Modern Physics for Scientists and Engineers by Stephen T. Thornton, Andrew Rex

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Synopsis

Thornton (University of Virginia) and Rex (University of Puget Sound) provide a sound theoretical foundation in quantum theory for physics majors while at the same time emphasizing applications needed for engineering students. The text contains 250 questions and about 800 problems, 15% of which are new to this third edition. Many of this edition's 40 new examples give students practice with conceptual reasoning. Examples now feature a new Strategy step to help students identify the essential steps in problem-solving. Expanded material on nanotechnology and cosmology is new to this edition. Annotation ©2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Biography

Stephen Thornton is Professor of Physics at the University of Virginia. He has over 120 research publications in experimental nuclear physics and served as the initial Director of the Institute of Nuclear and Particle Physics. He has been a Fulbright fellow (twice) and a Max Planck fellow to do research in Germany. In recent years he has become more involved in physics and science education, having served as Chair of AAPT's Committee on Science Education for the Public and as President of the Virginia Association of Science Teachers. He has developed distance learning physics and physical science courses for K-12 teachers and taught courses and workshops for thousands of K-12 teachers, including many websites with hands-on activities. He has revitalized the lab/workshop taken by engineering students. He is the author of three physics textbooks, including CLASSICAL DYNAMICS with Jerry Marion and MODERN PHYSICS with Andrew Rex, both published by Thomson - Brooks/Cole.

Andrew Rex is Professor of Physics at the University of Puget Sound. In over 20 years at Puget Sound he has taught throughout the curriculum for majors and non-majors. In 2004 he received the President's Excellence in Teaching Award from the university. Along with Martin Jackson, Rex developed a year-long integrated physics and calculus course and wrote a textbook for that course, INTEGRATED PHYSICS AND CALCULUS, published in 2000. Along with Stephen Thornton, he has co-authored three editions of MODERN PHYSICS, published by Thomson Brooks/Cole (1993, 2000, 2006). Rex's primary research in physics is in statistical thermodynamics, where he has published numerous articles and co-authored (with Harvey Leff) two editionsof the monograph MAXWELL'S DEMON (1990, 2003).