Description

Features

What do you want your students to remember five years from now?

Hobson emphasizes the process of science throughout. In the How Do We Know...? sections an interesting question is posed with a conclusion which provides scientific evidence. (see How Do We Know about the validity of astrology? in Section 12.7).

Developing the ability to make back of the envelope calculations is often a goal of this course. Making Estimates examples and exercises provide students the opportunity to practice that skill.

Concept Checks, integrated throughout each chapter, ask students to stop and check their understanding of key concepts.

The social context of physics is one of the major themes of the book and helps students see the relevance of physics in their lives and their decisions (see Section 16.8 on Nuclear Terrorism). 

Similarly, energy is the book's central physical concept. The principles of energy and the connection between them and the societal issues concerning the use and misuse of energy is emphasized whenever appropriate. 

“The Latest News from the Edge of the Universe” and “Connecting Quarks With the Cosmos” sections make connections to important advances in physics and cosmology.

The fourth edition includes such recent topics as the accelerating universe, neutrino oscillations, and the standard model of particle physics. 

Hobson's lively but concise explanations were written for a non-science major.  The author has interspersed quotes to catch the reader's attention and further emphasize the connection between the content and everyday experiences. It doesn't look or feel like a "physics text".

Concept Check questions make the reading interactive and allow students to check their understanding. Answers to Concept Check questions are provided at the end of each chapter.

Key Concepts are in boldface type in the chapter, listed at the end of the chapter, and defined in the Glossary providing multiple options for studying.

End of chapter Review Questions, Conceptual Exercises, and Problems can be assigned as homework or used by students for self-study.

New To This Edition

• Updated, extensively revised chapters on relativity:

–       Cleanly separates special and general relativity chapters (Chapters 10 and 11), so instructors can present and omit material as they choose.

–       All cosmological material is now gathered into Chapter 11, making this topic easier for instructors to teach.

•  More modern, straightforward treatment of quantum physics – Simplifies presentation for instructors and makes material more interesting; avoids the confusion associated with wave-particle duality. 

• New and updated societal topics, such as nuclear terrorism – Lends relevance and urgency to the material, demonstrating the importance of physics in students’ lives and in society. 

• Added and improved “How Do We Know” subsections – Emphasizes the processes of science.

• Conventional terms and symbols used to replace several unconventional terms and symbols from the previous edition. For example: 

– In the modern physics chapters, "v" rather than "s" is now used for speed. 

– "Matter field" is now used instead of "psi field." 

– Quantum "uncertainty" is now used instead of quantum "indeterminacy." 

Table of Contents

BRIEF CONTENTS

PART 1 Prelude: Of Stars and Atoms 1

CHAPTER 1 The Way of Science: Experience and Reason 2

CHAPTER 2 Atoms: The Nature of Things 29

PART 2 The Newtonian Universe: A Clockwork Kingdom 51
CHAPTER 3 How Things Move: Galileo Asks the Right Questions 52

CHAPTER 4 Why Things Move as They Do 70

CHAPTER 5 Newton’s Universe 90

PART 3 Transition to the New Physics 115

CHAPTER 6 Conservation of Energy: You Can’t Get Ahead– 116

CHAPTER 7 Second Law of Thermodynamics: –and You Can’t Even Break Even 135

CHAPTER 8 Light and Electromagnetism 162

CHAPTER 9 Electromagnetic Radiation and Global Climate Change 190

PART 4 The Post-Newtonian Universe: The Observer Intrudes 219
CHAPTER 10 The Special Theory of Relativity 220 

CHAPTER 11 The General Theory of Relativity and the New Cosmology 248

CHAPTER 12 The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence 272

CHAPTER 13 The Quantum Idea 298 CHAPTER 14 The Quantum Universe 320

PART 5 Within the Atom: Fire of the Nucleus, Fire of the Sun 353

CHAPTER 15 The Nucleus and Radioactivity: A New Force– 354

CHAPTER 16 Fusion and Fission: –and a New Energy 380

CHAPTER 17 The Energy Challenge 408

CHAPTER 18 Quantum Fields: Relativity Meets the Quantum 439

Epilogue: Summing Up 469
ANSWERS TO ODD-NUMBERED CONCEPTUAL EXERCISES AND PROBLEMS A-1
GLOSSARY G-1
PHOTO CREDITS P-1
INDEX I-1

 
CONTENTS
PREFACE xi

ABOUT THE AUTHOR xvii

PART 1 PRELUDE OF STARS AND ATOMS 1

CHAPTER 1The Way of Science: Experience and Reason 2
1.1 Stardust: An Invitation to Science 2

