The Best Bits of Physics

by Alasdair C. Shaw

Just got a new Kindle for Christmas? Interested in science and the world around us? Studying for exams?

Physics is fundamental to our understanding of the world around us. Everyone should have at least a basic knowledge.
This book explains some of the most interesting parts of physics in simple terms. It dips in, never taking more than two pages for one topic. There is even a good selection of experiments you can do at home!
It is suitable for any student of science as well as anyone wanting to enhance their knowledge.

A few words from the author:
Physics is a hard subject. Everyone knows that. Tell someone that you are studying physics and they will be impressed. This will probably be followed by a comment along the lines of "I could never do that at school". It is still one of the most demanding GCSEs and A-Levels.

This book is an attempt to serve up some of the best bits of physics. It should give you an understanding of the key concepts in modern physics. Along the way I hope you will be convinced that the heart of physics isn't all that hard after all. Perhaps you'll even be able to explain it to your friends and family...

Genres: Science

59 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 31, 2013

Reviews

[Steven Simpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you care about how the world works and don't have occasion to use physics in everyday life, Alasdair C Shaw's Best Bits of Physics is a great way to refresh your physics memory. I'm into science (though I'm an artist and writer) and I enjoyed this book. It is concise and entertaining and provides nice real-world examples of principles throughout. It is a bit dry, as any book on physics would be, but the author does a good job of keeping things moving along, covering a lot of ground. The second half of the book is packed with experiments one could perform at home. This would be perfect for those with school-age children, but since that's not my situation, that part was wasted on me. I plan to keep Best Bits on my bookshelf so I can buff up on a physics topic that needs explaining in the future. My old brain can only hold so much, for so long. Recommended.

[Ann Girdharry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always found science fascinating - everyone has heard of Einstein and Newton and this author introduces us to their work and more modern principles of things like gravity, acceleration, heat and mass and travel at the speed of light or faster.
As a science fiction fan, I was astonished to discover that there is actually a link between mass and time and space which means that the faster you travel the slower time goes! Time/ space does actually warp Mr Spock! (That may not be entirely accurate- but you'll have to read the book to correct me!)
In all, this was a light hearted and entertaining read, as well as being informative.
I received a copy of this book for an homest, non reciprocal review.

[Phil Marcoccia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think Alasdair does a great job of summarizing these complex theories, especially considering the amount of pages he's chosen to fill out!

I would recommend this to anyone who has no understanding or background in physics to help begin building a foundation.

[Victor Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it. It's split into two halves that don't seem to have anything to do with one another. Half 1 is a short breeze through major concepts in physics. Half 2 is a list of do-it-yourself physics experiments. Half 1 takes a dozen or so physics concepts like thermodynamics, general relativity, absolute zero, and attempts to distill each to about a page of short, lay explanation. This does not succeed, not through any fault in the writer, but because it is an impossible task. I am well-read in these areas, but trying to read it from a lay perspective, I can see how none of these short walk-throughs add anything to understanding. The author is trying to do what the Michio Kakus, Carl Sagans, Stephen Hawkings, and Guy Murchies have been doing for years: teaching high level physics to laypeople. Perhaps this concept would work better as a Glossary of Physics Terms for reference, not explanation.

Half 2 has some wonderful experiments, for parents and teachers especially. Earlier, I mentioned a direction problem, because things that were explained in Half 1, like General Relativity can't be demonstrated by household experiment. So there is a sharp disconnect between the two halves. Overall, this is a great reference for teachers & parents attempting to brief children on the subject and inspire them. But in terms of explanatory power, it just doesn't touch the masters.