''Fundamentals of Physics'' is a
calculus-based
physics textbook by
David Halliday,
Robert Resnick, and
Jearl Walker
Jearl 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.
Walker ha ...
. The textbook is currently in its 12th edition (published October, 2021).
The current version is a revised version of the original 1960 textbook ''Physics for Students of Science and Engineering'' by Halliday and Resnick, which was published in two parts (Part I containing Chapters 1-25 and covering mechanics and thermodynamics; Part II containing Chapters 26-48 and covering electromagnetism, optics, and introducing quantum physics). A 1966 revision of the first edition of Part I changed the title of the textbook to ''Physics''.
It is widely used in
colleges as part of the
undergraduate physics courses, and has been well known to
science and
engineering students for decades as "the gold standard" of
freshman
A freshman, fresher, first year, or frosh, is a person in the first year at an educational institution, usually a secondary school or at the college and university level, but also in other forms of post-secondary educational institutions.
Ara ...
-level physics texts. 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 k ...
named the work the most outstanding introductory physics text of the 20th century.
The first edition of the book to bear the title ''Fundamentals of Physics'', first published in 1970, was revised from the original text by
Farrell Edwards
Farrell (anglicization of the Irish ''Ó Fearghail'') is a surname and may refer to:
* Farrell (surname)
* Farrell Lines, shipping company (acquired by Maersk)
* Farrell, Nevada, an American city
* Farrell, Pennsylvania, an American city
* Farrel ...
and
John J. Merrill
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Second ...
. (Editions for sale outside the USA have the title ''Principles of Physics''.) Walker has been the revising author since 1990.
Jearl D Walker
Profile page at CSU Ohio.
In the more recent editions of the textbook, beginning with the fifth edition,solid-state physics
Solid-state physics is the study of rigid matter, or solids, through methods such as quantum mechanics, crystallography, electromagnetism, and metallurgy. It is the largest branch of condensed matter physics. Solid-state physics studies how the l ...
, nuclear physics and cosmology. A solutions manual and a study guide are also available.
See also
* Physics education
References
External links
''Fundamentals of physics'' at Wikibook
Physics textbooks
{{physics-book-stub