How Things Work: The Physics of Everyday Life » (4th Edition)

Lou Bloomfield is a highly dedicated teacher and one of the most popular professors at University of Virginia, and was the recipient of the 1998 State of Virginia Outstanding Faculty Award.   Lou has given talks all over the country on teaching physics through everyday objects.  He has extreme attention to detail and knowledge of technical physics. He is very tech savvy and has been able to provide many of the photos and illustrations for the text himself.

How Things Work uses familiar objects to introduce basic physics concepts, demonstrating the excitement and relevance to professionals in a variety of technical fields. Because its structure is defined by real-life examples, this book explores concepts as they're needed and then revisits them later on when they reappear in other objects. It integrates case studies throughout the chapters to easily convey an understanding and appreciation for physics. For example, discussions of skating, falling balls, and bumper cars are included to explain the Laws of Motion. Air conditioners and automobiles are used to explore thermodynamics. Engineers, architects, and professionals in other technical fields will benefit from the material that connects science to our everyday world.

Booknews

This introductory physics textbook for liberal arts students uses everyday objects to illustrate the principles of mechanics, heat, resonance and waves, electricity and magnetism, light and optics, and nuclear physics. The second edition adds color graphics and regroups some of the sections. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)