Schaum's Outline of Theory and Problems of College Physics

I'm taking University Physics 1 & 2. A good portion of this book is dedicated to example problems for the topics covered in those two courses, and will be helpful for upcoming tests.

Our school uses "Physics for Scientists and Engineers" by Serway and Jewett. The Schaum book of problems teaches some tougher concepts in a less complicated way. It's a "worth-your-time & effort" supplement to any calc-based physics book.

Many freshman college physics textbooks are just awful. They often go on and on about what is obvious and gloss over the finer points...and of course there are no examples. This is where this book comes in. As in all Schaum's outlines, for each topic there are a few pages of theory including equations, then some problems with the solutions worked out extensively, and then finally some problems with the answers but no extensive solution. The format of the outline is the same that you should expect in any two semester college freshman physics sequence. The first part of the book is an explanation of vectors, newtonian mechanics, fluids, and thermodynamics. The second part of the book follows the usual second semester of freshman physics - electricity, magnetism, and optics. The final six chapters of the outline are an introduction to modern physics, which engineers and physics students would normally take after they finish the two semester freshman physics sequence. A note of caution - do not buy the attractively named "Schaums Outline of Physics for Engineering and Science". It is chocked full of errors! Instead, stay with this old reliable title. It is the best.

I wore out two copies of this Schaum's Outline of College Physics over the years. This is the Physics review book geared towards courses using Algebra and not Calculus. The Calculus based Outline, Physics for Engineering and Science, utilizes more rigorous mathematics, requires a greater comfort level with abstraction and is, unfortunately, notorious for its typos. I find that learning Physics, which is daunting enough, can be traumatic if you are simultaneously worried about mathematics AND errors. Freshman Physics is pretty universal in its design, but not so universal in its implementation when it concerns mathematics and rigor. This book presents essentially the same Physics topics as the Calc based one. It's filled with some nice examples, good and clear explanations and many solved problems. If your Physics course is Algebra based, then this book is more than sufficient review. Just do as many problems as you can until the material is part of your genetic structure!

Since 1936 a very nice supplement for Advanced High Scool or "without calculus" two semester college physics. Since there is no deductions it can be hardly used as a textbook. Not even v^2=(v_0)^2+2ax or 1/R=1/R_1+1/R_2 ..., etc, (that don't need calculus) are deduced. A telescope is described in one and a half line and there is a Spetial relativity chapter but there are no Maxwell's equations. It is a very nice book! But if you want deductions or calculus or if you are chemistry, math or engineering student you'd better buy "Physics for Engineering and Science" also from Schaum's outlines.