Essential University Physics, Volume 1, Global Edition, 3rd edition

For two- and three-semester university physics courses

Just the Essentials

Richard Wolfson’s Essential University Physics, Third Edition is a concise and progressive calculus-based physics textbook that offers clear writing, great problems, and relevant real-life applications in an affordable and streamlined text.  Essential University Physics teaches sound problem-solving skills, emphasizes conceptual understanding, and makes connections to the real world. Features such as annotated figures and step-by-step problem-solving strategies help students master concepts and solve problems with confidence.

Essential University Physics is offered as two paperback volumes available together or for sale individually.

MasteringPhysics^® not included. Students, if MasteringPhysics is a recommended/mandatory component of the course, please ask your instructor for the correct ISBN and course ID. MasteringPhysics should only be purchased when required by an instructor. Instructors, contact your Pearson representative for more information.

MasteringPhysics is an online homework, tutorial, and assessment product designed to personalize learning and improve results. With a wide range of interactive, engaging, and assignable activities, students are encouraged to actively learn and retain tough course concepts.

• Emphasise conceptual understanding:
  • NEW! Big Picture features begin each chapter, connecting past, present, and future content. Students will develop an understanding of the connections between different physics principles helping them to see how the overarching principles fit together.
  • Got It? questions present multiple-choice and ranking task problems in most sections to prompt students to check their understanding of key concepts as they read.
    • NEW! “GOT IT?” questions have been revised for clicker systems to inspire classroom discussion.
  • NEW! Media links (as scanable QR codes) link to Video Tutor Demos (VTDs). These are placed in the text near appropriate content, so students have easy access to a more visual, engaging presentation.
  • NEW! Increased numbers of both Conceptual Examples and worked examples help students understand how to work through the more difficult problems and concepts.
• Focus on the fundamentals:
  • Written with brevity and affordability in mind, Wolfson offers a concise and streamlined solution for students and instructors.
  • The text promotes the overarching theme that physics has a simple foundation that underlies a wide range of topics.
  • Key equations and definitions are set on coloured screens with titles and explanatory material, so that students will not grab a bare equation without a sense of  how to apply it.
  • Visual chapter and part summaries present a big-picture review of key concepts and connections using multiple representations (words, equations, and figures).

•  Teach sound problem-solving skills:
  • NEW! Calculus earlier: the author has reorganised the text so that calculus examples and problems have been moved up earlier in the discussion, allowing students to tackle more challenging physics problems and instructors to introduce topics using either algebra or calculus.
  • The consistent and explicit problem-solving strategy is designed to develop students’ confidence and conceptual problem solving skills by systematically setting up problems rather than diving right into the math.
  • The IDEA (Interpret, Develop, Evaluate, and Assess) framework, used in every worked example, begins with a problem’s key ideas, stresses the importance of planning a solution and drawing a diagram, works through the math, checks for reasonable answers, and relates the problem’s content to a broader understanding of physics.
    • Problem-Solving Strategy boxes follow the IDEA framework and provide detailed guidance for specific classes of physics problems.
  • Pencil-style illustrations in worked examples teach students to use simple sketches in problem solving to help develop conceptual understanding.
  • Tips offer concise explanatory or cautionary notes for typical misconceptions and identify the fundamental connections between new and old topics.
  • Tactics boxes review mathematical topics and develop specific problem-solving skills.

• Connect to the real world:
  • Every chapter includes Applications exploring modern examples of physics in the real world.
    • NEW! More engineering applications prepare engineering students for the field.
  • Chapter-open

Features of the Text

• Emphasize conceptual understanding:
  • NEW! Big Picture features begin each chapter, connecting past, present, and future content. Students will develop an understanding of the connections between different physics principles helping them to see how the overarching principles fit together.
  • Got It? questions present multiple-choice and ranking task problems in most sections to prompt students to check their understanding of key concepts as they read.
    • NEW! “GOT IT?” questions have been revised for clicker systems to inspire classroom discussion.
  • NEW! Media links (as scanable QR codes) link to Video Tutor Demos (VTDs). These are placed in the text near appropriate content, so students have easy access to a more visual, engaging presentation.
  • NEW! “For Thought and Discussion” answers are now available to instructors in the Mastering Instructor Resource Area (MIRA), making it easy to spark classroom discussion.
  • NEW! Increased numbers of both Conceptual Examples and worked examples help students understand how to work through the more difficult problems and concepts.
• End-of-chapter problems have been revised as follows:
  • One new data-based, multipart problem appears in each chapter, supporting the new MCAT exam that will be released in 2015.
  • At least 20% of the problem sets have been improved based on analysis of metadata from MasteringPhysics, reinforcing areas where students struggle the most.
  • Significant figures have been made consistent throughout the text.
  • The Instructor’s Solution Manual has been thoroughly revised for accuracy.

Teach sound problem-solving skills:

• NEW! Calculus earlier: the author has reorganized the text so that calculus examples and problems have been moved up earlier in the discussion, allowing students to tackle more challenging physics problems and instructors to introduce topics using either algebra or calculus.

Connect to the real world:

• Every chapter includes Applications exploring modern examples of physics in the real world.
• NEW! More engineering applications prepare engineering students for the field.

MasteringPhysics not included. Students, if MasteringPhysics is a recommended/mandatory component of the course, please ask your instructor for the correct ISBN and course ID. MasteringPhysics should only be purchased when required by an instructor. Instructors, contact your Pearson representative for more information.

MasteringPhysics from Pearson is the leading online homework, tutorial, and assessment system, designed to improve results by engaging students before, during, and after class with powerful content. Instructors ensure students arrive ready to learn by assigning educationally effective content before class, and encourage critical thinking and retention with in-class resources such as Learning Catalytics.

• Before Class:
  • NEW! Interactive Prelecture videos address the rapidly growing movement toward pre-lecture teaching and flipped classrooms. These videos provide an introduction to key topics with embedded assessment to help students prepare before lecture and to help professors identify student misconceptions.
• During Class:
  • NEW! Learning CatalyticsTM is an interactive, classroom tool that uses students’ smartphones, tablets, or laptops to engage them in more sophisticated tas