Best Physics Book Reviews 2020

Randall D. Knight is a Professor Emeritus of Physics at the California Polytechnic University who taught physics to college students for well over 32 years in different institutions. He has successfully published 3 physics books that have helped many students develop a better understanding of difficult concepts in physics. Brian Jones is a multiple-award-winning physics lecturer who has a 25-year record of teaching Physics at the Colorado State University. He is actively working on more effective ways to develop informal science education in colleges. Stuart Field has always been a science and technology enthusiast. In his school days, he built electronic circuits, telescopes, and computers. He earned a Ph.D. at the University of Chicago and completed positions at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Michigan. He is currently running a research program in superconductivity.

Randall’s College Physics book offers a new approach to understanding the concepts of introductory physics using algebraic methods. It encourages student feedback while using meta data and educational research as avenues to improving students’ learning.

Having this book gives you the privilege to use the e-learning tool known as Learning Catalytics—a classroom intelligence tool that assesses your level of understanding in real time and improves your critical thinking.

You also get to enjoy the benefits of the pre-lecture videos presented by co-author Brian and administered through Pearson’s Master Physics learning tool. These videos expound the ideas delivered in the book and help you evaluate your knowledge acquisition progress through brief multiple-choice questions.

This book doesn’t just dump ideas in your head; it helps you focus on the most important concepts that were discussed in the previous chapter with ‘Stop to Think’ questions that help you refresh your mind about what you learned. It then integrates the previous knowledge with the new things you’ll read about in the new chapter.

Synthesis boxes are also employed to integrate key concepts, equations, and principles—a feature that not only summarizes what you’ve read but offers a deeper relationship between similar and contrasting details.

Problem-solving strategies in this book create a holistic view of the main ideas in each chapter so that the questions are self-contained and useful for reference purposes.

2009 award-winner of the American Physical Society’s Lilienfeld Prize, R. Shankar is a Professor of Physics at Yale University. His contagious and enthusiastic approach to educating his students have endeared him to many onsite and online students all over the world. He also employs pedagogical tools and a dollop of his good humor in lecture deliveries so that his students can gain a better understanding in the relaxed environments he so often creates. As one of the pioneering lecturers on the Open Yale Course program, his course on Introductory Physics gained widespread popularity in countries including the United States, India, Australia, and China. He has also authored two other physics textbooks that have equally been beneficial to many students and tutors—Principles of Quantum Mechanics and a book titled Basic Training in Mathematics: A Fitness Program for Science Students.

The Fundamental of Physics Book by Professor Shankar is a concise and self-explanatory book that explains the basic concepts of physical science from discoveries by founding fathers such as Galileo and Newton, to the revolutionary ideas bordering on quantum mechanics and relativity that have been developed in the 20th century.

Its systematic organization of ideas involves educating its reader from the beginner’s level to developing the basics, establishing the fundamentals, and providing a strong foundation in physical science. So, a reader who does due diligence to studying this book is better informed than his peers.

It is, therefore, suitable for college students majoring in chemistry, physics, and engineering, as well as for leisure readers who hope to gain knowledge about developments in science.

This 464-page paperback physics book promises you a relaxed yet intuitive understanding of physics. So, you shouldn’t waste much time before ordering it. More so, if you have a high school senior who is struggling with his physics grades, this can help him get a better understanding of the concepts he is being taught.

Douglas C. Giancoli graduated with a BA from the University of California Berkley, obtained an MS at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a Ph.D. in elementary particle physics at UC, Berkeley again. In the 2 years he spent in post-doctoral fellowship at the Virus lab in UC Berkeley, he developed skills in biophysics and molecular biology. Among his mentors are Nobel Laureates Donald Glaser and Emilio Segre. Donald taught traditional and modern physics to undergraduates and still continues to revise his books to accommodate the advances that have been made in physical sciences. His aim is to provide ways through which students can understand the concepts of physics better.