1.2* Observing the Night Sky 4

1.3* Ancient Greek Theories: An Earth-Centered Universe 8

1.4* Copernicus’s Theory: A Sun-Centered Universe 14

1.5* Kepler’s Theory: A Sun-Focused Universe 17

1.6* Science: A Dialogue Between Nature and Mind 19

1.7* The Copernican Revolution: Dawn of the Modern Age 23

Answers, concepts, review, exercises 26

CHAPTER 2 Atoms: The Nature of Things 29
2.1 The Greek Atom: The Smallest Pieces 29
2.2 Atoms and Molecules 32
2.3 The Atom’s Explanatory Power: The Odor of Violets 34
2.4 Metric Distances and Powers of 10 37
2.5 The Incredible Smallness of Atoms 38
2.6 Atomic Materialism: Atoms and Empty Space 41
2.7 Three Atomic Models: Greek, Planetary, and Quantum 43
2.8 Chemistry and Life: What Did Atoms Ever Do for You? 44 Answers, concepts, review, exercises 47

PART 2 THE NEWTONIAN UNIVERSE: A CLOCKWORK KINGDOM 51

CHAPTER 3How Things Move: Galileo Asks the Right Questions 52
3.1 Aristotelian Physics: A Commonsense View 53
3.2 How Do We Know? Difficulties with Aristotelian Physics 53
3.3 The Law of Inertia: The Foundation of Newtonian Physics 56
3.4 Measuring Motion: Speed and Velocity 59
3.5 Measuring Motion: Acceleration 61 3.6* Falling 63

Answers, concepts, review, exercises, problems 66

CHAPTER 4 Why Things Move as They Do 70
4.1 Force: Why Things Accelerate 71
4.2 Connecting Force and Acceleration 72
4.3 Newton’s Law of Motion: Centerpiece of Newtonian Physics 75
4.4 Weight: Gravity’s Force on a Body 78

4.5* The Law of Force Pairs: You Can’t Do Just One Thing 79

4.6* Newton Meets the Automobile 81

Answers, concepts, review, exercises, problems 85

CHAPTER 5 Newton’s Universe 90
5.1 The Idea of Gravity: The Apple and the Moon 91
5.2 The Law of Gravity: Moving the Farthest Star 94

5.3* Gravitational Collapse: The Evolution of the Solar System 99

5.4* Gravitational Collapse: The Deaths of More Massive Stars 102
5.5 The Newtonian Worldview: A Democratic, Mechanical Universe 106
5.6 Beyond Newton: Limitations of Newtonian Physics 108

Answers, concepts, review, exercises, problems 110

PART 3 TRANSITION TO THE NEW PHYSICS 115

CHAPTER 6 Conservation of Energy: You Can’t Get Ahead— 116
6.1 Work: Using a Force to Move Something 117
6.2 Work and Energy: A Simple Example 118
6.3 A Quantitative Look at Energy 119
6.4 Energy: The Ability to Do Work 121
6.5 The Law of Energy: Energy Is Forever 123
6.6 Transformations of Energy 125
6.7 Power: The Quickness of Energy Transformation 127

Answers, concepts, review, exercises, problems 130

CHAPTER 7 Second Law of Thermodynamics: —and You Can’t Even Break Even 135
7.1 Heating 136

7.2 Heat Engines: Using Thermal Energy to Do Work 137
7.3 Energy Quality: Things Run Down 140

7.4* The Law of Entropy: Why You Can’t Break Even 140

7.5* The Automobile 143

7.6* Transportation Efficiency 147
7.7 The Steam–Electric Power Plant 149

7.8* Resource Use and Exponential Growth 152

Answers, concepts, review, exercises, problems 157

 
CHAPTER 8 Light and Electromagnetism 162
8.1 Waves: Something Else That Travels 163
8.2 Interference: A Behavior Unique to Waves 165
8.3 Light: Particles or Wave? 168
8.4 Electricity: Part of the Electromagnetic Force 171
8.5 Magnetism: The Other Part 172
8.6 The Electric Atom 174
8.7 The Planetary Model of the Atom: A Useful Theory 178
8.8 Force Fields: A Disturbance of Space 181

Answers, concepts, review, exercises, problems 185

CHAPTER 9 Electromagnetic Radiation and Global Climate Change 190
9.1 The Electromagnetic Wave Theory of Light 190
9.2 The Decline of the Newtonian Universe 195
9.3 The Complete Spectrum 196
9.4 Solar Radiation: The Light from Our Star 199

