For courses in liberal arts physics.

Actively engage students in learning and loving physics. Paul Hewitt’s best-selling Conceptual Physics defined the liberal arts physics course over 30 years ago and continues as the benchmark. Hewitt’s text is guided by the principle of "concepts before calculations" and is famous for engaging students with real-world analogies and imagery to build a strong conceptual understanding of physical principles, ranging from classical mechanics to modern physics.

The 13th Edition continues to make physics delightful for students with informative and fun Hewitt-Drew-It screencasts, updated content and applications, and new engaging activities.

Pearson Mastering® Physics is not included. Students, if Pearson Mastering Physics is a recommended/mandatory component of the course, please ask your instructor for the correct ISBN. Pearson Mastering Physics should only be purchased when required by an instructor. Instructors, contact your Pearson representative for more information.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1. About Science

Part One: Mechanics

Chapter 2. Newton's First Law of Motion-Inertia

Chapter 3. Linear Motion

Chapter 4. Newton's Second Law of Motion

Chapter 5. Newton's Third Law of Motion

Chapter 6. Momentum

Chapter 7. Energy

Chapter 8. Rotational Motion

Chapter 9. Gravity

Chapter 10. Projectile and Satellite Motion

Part Two: Properties of Matter

Chapter 11. The Atomic Nature of Matter

Chapter 12. Solids

Chapter 13. Liquids

Chapter 14. Gases

Part Three: Heat

Chapter 15. Temperature, Heat, and Expansion

Chapter 16. Heat Transfer

Chapter 17. Change of Phase

Chapter 18. Thermodynamics

Part Four: Sound

Chapter 19. Vibrations and Waves

Chapter 20. Sound

Chapter 21. Musical Sounds

Part Five: Electricity and Magnetism

Chapter 22. Electrostatics

Chapter 23. Electric Current

Chapter 24. Magnetism

Chapter 25. Electromagnetic Induction

Part Six: Light

Chapter 26. Properties of Light

Chapter 27. Color

Chapter 28. Reflection and Refraction

Chapter 29. Light Waves

Chapter 30. Light Emission

Chapter 31. Light Quanta

Part Seven: Atomic and Nuclear Physics

Chapter 32. The Atom and the Quantum

Chapter 33. The Atomic Nucleus and Radioactivity

Chapter 34. Nuclear Fission and Fusion

Part Eight: Relativity

Chapter 35. Special Theory of Relativity

Chapter 36. General Theory of Relativity

About the Author

Paul G. Hewitt is an American physicist, former boxer, uranium prospector, author, and cartoonist born in Saugus, Massachusetts in 1931.