General Physics textbook

[RunwayModel]

What is the best Physics textbook to learn from for General Physics? I've been using College Physics by Serway (per our syllabus) and the example problems are really easy to do and understand and the end-of-chapter problems are so hard and difficult to understand, not to mention the solutions seems to skip many steps to reach the answer. I know other choices: Halliday, Cutnell, Giancoli, etc. I have a good algebra and trignometry base, but looking for a physics textbook that actually teaches the subject well (my professor is very terrible) and would be even helpful for the MCAT.

This is from the College Board AP Physics website as far as textbooks go. If anyone has any familiarity with these textbooks if you liked it or not, please post your experience.

AP Physics B (non-calculus based Physics): http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/teachers_corner/51932.html

AP Physics C (calculus based Physics): http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/teachers_corner/51933.html

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[TamarMD]

I use Serway also. When I can't understand how the book arrived at its answers I go to cramster.com. I don't know if I'm allowed to post that site on here, if I'm not I will take it down. It has the answer for most of the odd problems and shows step by step how to do it.

 

[Charles English]

i don't take physics for real until next Fall...but i bought a 5th edition serway for two bucks some time ago...and i hope that my class doesn't use this book... the updated versions are probably a little bit better...but i find the whole thing to be a little watered down--i'm not sure if that's exactly what i mean. it just almost feels like an 'idiots guide to general physics' to me. (which i read last year...useless)

so yeah, i'm interested too in a good physics text.

 

[RunwayModel]

I use Serway also. When I can't understand how the book arrived at its answers I go to cramster.com. I don't know if I'm allowed to post that site on here, if I'm not I will take it down. It has the answer for most of the odd problems and shows step by step how to do it.

Thanks TamarMD!! I'm sure you've noticed there seems to be a HUGE gap between the chapter and the end of chapter problems. The problems seem just SO ADVANCED, that many times I can't get how they solved it just by looking at the chapters. I realize they can't just be copies of the example problems, but still.

As our only grades are exams and not doing the problems, our teacher lets us look at the Instructor's Manual in class to see the solutions, but the problem is that it even says in the preface of the manual that it omits "commentary, intermediate steps and even initial steps that would be beneficial to many students," on purpose, leaving it to the teacher to tell students what those initial and intermediate steps are.

Unfortunately, our physics professor is terrible and thus I'm now working to learn things completely through independent study.

 

[TamarMD]

Yes I did notice. Sometimes I'll be on chapter 22 and I'll have to go back to chapter 13 just to figure out how to do a portion of the problem. I can always do the example problems but once it comes to the end of the chapter problems I have no clue where they are getting their questions from because it looks nothing like the examples.

 

[RunwayModel]

i don't take physics for real until next Fall...but i bought a 5th edition serway for two bucks some time ago...and i hope that my class doesn't use this book... the updated versions are probably a little bit better...but i find the whole thing to be a little watered down--i'm not sure if that's exactly what i mean. it just almost feels like an 'idiots guide to general physics' to me. (which i read last year...useless)

so yeah, i'm interested too in a good physics text.

I have the newest edition (7th edition), and it seems like exactly what you said. They usually don't change the editions much really. Usually they just add more problems but don't really change the text that much.

That's how I felt too, the chapter and problems inside the chapter are relatively easy to understand and actually very easy. But I don't know if you've seen but at the end of the chapter, you are thrown to the wolves with those problems.

The Reviews for the book aren't too good either: http://www.amazon.com/review/product/0534997236/ref=cm_cr_dp_all_summary?%5Fencoding=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending

 

[Charles English]

yeah, i guess i can relate to the disparity of the end-of-chapter problems. i was stuck on this 'intermediate' problem for awhile. (the blue numbered ones i think) i chocked it up to being rusty with the math...i eventually got it. you're right though, i don't think i could have gone to the chapter for guidance--i just had to think it through (a few times )

i think i'm going to check and see what texts my future profs are using--hope its not this one.

 

[TamarMD]

BTW have you guys tried the MCAT problems that they have in the back of the book? I don't know if you guys have the "enhanced" edition with MCAT prep. I'm debating whether I should sell my book at the end of this semester or if it'll be a good idea to hold on to it.

 

[Charles English]

sweet. its the Physics for Scientists and Engineers (3rd Edition) by Douglas C. Giancoli


it has pretty good reviews too. anybody have any takes on it?

 

[RunwayModel]

BTW have you guys tried the MCAT problems that they have in the back of the book? I don't know if you guys have the "enhanced" edition with MCAT prep. I'm debating whether I should sell my book at the end of this semester or if it'll be a good idea to hold on to it.

I would say if anything photocopy the MCAT problems at the end. I personally feel it's not worth hanging on to because it doesn't explain it well enough to begin with. Are those problems anything like the end-of-chapter problems?

I'm not sure if I have the MCAT prep with mine. I know two books I'm definitely getting for the MCAT Physics section:

Examkrackers MCAT Physics
Nova's: The MCAT Physics Book by Garrett, Biehle


In googling, another good one (for learning physics in the first place) might be: Schaum's Outline of College Physics, 10th edition (Schaum's Outlines).

I'll take a look at it, and see if it helps, as I'm independent studying completely for this class.

 

[wedogogirl]

Runway,
I used the Cutnell and Johnson Physics text to prepare for the MCAT. I took college physics more than 5 yrs ago, and it helped tremendously with the concepts. Last fall, my orgo professor recommended it to me.

 

[RunwayModel]

Runway,
I used the Cutnell and Johnson Physics text to prepare for the MCAT. I took college physics more than 5 yrs ago, and it helped tremendously with the concepts. Last fall, my orgo professor recommended it to me.

How well do you think it did regarding helping in solving the end-of-chapter problems, esp. those on the MCAT? Thanks!

 

[wedogogirl]

How well do you think it did regarding helping in solving the end-of-chapter problems, esp. those on the MCAT? Thanks!

Runway, it does an excellent job of clarifying concepts so that you can solve problems at the end of the chapter as well as on practice MCAT problems.

 

[talbo]

What is the best Physics textbook to learn from for General Physics? I've been using College Physics by Serway (per our syllabus) and the example problems are really easy to do and understand and the end-of-chapter problems are so hard and difficult to understand, not to mention the solutions seems to skip many steps to reach the answer. I know other choices: Halliday, Cutnell, Giancoli, etc. I have a good algebra and trignometry base, but looking for a physics textbook that actually teaches the subject well (my professor is very terrible) and would be even helpful for the MCAT.

This is from the College Board AP Physics website as far as textbooks go. If anyone has any familiarity with these textbooks if you liked it or not, please post your experience.

AP Physics B (non-calculus based Physics): http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/teachers_corner/51932.html

AP Physics C (calculus based Physics): http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/teachers_corner/51933.html

i have used the giancoli books which are decent and the solutions to the book i hear are floating around somewhere at least for the 3rd edition?

halliday's book is really good in my opinion (at least the electromagnetics part) and goes into great detail about the proof/derivation/concepts especially if u are a math person... i studied engineering and realli enjoyed halliday's book.

i know at my friend's school, UCLA, they use serway for physics for life science majors and giancoli for physics for scientists and engrs

 

[Majic]

I used Giancoli last year in Gen. Physics I. Overall I really enjoyed the text, but it does help to have a great prof, as I did. Can't really speak to its MCAT use as I have not taken it.