David Halliday (March 3, 1916 – April 2, 2010) was an American

physicist A physicist is a scientist who specializes in the field of physics, which encompasses the interactions of matter and energy at all length and time scales in the physical universe. Physicists generally are interested in the root or ultimate cau ...

known for his

physics Physics is the scientific study of matter, its Elementary particle, fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge whi ...

textbooks, ''Physics'' and ''

Fundamentals of Physics ''Fundamentals of Physics'' is a calculus-based physics textbook by David Halliday, Robert Resnick, and Jearl Walker. The textbook is currently in its 12th edition (published October, 2021). The current version is a revised version of the or ...

'', which he wrote with

Robert Resnick Robert Resnick (January 11, 1923 – January 29, 2014) was a physics educator and author of physics textbooks. He was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on January 11, 1923"Robert Resnick." ''Marquis Who's Who''. Marquis Who's Who, 2008. Reproduced i ...

. Both textbooks have been in continuous use since 1960 and are available in more than 47 languages. Halliday attended the

University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The university is composed of seventeen undergraduate and graduate schools and colle ...

both as an undergraduate student and a graduate student, receiving his Ph.D. in physics in 1941. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, he worked at the MIT Radiation Lab developing

radar Radar is a system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), direction ( azimuth and elevation angles), and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It is a radiodetermination method used to detect and track ...

techniques. In 1946 he returned to Pittsburgh as an assistant professor and spent the rest of his career there. In 1955, he published ''Introductory Nuclear Physics'', which became a classic text and was translated into four languages. The book was continued and expanded in 1987 by Kenneth Krane, see the Bibliography. In 1951 Halliday became the Department Chair, a position he held until 1962. His book ''Physics'' has been used widely and is considered by many to have revolutionized physics education. Now in its twelfth edition in a two-volume set revised by

Jearl Walker Jearl Dalton Walker (born 1945 in Pensacola, Florida) is a physicist noted for his book '' The Flying Circus of Physics'', first published in 1975; the second edition was published in June 2006. He teaches physics at Cleveland State University. W ...

, and under the title ''

'', it is still highly regarded. It is noted for its clear standardized diagrams, very thorough but highly readable pedagogy, outlook into modern physics, and challenging, thought provoking problems. In 2002 the

American Physical Society The American Physical Society (APS) is a not-for-profit membership organization of professionals in physics and related disciplines, comprising nearly fifty divisions, sections, and other units. Its mission is the advancement and diffusion of ...

named the work the most outstanding introductory physics text of the 20th century. Halliday died at the age of 94 on April 2, 2010. He was living in

Maple Falls, Washington Maple Falls is a census-designated place (CDP) in Whatcom County, Washington, United States. The population was 291 at the 2020 census. Geography Maple Falls is located on the Mount Baker Highway, east of Bellingham, three miles east of a jun ...

.David Halliday 1916–2010 Obituary - Tributes.com
/ref> His doctoral students included

John Wheatley John Wheatley (19 May 1869 – 12 May 1930) was a Scottish socialist politician. He was a prominent figure of the Red Clydeside era. Early life and career Wheatley was born to Thomas and Johanna Wheatley in Bonmahon, County Waterford, Irel ...

Bibliography

References

University of Pittsburgh biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Halliday, David American physicists American textbook writers American male non-fiction writers University of Pittsburgh alumni University of Pittsburgh faculty 1916 births 2010 deaths Manhattan Project people