Physics I: Introduction to Mechanics and Heat - Paperback

by Charles R. Bacon (Author)

Physics is defined as the "science that deals with matter and energy and their interactions, the physical processes and phenomena of a particular system, and the physical properties and composition of something". That pretty much covers everything when you think about it. Ernst Rutherford once said, "Physics is everything, the rest is just stamp collecting." That might be a bit over the top, but physics is the most fundamental of the sciences since it deals with the study of how the universe operates from the very large to the very small. Since the scope of physics ranges from the large scale structure of galaxies to the small scale structure of fundamental particles, and everything in between, it is important to have a uniform language and method for discussing physical phenomena. Fortunately, we don't need the full dictionary of physics for the topics that we will be studying in mechanics and heat. We will only need to define and use those concepts that assist us in understanding topics in mechanics such as linear motion, rotational motion, vibrational motion, and wave motion. We will also investigate thermal physics, so when we reach that point we will introduce some new concepts that will enable us to investigate thermal phenomena.

Author Biography

Charles Bacon is a professor of physics and chemistry. He received his Ph.D. from Michigan Technological University where he studied the interfacial properties and compressive failure of fiber/epoxy composites. Dr. Bacon's research interest areas are polymer properties and characterization. He has also done extensive work in the area of teaching and learning. He is the co-author of DO SOMETHING: The Art and Practice of Project-Based, Active Learning, co-author and co-editor of A Guide to Connect Learning to Performance, author of Physics: An Active Learning Inquiry, and co-author of Science and Crime: Active Learning in Forensics Science and co-author of Forensic Chemistry: An Active Learning Approach. He has presented over 50 workshops on active learning and performance based learning throughout the country. Dr. Bacon developed several online professional development resources for creating project-based learning lesson plans in physics and mathematics, Project Based Learning. Dr. Bacon was a Michigan Polymer Consortium Fellow, a Whirlpool Fellow, and a member of Phi Lambda Upsilon. Dr. Bacon is a member of the Alpha Chi Rho fraternity.