9.5* Global Ozone Depletion: A Vulnerable Planet 201

9.6* Global Warming: Provoking the Beast 206

Answers, concepts, review, exercises, problems 215

PART 4THE POST-NEWTONIAN UNIVERSE: THE OBSERVER INTRUDES 219

CHAPTER 10 The Special Theory of Relativity 220
10.1 Einstein: Rebel with a Cause 221
10.2 Galilean Relativity: Relativity According to Newtonian Physics 222
10.3 The Principle of Relativity 224
10.4 The Constancy of Lightspeed: Strange But True 225
10.5 The Relativity of Time 229
10.6 Time Travel: You Can’t Go Home Again 233
10.7 The Relativity of Space and Mass 235
10.8 E = mc2: Energy Has Mass, and Mass Has Energy 239

Answers, concepts, review, exercises, problems 243

CHAPTER 11 *The General Theory of Relativity and the New Cosmology 248
11.1 Einstein’s Gravity: The General Theory of Relativity 249
11.2 The Big Bang 254
11.3 The Possible Geometries of the Universe 256
11.4 The Shape of the Universe 258
11.5 Dark Matter 259
11.6 The Accelerating Universe and Dark Energy 261
11.7 Cosmic Inflation and a Brief History of the Universe 264

Answers, concepts, review, exercises 269

CHAPTER 12 *The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence 272
12.1 Are There Other “Good” Places for Life? 273
12.2 Does Life Originate on “Good” Planets? 276
12.3 Is Intelligence a Characteristic Feature of Life? 280
12.4 Does Intelligent Life Develop Technology? 282
12.5 Interstellar Communication and Travel: Might We Make Contact? 283
12.6 Fermi’s Question: Where Is Everybody? 286
12.7 UFOs and Pseudoscience 289

Answers, concepts, review, exercises, problems 295

CHAPTER 13 The Quantum Idea 298
13.1 The Post-Newtonian Revolution 298
13.2 The Quantization of Light 300
13.3 The Quantum World 304
13.4 Electron Interference: The Waviness of Matter 306
13.5 The Quantum Mystery of Matter 312
13.6 Nature Is Nonlocal, and Uncertain 313

Answers, concepts, review, exercises, problems 317

CHAPTER 14 The Quantum Universe 320
14.1 The Uncertainty Principle: The Future Is Not Determined by the Past 320
14.2 The Effect of Observation 325 14.3* Quantum Nonlocality: Spooky Action at a Distance 330
14.4 What Does It Mean? Quantum Reality 334
14.5 Toward a Post-Newtonian Worldview 336

14.6* How Do We Know? Observing Atomic Spectra 338

14.7* The Quantum Atom 341

Answers, concepts, review, exercises, problems 348

PART 5 WITHIN THE ATOM: FIRE OF THE NUCLEUS, FIRE OF THE SUN 353

CHAPTER 15 The Nucleus and Radioactivity: A New Force— 354
15.1 Nuclear Forces: The Third Glue 355
15.2 Nuclear Energy and Nuclear Structure 356
15.3 Radioactive Decay: Spontaneous Nuclear Disintegration 358
15.4 Half-Life: When Does a Nucleus Decay? 362

15.5* Radioactive Dating: When Did We Come From? 364

15.6* Human Exposure to Ionizing Radiation 368

15.7* Risk Assessment: Dealing with Risk in a Technological Society 372

 Answers, concepts, review, exercises, problems 376

CHAPTER 16 Fusion and Fission: —and a New Energy 380
16.1 Fusion: Fire of the Sun 381
16.2 The Nuclear Energy Curve 384
16.3 The Origin of the Elements: We’re Made of Star Stuff 386
16.4 The Discovery of Fission: Passage to a New Age 387
16.5 The Chain Reaction: Unlocking Nuclear Forces 391

16.6* The Manhattan Project and Fission Weapons 394

16.7* Fusion Weapons: Star Fire on Earth 399

16.8* Nuclear Terrorism 401

Answers, concepts, review, exercises, problems 404

CHAPTER 17 *The Energy Challenge 408
17.1 A Brief History of Energy 409
17.2 Energy Use Today and Tomorrow 412
17.3 Nuclear Power: How It Works 417
17.4 Technology Assessment: An Example 420
17.5 Issues for Nuclear Power 423
17.6 Future Energy Options: Renewables 426
17.7 Future Energy Options: Using Less 431

