Physics Workbook For Dummies

Overview: Do you have a handle on basic physics terms and concepts, but your problem-solving skills could use some static friction? Physics Workbook for Dummies helps you build upon what you already know to learn how to solve the most common physics problems with confidence and ease. Physics Workbook for Dummies gets the ball rolling with a brief overview of the nuts and bolts (i.e., converting measures, counting significant figures, Physics Workbook for Dummies 1 About the Author 3 Dedication 3 Author’s Acknowledgments 3 Contents at a Glance 5 Table of Contents 7 Introduction 11 About This Book 11 Conventions Used in This Book 11 Foolish Assumptions 11 How This Book Is Organized 12 Icons Used in This Book 13 Where to Go from Here 13 Part I: Applying Physics 15 Chapter 1: Getting Started with Physics 17 Measuring the Universe 17 Putting Scientific Notation to Work 20 Converting between Units 22 Converting Distances 24 Converting Times 26 Counting Significant Figures 27 Coming Prepared with Some Algebra 28 Being Prepared with Trigonometry 30 Answers to Problems about Getting Started with Physics 32 Chapter 2: The Big Three: Acceleration, Distance, and Time 35 From Point A to B: Displacement 35 Reading That Speedometer 37 Putting Pedal to Metal: Acceleration 38 Connecting Acceleration, Time, and Displacement 41 Connecting Speed, Acceleration, and Displacement 44 Answers to Problems about Acceleration, Distance, and Time 46 Chapter 3: Vectors: Knowing Where You’re Headed 51 Creating a Vector 51 Understanding Vector Components 53 Finding a Vector’s Components 55 Finding a Vector’s Magnitude and Direction 57 Adding Vectors Together 59 Handling Motion As a Vector 63 Answers to Problems about Vectors 65 Part II: May the Forces Be with You 69 Chapter 4: Applying Force 71 Newton’s First Law of Motion 71 Newton’s Second Law of Motion 72 Force Is a Vector 75 Calculating Net Force and Acceleration 77 Sorting Out Weight and Mass 79 Newton’s Third Law of Motion 82 Answers to Problems about Force 84 Chapter 5: Working with Inclined Planes 91 Breaking Ramps Up into Vectors 91 Acceleration and Inclined Planes 94 Running Down Ramps: Speed 95 It’s a Drag: The Coefficient of Friction 97 Static Friction along Ramps 100 Kinetic Friction along Ramps 102 Acceleration along Ramps Including Friction 104 Answers to Problems about Inclined Planes 106 Chapter 6: Round and Round: Circular Motion 111 Converting between Angles 111 Period and Frequency 113 Getting into Angular Velocity 114 Whipping Around with Angular Acceleration 117 Connecting Angular Velocity and Angular Acceleration to Angles 119 Connecting Angular Acceleration and Angle to Angular Velocity 121 Handling Centripetal Acceleration 122 Getting Forceful: Centripetal Force 124 Answers to Problems about Circular Motion 126 Part III: Being Energetic: Work 131 Chapter 7: Working the Physics Way 133 A Different Kind of Work 133 Dealing with the Net Force 136 Getting Energetic: Kinetic Energy 137 Getting Kinetic Energy from Work 139 Storing Your Energy: Potential Energy 141 Powering It Up 143 Answers to Problems about Work 145 Chapter 8: Getting Things to Move: Momentum and Kinetic Energy 153 Acting on Impulse 153 Getting Some Momentum 155 Relating Impulse and Momentum 156 Conserving Momentum 158 Conserving Kinetic Energy—or Not 159 Collisions in Two Dimensions 161 Answers to Problems about Momentum and Kinetic Energy 164 Chapter 9: Winding It Up: Rotational Kinematics 171 Finding Tangential Speed 171 Targeting Tangential Acceleration 174 Angular Velocity as a Vector 175 Angular Acceleration as a Vector 176 Doing the Twist: Torque 178 The Balancing Act: Rotational Equilibrium 180 Answers to Problems about Rotational Kinematics 183 Chapter 10: Getting Dizzy with Rotational Dynamics 187 Putting Newton on Wheels 187 Moments of Inertia for Everyone 189 Doing Some Rotational Work 192 Round and Round: Rotational Kinetic Energy 193 Getting Working with Ramps Again 195 Can’t Stop This: Angular Momentum 197 Answers to Problems about Rotational Dynamics 199 Chapter 11: Potential and Kinetic Energy Together: Simple Harmonic Motion 205 Hooking into Hooke’s Law 205 Simply Simple Harmonic Motion 207 Getting Periodic 209 Considering Velocity 211 Figuring the Acceleration 213 Bouncing Around with Springs 214 Talking about Energy 216 Following the Ticktock of Pendulums 217 Answers to Problems about Simple Harmonic Motion 219 Part IV: Obeying the Laws