Conceptual Physics

• Alyssa J. Pasquale, Ph.D.
• David R. Fazzini, Ph.D.
• Carley Bennett, Ph.D.

Conceptual Physics is an Open Educational Resource (OER) textbook intended for a conceptual physics class for non-majors. No calculus or trigonometry is used. Conceptual understanding of topics is emphasized. Topics include kinematics, matter, thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, waves, and quantum mechanics.

Features

• Free to use
• Creative Commons BY-NC license which can be remixed and/or reused
• End of chapter numerical, conceptual, and experimental questions with selected solutions at the end of the textbook.
• 150+ embedded videos with physics demonstrations.

Instructor resources

Homework questions: We have homework assignments in MyOpenMath that correspond to the textbook. If you have an instructor account, you can copy our template course into your account and modify each assignment as you so choose.

In MyOpenMath, click on “add new course,” then under “copy from my or a colleague’s course,” in the box labeled “Or, lookup using course ID” type in 297289 and click “search.” Under enrollment key, enter physics1100collegeofdupage and click “continue.”

Lecture and demo videos

Lecture videos (YouTube playlist): 34 lecture videos to supplement each chapter in the textbook. Perfect for an asynchronous online course or for students who are absent or need additional review material.

Demo videos (YouTube playlist): over 150 videos of physics demonstrations, animations, and simulations emphasizing topics taught in the class.

Future project timeline

2026-2027

Clicker questions: we have a set of clicker questions instructors can ask their class during lecture to engage in the class content. We hope to publish this as an instructor resource in the future.

2027-2028

Lab manual: we hope to publish our lab manual on Pressbooks in the future. (Currently we are focusing our efforts on publishing lab manuals for our algebra- and calculus-based physics classes.)

Table of contents

1. Introduction
   • About science
2. Kinematics
   • Newton’s first law
   • Linear motion
   • Newton’s second law
   • Newton’s third law
   • Momentum
   • Work and energy
   • Rotational motion
   • Gravity
   • Projectile and satellite motion
3. Matter
   • The atomic nature of matter
   • Solids
   • Liquids
   • Gases
4. Thermodynamics
   • Temperature and heat
   • Heat transfer
   • Phase change
   • Thermodynamics
5. Sound and waves
   • Vibrations and waves
   • Sound
   • Musical sounds
6. Electricity and magnetism
   • Electrostatics
   • Electric circuits
   • Magnetism
   • Electromagnetic induction
   • Light
   • Color
   • Reflection and refraction
   • Light waves
   • Light emission
7. Quantum and nuclear physics
   • Light quanta
   • Quantum physics
   • Nuclear physics and radioactivity
   • Fission and fusion
8. Appendices
   • Vectors and vector arithmetic
   • Units and unit conversions
   • Answers to selected questions