Introduction to Physics Concepts

Any curriculum involving science and/or engineering will eventually find itself entering the realm of physics. This book seeks to introduce students to a number of the fundamental concepts in physics and illustrate how different theories were developed out of physical observations and phenomena. The book presents multi-chapter sections on electrostatics, magnetism and electromagnetic waves, with eyes on both the past and the future, touching, along the way, on Coulomb, Gauss, Maxwell, Ohm, Biot-Savart, Ampere, Faraday, Fresnel and Lorentz. The book also contains an appendix that provides the reader with a portion of the mathematical background of vector analysis and vector differential operators. The book approaches its topics through a focus on examples and problem-solving techniques, illustrating vividly how physical theories are applied to problems in engineering and science. The book is primarily aimed at undergraduate students in these two fields, but it also features chapters that are geared towards senior undergraduates working on their final year theses.