of Thermodynamics 225 Chapter 12: You’re Getting Warm: Thermodynamics 227 Converting Between Temperature Scales 227 Getting Bigger: Linear Expansion 229 Plumping It Up: Volume Expansion 231 Getting Specific with Heat Capacity 233 Changes of Phase: Latent Heat 236 Answers to Problems about Thermodynamics 238 Chapter 13: Under Pressure: From Solid to Liquid to Gas 243 How Heat Travels: Convection 243 How Heat Travels: Conduction 244 How Heat Travels: Radiation 247 A Biggie: Avogadro’s Number 249 Ideally Speaking: The Ideal Gas Law 251 Molecules in Motion 253 Answers to Problems about Pressure 254 Chapter 14: All about Heat and Work 259 The First Law of Thermodynamics 259 Constant Pressure: Isobaric Processes 260 Constant Volume: Isochoric Processes 263 Constant Temperature: Isothermal Processes 264 At Constant Heat: Adiabatic 266 Heat Moves: The Second Law of Thermodynamics 269 Making Heat Work: Heat Engines 269 Maximum Efficiency: Carnot Heat Engines 272 The Third Law of Thermodynamics 273 Answers to Problems about Heat and Work 274 Part V: Zap: Electricity and Magnetism 279 Chapter 15: Static Electricity: Electrons at Rest 281 Talking about Electric Charges 281 Getting Forceful with Charges 282 Electrical Forces Are Vectors 284 Force at a Distance: Electric Fields 285 Easy Electric Field: Parallel Plate Capacitors 287 Ramping Up Some Voltage 289 Electric Potential from Point Charges 291 Answers to Problems about Static Electricity 293 Chapter 16: Electrons in Motion: Circuits 299 Electrons in a Whirl: Current 299 Giving You Some Resistance: Ohm’s Law 300 Powering It Up 302 One after the Other: Series Circuits 303 All for One: Parallel Circuits 305 The Whole Story: Kirchhoff’s Rules 307 Answers to Problems about Circuits 310 Part VI: The Part of Tens 317 Chapter 17: Ten Common Mistakes People Make When Solving Problems 319 Mixing Units 319 Expressing the Answer in the Wrong Units 319 Swapping Radians and Degrees 319 Getting Sines and Cosines Mixed Up 320 Not Treating Vectors as Vectors 320 Neglecting Latent Heat 320 Getting Refraction Angles Wrong 320 Getting the Signs Wrong in Kirchhoff Loops 321 Adding Resistors Incorrectly 321 Using the Wrong Rays in Ray Diagrams 322 Chapter 18: Ten Top Online Physics Tutorials and Resources 323 The Physics Classroom 323 ThinkQuest 323 HyperPhysics 323 Roman Goc’s Physics Tutorial 323 Physics 24/7 Tutorial 324 University of Guelph’s Tutorial 324 Tutor4Physics 324 Kenneth R. Koehler’s Tutorial Page 324 Fear of Physics’s Problem Solver 324 Vector Resolver 324 Index 325 Physics Workbook for Dummies......Page 1 Author’s Acknowledgments......Page 3 Contents at a Glance......Page 5 Table of Contents......Page 7 Foolish Assumptions......Page 11 How This Book Is Organized......Page 12 Where to Go from Here......Page 13 Part I: Applying Physics......Page 15 Measuring the Universe......Page 17 Putting Scientific Notation to Work......Page 20 Converting between Units......Page 22 Converting Distances......Page 24 Converting Times......Page 26 Counting Significant Figures......Page 27 Coming Prepared with Some Algebra......Page 28 Being Prepared with Trigonometry......Page 30 Answers to Problems about Getting Started with Physics......Page 32 From Point A to B: Displacement......Page 35 Reading That Speedometer......Page 37 Putting Pedal to Metal: Acceleration......Page 38 Connecting Acceleration, Time, and Displacement......Page 41 Connecting Speed, Acceleration, and Displacement......Page 44 Answers to Problems about Acceleration, Distance, and Time......Page 46 Creating a Vector......Page 51 Understanding Vector Components......Page 53 Finding a Vector’s Components......Page 55 Finding a Vector’s Magnitude and Direction......Page 57 Adding Vectors Together......Page 59 Handling Motion As a Vector......Page 63 Answers to Problems about Vectors......Page 65 Part II: May the Forces Be with You......Page 69 Newton’s First Law of Motion......Page 71 Newton’s Second Law of Motion......Page 72 Force Is a Vector......Page 75 Calculating Net Force and Acceleration......Page 77 Sorting Out Weight and Mass......Page 79 Newton’s Third Law of Motion......Page 82 Answers to Problems about Force......Page 84 Breaking Ramps Up into Vectors......Page 91 Acceleration and Inclined Planes......Page 94 Running Down Ramps: Speed......Page 95 It’s a Drag: The Coefficient of Friction......Page 97 Static Friction along Ramps......Page 100 Kinetic Friction along Ramps......Page 102 Acceleration