Answers, concepts, review, exercises, problems 435

CHAPTER 18 *Quantum Fields: Relativity Meets the Quantum 439
18.1 Quantized Fields: The Reason There Are Particles 439
18.2 Quantum Electrodynamics: The Strange Theory of Electrons and Light 441
18.3 Antimatter 444
18.4 Electroweak Unification and Neutrinos 449
18.5 The Strong Force and Quarks 454
18.6 Quantum Gravity: Physics at the Planck Scale 460

Answers, concepts, review, exercises, problems 466

Epilogue: Summing Up 469
ANSWERS TO ODD-NUMBERED CONCEPTUAL EXERCISES AND PROBLEMS A-1
GLOSSARY G-1
PHOTO CREDITS P-1
INDEX I-1  

Courses

Liberal Arts Physics  (Physics & Astronomy)

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• Physics: Concepts and Connections, 5/E
  Hobson
  ©2010  |  Addison-Wesley  |  Paper; 496 pp  |  Instock
  ISBN-10: 0321661133  |  ISBN-13: 9780321661135
  Suggested retail price: $124.80  Buy from myPearsonStoreNet price: $93.60  (What's this?)Brief Description  | 

  

  Written for the non-science major, this text emphasizes modern physics and the scientific process—and engages students by drawing connections between physics and everyday experience. Hobson takes a conceptual approach, with an appropriate focus on quantitative skills. The Fifth Edition increases coverage of key environmental topics such as global warming and energy, and adds new topics such as momentum. Hobson’s text remains the least expensive textbook available for students taking nonmajors physics.

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Physics: Concepts and Connections

We are proud to announce that Art Hobson has been honored with the American Association of Physics Teachers' Robert A. Millikan Award for 2006, which recognizes teachers who have made notable and creative contributions to the teaching of physics. Congratulations!

Backcover Copy

What is the connection between this painting and physics?

In Marcel Duchamp’s 1912 painting, we view a woman at several times during her descent of a staircase, very much like Einstein’s spacetime diagrams. The woman’s features are uncertain, abstract, like a blurred photographic time exposure of a moving figure.

Historians believe it was no coincidence that abstract art and modern physics both originated during 1900- 1914. Early 20^th century cubist painters such as Duchamp and Pablo Picasso experienced the same currents of thought that influenced the theory of relativity and the origins of quantum physics. Albert Einstein’s unification of space and time into a single abstract “spacetime” with time as the fourth dimension was similar to Picasso’s and Duchamp’s portrayal of reality as abstract volumes or “cubes” viewed from several perspectives and times simultaneously.

Such connections between art and science shouldn’t be viewed from a causal perspective. It’s not as though Duchamp decided to inject relativity or quantum physics into his paintings. Instead, new ideas about space, time, and determinism were in the air, and perspective people such as Einstein, Picasso, and Duchamp reflected these ideas in their own creations.

“This is close to ideal for true liberal arts students, especially those who want to make the world better, or at least resist unhealthy trends, and who want to argue about the things they care about. The author has a passion for relevance and environmental issues.”

-Doanld Franceshetti, University of Memphis

“Hobson’s textbook is both well named and well constructed. Its coverage of modern physics presents a conceptual grasp of some of the most exciting developments in the physics of our day.”

-Leon M. Lederman, Pritzker Professor of Science, IIT (Illinois Institute of Technology); Resident Scholar, IMSA (Illinois Math and Science Academy); Director Emeritus, Fermilab; and Nobel Laureate Physics, 1988.

“Its an excellent introduction at a conceptual level to some of the basic principles of physics. He does an excellent job of developing his themes of the scientific process, the social context of physics, energy, and the significance of post-Newtonian physics.”

-Louis Schwartzkopf , Minnesota State University

“It has the best (and the most modern) discussion of quantum mechanics that I’ve ever seen-much clearer than some of the famous writers.”

- Marc Sher, William and Mary

“When I examined the first edition of Hobson’s Physics Concepts and Connections, I thought that it was the best of many physics texts for non-scientist that I had seen, and the later editions have further improvements over the first. He presents a remarkably comprehensive survey of the physical world with lucidity, accuracy, and- above all- fascination. Hobson unforgettably reminds his readers of the social implications of physics and the inseparability of knowledge and values.”

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Interactive Teaching DVD: Promoting Better Learning Using Peer Instruction and Just-In-Time Teaching
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Laboratory Manual for Liberal Arts Physics, 2/E
Hobson, Baehr & Swallow
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Astronomy Media Workbook (Download only with SkyGazer 5.0), 7/E
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