Understanding Physics

Built on the foundations of Halliday, Resnick, and Walker's Fundamentals of Physics Sixth Edition, this text is designed to work with interactive learning strategies that are increasingly being used in physics instruction (for example, microcomputer-based labs, interactive lectures, etc. ). In doing so, it incorporates new approaches based upon Physics Education Research (PER), aligns with courses that use computer-based laboratory tools, and promotes Activity Based Physics in lectures, labs, and recitations.

“Effective student learning comes from ‘brains-on’ activities—those times when students are thinking hard and struggling to make sense of what they are learning. Effective instruction happens when teachers create environments in which students are encouraged and helped to engage in those kind of activities.”—JOE REDISH, Teaching Physics

Understanding Physics, by Cumming, Laws, Redish, and Cooney, is designed to support this type of instruction and this type of learning. Built on the foundations of Halliday, Resnick, and Walker’s Fundamentals of Physics 6e, this text is designed to work with learning strategies such as microcomputer-based labs and interactive lectures that are increasingly being used in physics instruction. In doing so, it incorporates new approaches based upon Physics Education Research (PER), aligns with courses that use computer-based laboratory tools, and supports Activity-Based Physics in lectures, labs, and recitations.

A set of related materials collectively known as The Physics Suite is available to support active learning in both the lecture and the lab.