along Ramps Including Friction......Page 104 Answers to Problems about Inclined Planes......Page 106 Converting between Angles......Page 111 Period and Frequency......Page 113 Getting into Angular Velocity......Page 114 Whipping Around with Angular Acceleration......Page 117 Connecting Angular Velocity and Angular Acceleration to Angles......Page 119 Connecting Angular Acceleration and Angle to Angular Velocity......Page 121 Handling Centripetal Acceleration......Page 122 Getting Forceful: Centripetal Force......Page 124 Answers to Problems about Circular Motion......Page 126 Part III: Being Energetic: Work......Page 131 A Different Kind of Work......Page 133 Dealing with the Net Force......Page 136 Getting Energetic: Kinetic Energy......Page 137 Getting Kinetic Energy from Work......Page 139 Storing Your Energy: Potential Energy......Page 141 Powering It Up......Page 143 Answers to Problems about Work......Page 145 Acting on Impulse......Page 153 Getting Some Momentum......Page 155 Relating Impulse and Momentum......Page 156 Conserving Momentum......Page 158 Conserving Kinetic Energy—or Not......Page 159 Collisions in Two Dimensions......Page 161 Answers to Problems about Momentum and Kinetic Energy......Page 164 Finding Tangential Speed......Page 171 Targeting Tangential Acceleration......Page 174 Angular Velocity as a Vector......Page 175 Angular Acceleration as a Vector......Page 176 Doing the Twist: Torque......Page 178 The Balancing Act: Rotational Equilibrium......Page 180 Answers to Problems about Rotational Kinematics......Page 183 Putting Newton on Wheels......Page 187 Moments of Inertia for Everyone......Page 189 Doing Some Rotational Work......Page 192 Round and Round: Rotational Kinetic Energy......Page 193 Getting Working with Ramps Again......Page 195 Can’t Stop This: Angular Momentum......Page 197 Answers to Problems about Rotational Dynamics......Page 199 Hooking into Hooke’s Law......Page 205 Simply Simple Harmonic Motion......Page 207 Getting Periodic......Page 209 Considering Velocity......Page 211 Figuring the Acceleration......Page 213 Bouncing Around with Springs......Page 214 Talking about Energy......Page 216 Following the Ticktock of Pendulums......Page 217 Answers to Problems about Simple Harmonic Motion......Page 219 Part IV: Obeying the Laws of Thermodynamics......Page 225 Converting Between Temperature Scales......Page 227 Getting Bigger: Linear Expansion......Page 229 Plumping It Up: Volume Expansion......Page 231 Getting Specific with Heat Capacity......Page 233 Changes of Phase: Latent Heat......Page 236 Answers to Problems about Thermodynamics......Page 238 How Heat Travels: Convection......Page 243 How Heat Travels: Conduction......Page 244 How Heat Travels: Radiation......Page 247 A Biggie: Avogadro’s Number......Page 249 Ideally Speaking: The Ideal Gas Law......Page 251 Molecules in Motion......Page 253 Answers to Problems about Pressure......Page 254 The First Law of Thermodynamics......Page 259 Constant Pressure: Isobaric Processes......Page 260 Constant Volume: Isochoric Processes......Page 263 Constant Temperature: Isothermal Processes......Page 264 At Constant Heat: Adiabatic......Page 266 Making Heat Work: Heat Engines......Page 269 Maximum Efficiency: Carnot Heat Engines......Page 272 The Third Law of Thermodynamics......Page 273 Answers to Problems about Heat and Work......Page 274 Part V: Zap: Electricity and Magnetism......Page 279 Talking about Electric Charges......Page 281 Getting Forceful with Charges......Page 282 Electrical Forces Are Vectors......Page 284 Force at a Distance: Electric Fields......Page 285 Easy Electric Field: Parallel Plate Capacitors......Page 287 Ramping Up Some Voltage......Page 289 Electric Potential from Point Charges......Page 291 Answers to Problems about Static Electricity......Page 293 Electrons in a Whirl: Current......Page 299 Giving You Some Resistance: Ohm’s Law......Page 300 Powering It Up......Page 302 One after the Other: Series Circuits......Page 303 All for One: Parallel Circuits......Page 305 The Whole Story: Kirchhoff’s Rules......Page 307 Answers to Problems about Circuits......Page 310 Part VI: The Part of Tens......Page 317 Swapping Radians and Degrees......Page 319 Getting Refraction Angles Wrong......Page 320 Adding Resistors Incorrectly......Page 321 Using the Wrong Rays in Ray Diagrams......Page 322 Roman Goc’s Physics Tutorial......Page 323 Vector Resolver......Page 324 Index......Page 325

