also note that "real world" problems do not fall into some neat equation. Many times, you will have to sort through multiple pieces of information and sometimes it is not even easy to recognize what problem you are solving at first.

In conclusion: This text provides you a good starting point for learning concepts. This is one of the few text books that stays true to its promise to the student. However, you have to be willing to put in the work.