Understand how energy moves in the universe and how heat becomes work.
This practical physics text explains core ideas with clear examples, from energy conservation to how atoms and ions behave in hot and radioactive matter.
Using historical experiments and straightforward explanations, the book ties together thermodynamics, kinetic theory, and early discoveries in radioactivity. It presents concepts in a way that helps readers see how physical laws apply across heat, light, electricity, and matter.
- How energy remains constant in closed systems and what that means for everyday processes
- How heat, work, and temperature relate through cycles and engines
- How the kinetic theory explains expansion, conduction, evaporation, and heat sensation
- Foundational experiments on electric discharge, ions, and early radioactivity discoveries
Ideal for readers seeking a clear, structured introduction to general physics and its real-world applications.
William Francis Magie was Professor of Physics at Princeton University.