Do you have a handle on basic physics terms and concepts, but your problem-solving skills could use some static friction? Physics Workbook for Dummies helps you build upon what you already know to learn how to solve the most common physics problems with confidence and ease.

Physics Workbook for Dummies gets the ball rolling with a brief overview of the nuts and bolts (i.e., converting measures, counting significant figures, applying math skills to physics problems, etc.) before getting into the nitty gritty. If you’re already a pro on the fundamentals, you can skip this section and jump right into the practice problems. There, you’ll get the lowdown on how to take your problem-solving skills to a whole new plane—without ever feeling like you’ve been left spiraling down a black hole.

With easy-to-follow instructions and practical tips, Physics Workbook for Dummies shows you how to you unleash your inner Einstein to solve hundreds of problems in all facets of physics, such as:

• Acceleration, distance, and time
• Vectors
• Force
• Circular motion
• Momentum and kinetic energy
• Rotational kinematics and rotational dynamics
• Potential and kinetic energy
• Thermodynamics
• Electricity and magnetism

Complete answer explanations are included for all problems so you can see where you went wrong (or right). Plus, you’ll get the inside scoop on the ten most common mistakes people make when solving physics problems—and how to avoid them.

When push comes to shove, this friendly guide is just what you need to set your physics problem-solving skills in motion!

Having never taken Physics in high school or college, and having labored through Astronomy w/o this prerequisite, I decided now that I am over 70 that it was high time to learn something new. On the first few pages of this workbook I learned so much that I never knew before about "scientific notation!" I'm just beginning but at least I know what all the plus and minus exponents of 10 stand for. That's great!