Problems and Solutions in Introductory Mechanics

Book excerpt: This problem book is ideal for high-school and college students in search of practice problems with detailed solutions. All of the standard introductory topics in mechanics are covered: kinematics, Newton's laws, energy, momentum, angular momentum, oscillations, gravity, and fictitious forces. The introduction to each chapter provides an overview of the relevant concepts. Students can then warm up with a series of multiple-choice questions before diving into the free-response problems which constitute the bulk of the book. The first few problems in each chapter are derivations of key results/theorems that are useful when solving other problems. While the book is calculus-based, it can also easily be used in algebra-based courses. The problems that require calculus (only a sixth of the total number) are listed in an appendix, allowing students to steer clear of those if they wish. Additional details: (1) Features 150 multiple-choice questions and nearly 250 free-response problems, all with detailed solutions. (2) Includes 350 figures to help students visualize important concepts. (3) Builds on solutions by frequently including extensions/variations and additional remarks. (4) Begins with a chapter devoted to problem-solving strategies in physics. (5) A valuable supplement to the assigned textbook in any introductory mechanics course.