The Physics of Everyday Phenomena

The satisfaction of understanding how rainbows are formed, how ice skaters spin, or why ocean tides roll in and out-phenomena that we have all seen or experienced-is one of the best motivators available for building scientific literacy. This book attempts to make that sense of satisfaction accessible to non-science majors. Intended for use in a one-semester or two-quarter course in conceptual physics, this book is written in a narrative style, frequently using questions designed to draw the reader into a dialogue about the ideas of physics. This inclusive style allows the book to be used by anyone interested in exploring the nature of physics and explanations of everyday physical phenomena–