Physics for Scientists and Engineers: Extended Version

Rating:
Summary: An excellent refrence
Review: As a physics major, I have had some good use of this book. It is an excellent reference book, one that is useful just to go back, and look up those simple relations easily forgotten. And it is very complete, containing detailed sections on most topics.

Rating:
Summary: Halliday and Resnick much better text
Review: For the good: The electricity/magnetism section is a fairly good and understandable. The mechanics/heat/optics sections are comparable with other texts, but the section on sound and acoustics is terrible, and needs to be completely re-written. Like the reviewer from San Diego, I usually end up going to H & R, Young, or Giancoli for the better explanations (or sending my students there).

Rating:
Summary: Not for the Physic-ally Challenged
Review: Forget this book if you've never had physics before. You will also need a good understanding of calculus to get through most of it. The explainations in the example problems don't explain much. Tipler expains the easy stuff, and somehow makes it harder to understand. Self-study is nearly, no, it is impossible with this book. This is the first class I've taken that I'm consitently behind on. I don't even bother attemting the homework until the professor has throughly explained the concepts involved. Getting a solutions manual has been impossible. Not that it would be much help, I've looked thought the instructors edition of the solutions manual for assistance on some of the problems in the text and usually end up asking the professor for help. I believe most of the good reviews of this book have been supplied by either Tiplers friends, or students working on their third year of phyics. Out of twenty people in my class, only one, a physics major who has already taken many physics classes, actually thought this book was very useful in teaching the concepts of physics.

Rating:
Summary: Tipler - Dull & stiff
Review: Generally a good book, if you just want to learn the formulas. The reasoning behind deriving the formulas and explaining physical concepts lacks depth and thorough explanation, so much of it is like "this is the way it is, so this leads to that". Tipler seems to be caught up with juggling the mathematical equations. This means that you will not grasp the ideas behind it all, and leaves you without the proper understanding to tackle the level III problems, as stated by so many of the other reviewers. Even though there exists a lot of examples, they still don't make up for the lack of profound explanations. One way to deal with it is to first read the corresponding chapter in Feynman Lectures On Physics and look at Tiplers examples, perhaps then you will be better off. So unfortuenately this is not the book that inspires you about the subject just dealth with, more it gives you the feeling of "phew! I got past this part", this I consider is the most critical point of all books, they should be more than a reference manual, they should inspire and exite you about the subject.

Rating:
Summary: Tipler - Dull & stiff
Review: Generally a good book, if you just want to learn the formulas. The reasoning behind deriving the formulas and explaining physical concepts lacks depth and thorough explanation, so much of it is like "this is the way it is, so this leads to that". Tipler seems to be caught up with juggling the mathematical equations. This means that you will not grasp the ideas behind it all, and leaves you without the proper understanding to tackle the level III problems, as stated by so many of the other reviewers. Even though there exists a lot of examples, they still don't make up for the lack of profound explanations. One way to deal with it is to first read the corresponding chapter in Feynman Lectures On Physics and look at Tiplers examples, perhaps then you will be better off. So unfortuenately this is not the book that inspires you about the subject just dealth with, more it gives you the feeling of "phew! I got past this part", this I consider is the most critical point of all books, they should be more than a reference manual, they should inspire and exite you about the subject.

Rating:
Summary: RIPLER....... What a Disaster!!!!!
Review: I am a junior at Compton High School in South Central LA, CA. I am currently enrolled in AP CALCULUS-BC AND AP PHYSICS-C. We had been using Halliday, Resnick and Walker's "Fundamentals of Physics Textbook" for the last 6 years and suddenly there was a decision to change our calculus and physics book. Since I took AP CALCULUS AB anad AP PHYSICS B and getting 4 and 3 on both tests, respectively. I had a thorough grip on both the matters. We had used Larson's Calculus book and Giancoli's Physics for Physics B. Both the books were nicely written and helpful. This year, I am in dire straights. We have covered Kinematics,Law of Motion, Work, Energy and Power, these were not very hard since we took them last year. But topics like System of Particles, linear momentum and center of mass, point particles, extended bodies in rotational inertia and the worst topic OSCILLATION and gravitation seem like graduate school topics. They are simply not coming into our grasp. The teacher, a doctor from Princeton, sometimes gets angry at the text and the lousy ways of explanation. We are very happy to have quit the use of the book. In the next grading period, we are using Young's "University Physics", which looked much better. Even if you have superior knowledge of Calculus, believe me, It won't help. It will not help the cause. As of now, 3 students have F's, 18 students have D's, and 5 have C's, and the highest percentage of the class is 78%. Every student in the class has a 3 in the AP test for calculus and physics B. Things would have been worse. DO not use the book.

Rating:
Summary: Do NOT buy this book.
Review: I am amazed at some of the reviews here (I'd like to ask the reviewers what they are smoking). Anyhow, I will refrain from sharing my feelings on that matter... I will instead share my views on this book. The book is CLEARLY not an introduction to physics, period. It assumes the student is exceptionally familiar with the author's frame of reference (i.e. a mind reader). Often, examples skip important connections, that, while not beyond the students intelligence, make for difficult and stressful reading. I cannot emphasize the above enough; the author knows his material, BUT does not convey it well. I have found my programing books easier and more enjoyable to read. One critical fault of the book is lack of relevancy. It seems as though the goal is to abstract the concepts beyond the care of readers. The book is lifeless. Another major problem with the book has to do with the problems. Examples in the chapter provide for the more simple and basic of ideas. The problems at the end of the chapter are leaps ahead of what has been presented. There isn't a logical next step approach to these problems; it is basically how-in-the-world can you apply what you've learn to these problems that compare like apples and oranges. In other words, "may require synthesis of concepts" is an understatement. A good professor is a MUST with this book; often, not available (and certaintly not included). I'd like to provide for a more critical review; however, I have mid-terms to study for... Hope I have successfully steared someone from wasting their time and money. P.S. Yes, the pictures are nice, but do not make up for the faults.

Rating:
Summary: Too complex for its own good
Review: I am currently using this book for a Physics I-level class. Though it covers an incredible array of topics, the authors choose to use language far too complex and examples and problems far too enigmatic for students to decipher. Doing homework and studying is an excercise more in following language and deciphering the text than anything else. Instead of learning about physics, I become frustrated and give up on the topic of the day. Even the teacher of the class struggles with the solutions manual on a regular basis. The result is a class absolutely puzzled by the material with hardly any actual physics learning occurring -- only floundering in a sea of numbers and equations.

Rating:
Summary: Poor Worked Out Examples
Review: I am using Tipler's Physics for Scientists and Engineers in my AP Physics class this year. It is, in my view, a good book for the introductory physics course. However, it is definitely not a good book for people who wishes to have an in-depth understanding of the physical principles and to improve their problem-solving skills. Examples are not typical, questions at the end of the chapters always involve information not provided in the chapters.

Rating:
Summary: Great For HS AP Physics B/C
Review: I am very surprised at some of the...reviews for this book. I rate it an equal to Serway's Physics For Scientists and Engineers, Volumes 1 & 2, Forth Edition. It has a smooth sequence of topics in very logical order.The illustrations and sample problems are clear, very clean arrangements. Before you are influenced by poor reviews... type in "Paul A. Tipler" in and search-read some of the German or other foreign reviews. Most reviews are excellent.