Conceptual Physics

Paul G. Hewitt Former silver-medal boxing champion, sign painter, uranium prospector, and soldier, Paul began college at the age of 27, with the help of the GI Bill. He pioneered the conceptual approach to teaching physics at the City College of San Francisco. He has taught as a guest teacher at various middle schools and high schools, the University of California at both the Berkeley and Santa Cruz campuses, and the University of Hawaii at both the Manoa and Hilo campuses. He also taught for 20 years at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, which honored him with its Outstanding Educator Award in 2000. He is the author of Conceptual Physics and a co-author of Conceptual Physical Science and Conceptual Physical Science Explorations (with John and Leslie).

1. About Science 

I. MECHANICS

2. Newton’s First Law of Motion: Inertia

3. Linear Motion

4. Newton’s Second Law of Motion: Force and Acceleration

5. Newton’s Third Law of Motion: Action and Reaction 

6. Momentum

7. Energy

8. Rotational Motion

9. Gravity

10. Projectile and Satellite Motion

II. PROPERTIES OF MATTER

11. Atomic Nature of Matter

12. Solids

13. Liquids

14. Gases and Plasmas

III. HEAT

15. Temperature, Heat and Expansion

16. Heat Transfer

17. Change of Phase

18. Thermodynamics

IV. SOUND

19. Vibrations and Waves

20. Sound

21. Musical Sounds

V. ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM

22. Electrostatics

23. Electric Current

24. Magnetism

25. Electromagnetic Induction

VI. LIGHT

26. Properties of Light

27. Color

28. Reflection and Refraction

29. Light Waves

30. Light Emission

31. Light Quanta

VII. ATOMIC AND NUCLEAR PHYSICS

32. The Atom and the Quantum

33. Atomic Nucleus and Radioactivity

34. Nuclear Fission and Fusion

VIII. RELATIVITY

35. Special Theory of Relativity

36. General Theory of Relativity

Appendices

A. Systems of Measurement

B. More About Motion

C. Graphing

D. More About Vectors

E. Exponential Growth and Doubling Time