His book titled Physics for Scientists and Engineers is the 4th edition since its first publication. This book helps every college student majoring in a physics-related course to appreciate the world of physical sciences through the eyes of a well-versed physicist. Like other texts written by Giancoli, this book is delivered in an engaging and concise manner that a regular reader who is inquisitive can relate to.

It’s elegant in delivery, lucid in presentation, and boasts a great depth of quality content. It also uses concrete observations and relatable experiences that reflect science in a practical manner.

Even though the main idea of the book is to help you understand the concepts of physics better, it also makes interesting illustrations from biology, architecture, medicine, and digital technology. The essence of this relationship to everyday life is to help you appreciate the importance of physics to every profession and to your future endeavors.

It also employs pedagogical features such as improved clarity relative to older editions, the use of colors and pictures, problem-solving notes in the margins, and step-by-step examples.

Revisions made in this edition include chapter-opening techniques, and content listing of the chapter on each chapter-opening page so that you don’t have to go back to the table of contents to get to a certain page or section of the book.

Moreover, there are now new approach steps added to the worked-out examples to help you understand the basis on which the method of solution was selected and notes that include suggestions on other methods of solving a problem.

Karl F. Kuhn is a renowned professor of physics at the prestigious Eastern Kentucky University in the United States. He is known to have published classic physics books that have helped many students grasp the concepts of physics properly. He takes the most complicated issues in physical science and simplifies them for easy comprehension. Among his classics include Physics for People Who Think They Don’t Like Physics and In the Quest for The Universe. One thing that many find common to his books is the simple manner with which he presents the ideas without oversimplifying the core concepts of physics.

The book Basic Physics, written by Professor Karl F. Kuhn, provides an easy and fast way to learn the basics of physics. It’s written in a practical and easy-to-understand format so that you can appreciate the world of physics better. It is equally suitable for non-science majors and those who are merely inquisitive.

It will come in handy when you need a helping hand in a science-related course or when you need to go over the basics before an exam. And if you just want to satisfy the thirst for knowledge about physical phenomena such as light, sound, electricity, and color, this book will be perfect for you.

It has gone through a number of revisions and retesting so that you are able to teach yourself effectively in a way that you’ll understand. You also don’t need to have aced a mathematic course because it provides you with the option of choosing between a nonmathematical approach and a mathematical approach.

You can study this material at your own pace and take advantage of the invaluable question-and-answer format. At the end of every chapter, you can check your level of mastery of the chapter by taking the end-of-chapter tests provided.

It also features a list of chapter objectives so that you can track the sections and have an idea of what will be discussed in each chapter.

Stephen Hawking is a renowned Professor of Mathematics at the prestigious University of Cambridge who is popularly referred to as one of the most brilliant minds of theoretical physics since the famous Einstein. He has also written a number of books that have risen to critical acclaim. For instance, his book titled A Brief History of Time has sold over 12 million copies all over the world.

Lucy Hawking has written two adult books and coauthored George’s Secret Key to the Universe with her father, Stephen Hawking. She doubles as a journalist who has also written articles for the British Newspaper and as an administrative personnel at University of Cambridge’s Autism Center.

George’s Secret to the Universe is a timeless piece that uses a humorous adventure to explain the awe-inspiring and fascinating facts about our universe. It also includes Dr. Stephen’s recent ideas on black holes.

This book is explained in such a way that readers across all age groups can benefit from it. It tells the story of three peoples’ funny adventure with their personal computer called Cosmos. This computer helps them get to different planets and into a black hole. Their greatest fear, however, is what will happen if other people got their hands on their loyal companion and tour guide Cosmos.

The aim of this fictional book is to help young readers understand the mysteries and perks of science. Readers in higher age ranges can equally benefit from this book, though some may find it a bit oversimplified.

It contains energetic illustrations and scientific drawings which provide clarity for the reader. It also features 4-page inserts of scientific photos that will help you appreciate the main idea of the book.