An Introduction to Physical Science

Dr. James T. Shipman was a long-time physics educator at Ohio University, his alma mater, and was Professor Emeritus until his passing in 2009. Jerry Wilson received his physics degrees from Ohio University (B.S., Ph.D.) and Union College in Schenectady, New York (M.S.). In addition to co-writing PHYSICS LABORATORY EXPERIMENTS, he is one of the original authors of the first edition of AN INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL SCIENCE (published in 1971) and has several other physics textbooks to his credit. Wilson is currently Emeritus Professor of Physics at Lander University in Greenwood, South Carolina, and continues to write the Curiosity Corner, a question and answer column run in five regional newspapers. Chuck Higgins received his B.S. degree in physics from the University of Alabama in Huntsville and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in astronomy from the University of Florida. Areas of interest and research include planetary and solar radio astronomy, as well as astronomy education and public outreach. He is currently a Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He is a founding member of a NASA-sponsored education project called Radio JOVE, and he frequently hikes many of the great state parks in Tennessee. Bo Lou received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in optical engineering from Zhejiang University, and a Ph.D. degree in physics from Emory University. Bo is currently a professor of physics at Ferris State University. He has also co-authored other college physics textbooks.

• Preface. 1. Measurement. 2. Motion. 3. Force and Motion. 4. Work and Energy. 5. Temperature and Heat. 6. Waves and Sound. 7. Optics and Wave Effects. 8. Electricity and Magnetism. 9. Atomic Physics. 10. Nuclear Physics. 11. The Chemical Elements. 12. Chemical Bonding. 13. Chemical Reactions. 14. Organic Chemistry. 15. Place and Time. 16. The Solar System. 17. Moons and Small Solar System Bodies. 18. The Universe. 19. The Atmosphere. 20. Atmospheric Effects. 21. Structural Geology and Plate Tectonics. 22. Minerals, Rocks, and Volcanoes. 23. Surface Processes. 24. Geologic Time. Appendix A. The Seven Base Units of the International System of Units (SI) Appendix B. Solving Mathematical Problems in Science. Appendix C. Equation Rearrangement. Appendix D. Analysis of Units. Appendix E. Positive and Negative Numbers. Appendix F. Powers-of-10 Notation. Appendix G. Significant Figures. Appendix H. Psychrometric Tables (pressure: 30 in. of Hg). Appendix I. Seasonal Star Charts. Answers to Confidence Exercises. Answers to Selected Questions. Glossary. Index.