This textbook presents a basic undergraduate course in physics covering all essential aspects of mechanics, mechanical properties of matter, thermal properties of matter, elementary thermodynamics, electrodynamics, electricity, magnetism, light, optics and sound. It includes simple mathematical approaches to each physical principle, with carefully selected examples and exercises supporting each chapter.

This second edition of a widely popular textbook - boasting close to 6 million downloads - adds many new exercises and solutions, a new summary for each chapter, boxed features separating the examples from the text, and highlights fundamental physical outcomes and rules. The appendices provide a quick and helpful point of reference for all fundamental conversion factors and basic formulas, as well as rules for differentiation and integration, helping students to understand the elementary mathematical steps used for solving the examples and exercises. Visually impressive and full of real-word examples with step-by-step solutions, this textbook is an indispensable tool for both instructors and students seeking direct access to a broad spectrum of physics.

Prof. Hafez A. Radi obtained his B.Sc. degree in Special Physics with distinction and highest class honors from Ain-Shams University in June 1967. He also obtained M. Sc. degree in theoretical atomic Physics from the same university in 1970. Then he moved to Kuwait University as a demonstrator and got his Ph. D. degree in theoretical Atomic Physics from the same University in 1974. He was promoted to Associate Professor Rank in 1979 and full Professor Rank in 1984. He visited the International Center for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy (from June to August, 1975). For the last 44 years he has been working with research scientists in Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Nuclear Science Division, Berkeley, California 94720, USA. On leave of absence from Department of Physics, Kuwait University, he spent his Sabbatical leave (from January 1981 to January 1982) and visited the Lab 15 times (each for a period of about two month). As a visiting professor, he also spent two research months (starting from June 1979) in Oak Ridge National Laboratory and University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37916, USA. After the Gulf war in 1990, he moved to King Abdul Aziz University (KAAU), Madinah Branch, SA (1990 - 2004) and Taibah University. He has been the Chairman of Physics and Mathematics Department at KAAU for one year. He moved to MSA University in Egypt in 2005 and appointed as the head of physics department from 2007 to 2012 and then as the head of the General Systems Engineering Department from 2012 to present. He published many articles as a leading author in distinguished international Journals such as Physical Review Letters, Physical Review A, Physical Review C, Journal of Physics (Atoms and Molecules), etc. He taught many undergraduate and Graduate courses in Physics, Mathematical Physics, and applications of Physics. He attended many international Conferences in Atomic and Nuclear Physics.

Prof. em. John O. Rasmussen, born 1926; B.S. California Institute of Technology (1948); Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley (1952); M.A. (hon) Yale (1969); Visiting Research Professor, Nobel Institute for Physics, Stockholm (1953); N.S.F. Senior Postdoctoral Fellow, Niels Bohr Institute, Copenhagen (1961-62); E.O. Lawrence Award (1967); Professor and Associate Director, Heavy Ion Accelerator Laboratory, Yale University (1969-72); Honorary Professor Fudan University, Shanghai (1984); J.S. Guggenheim Fellow (1972); von Humboldt Senior Fellowship, Munich (1991); A.C.S. Award for Nuclear Applications in Chemistry (1976); Fellow AAAS, Member ACS, APS, FAS; Faculty Senior Scientist, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. He published 386 articles in distinguished international Journals such as Physical Review Letters, Physical Review C etc. with more than 4668 citations.

PART 1: FUNDAMENTAL BASICS

CHAPTER 1: DIMENSIONS AND UNITS

1-1 The International System of Units

1-2 Standards of Length, Time, and Mass

1-3 Dimensional analysis

1-4 Significant Figures

1-5 Estimation and Order of Magnitude

Summary

1-6 Exercises

CHAPTER 2: VECTORS

2-1 Vectors and Scalars

2-2 Properties of Vectors

2-3 Vector Components and Unit Vectors

2-4 Multiplying Vectors

Summary

2-5 Exercises

PART 2: MECHANICS

CHAPTER 3: MOTION IN ONE DIMENSION

3-1 Position and Displacement

3-2 Average Velocity and Average Speed

3-3 Instantaneous Velocity and Speed

3-4 Acceleration

3-5 Constant Acceleration

3-6 Free Fall

3-7 Exercises

CHAPTER 4: MOTION IN TWO DIMENSIONS

4-1 Position, Displacement, Velocity, and Acceleration Vectors

4-2 Projectile Motion

4-3 Uniform Circular Motion

4-4 Tangential and Radial Acceleration

4-5 Non-uniform Circular Motion

Summary

4-6 Exercises

CHAPTER 5: FORCE AND MOTION

5-1 The Cause of Acceleration and Newton's Laws

5-2 Some Particular Forces

5-3 Applications to Newton's Laws

Summary

5-4 Exercises

CHAPTER 6: WORK, ENERGY, AND POWER

6-1 Work Done by a Constant Force

6-2 Work Done by a Variable Force

6-3 Work-Energy Theorem

6-4 Conservative Forces and Potential Energy

6-5 Conservation of Mechanical Energy

6-6 Work Done by Non-conservative forces

6-7 Conservation of Energy

6-8 Power

Summary

6-9 Exercises

CHAPTER 7: LINEAR MOMENTUM, COLLISION, AND CENTER OF MASS

7-1 Linear Momentum and Impulse

7-2 Conservation of Linear Momentum

7-3 Conservation of Momentum and Energy in Collisions

7-3-1 Elastic Collisions in One and Two Dimensions

7-3-2 Inelastic Collisions, Center of Mass (CM)

7-5 Dynamics of the Center of Mass

7-6 Systems of Variable Mass

7-6-1 Systems of Increasing Mass

7-6-2 Systems of Decreasing Mass; Rocket Propulsion

Summary

7-7 Exercises 200

CHAPTER 8: ROTATIONAL MOTION

8-1 Radian Measures

8-3 Constant Angular Acceleration

8-4 Angular Vectors

8-5 Relating Angular and Linear Quantities

8-6 Rotational Dynamics; Torque

8-7 Newton's Second Law for Rotation

8-8 Kinetic Energy, Work, and Power in Rotation

8-9 Rolling Motion

Summary

8-10 Exercises

CHAPTER 9: ANGULAR MOMENTUM

9-1 Angular Momentum of Rotating Systems

9-1-1 Angular Momentum of a Particles

9-1-2 Angular Momentum of a System of Particles

9-1-3 Angular Momentum of a Rotating Rigid Body

9-2 Conservation of Angular Momentum

9-3 The Spinning Top and Gyroscope

Summary

9-4 Exercises

CHAPTER 10: MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF MATTER

10-1 Density and Relative Density

10-2 Elastic Properties of Solids

10-2-1 Young's Modulus: Elasticity in Length

10-2-2 Shear Modulus: Elasticity of Shape

10-2-3 Bulk Modulus: Volume Elasticity

10-3 Fluids

10-4 Fluid Statics

10-5 Fluid Dynamics

Summary

10-6 Exercises

PART 3: INTODUCTORY THERMODYNAMICS

CHAPTER 11: THERMAL PROPERTIES OF MATTER

11-1 Temperature

11-2 Thermal Expansion of Solids and Liquids

11-2-1 Linear Expansion

11-2-2 Volume Expansion

11-3 The Ideal Gas

Summary

11-4 Exercises