Christopher J. Fischer – författare

The Energy of Physics, Part I: Classical Mechanics and Thermodynamics provides students the opportunity to learn physics the way in which physicists understand the discipline. In contrast to standard textbooks, which introduce forces first, this text begins with classical mechanics using the concept of energy conservation. By inverting the standard order of presentation, the book enables students to understand and use calculus effectively, particularly toward applications in physics.Energy conservation is a constant theme throughout the text. Newton’s laws are presented in terms of work and changes in kinetic energy, and forces are introduced as the derivative of potential energy, which is necessary for defining equilibrium conditions. A generalization of forces and Newton's laws then motivates the concepts of linear and angular momentum. The mode of presentation also allows thermodynamics to be incorporated throughout the text.The second edition includes a new chapter on fluids and new and additional practice problems for all chapters.The Energy of Physics, Part I gives students a better understanding of classical mechanics and provides a solid foundation for more advanced physics concepts and courses. The text is ideal for calculus-based physics courses for science and engineering majors.

The Energy of Physics Part II: Electricity and Magnetism steps away from the traditional chronological organization of material and instead groups similar topics together, thus enabling students to better understand potentials and fields and the relationship between electricity and magnetism.In opening chapters, the concepts of potential and field are introduced in the context of the gravitational, electric, and magnetic interactions between point particles. Later chapters discuss the electric and magnetic fields and potentials of distributions of electric charge, the multipole expansions of these fields and potentials, and Maxwell's Equations. The final chapters focus on electric circuits, with particular emphasis on AC circuits, electromagnetic waves, and optics. Appendices provide additional support in applied mathematics, derivations of key equations, further discussion of select examples, and more.The second edition features extensive revisions to the majority of the chapters, new problems for all chapters, and updated material in the appendices.The Energy of Physics Part II builds on the energy-based approach to classical mechanics presented in Part I and has the similar goal of helping students develop their applied mathematics skills. The book can be used in any calculus-based introductory electricity and magnetism course, especially those in physical sciences, engineering, and mathematics.

The region of Alsace, located between the hereditary enemies of France and Germany, served as a trophy of war four times between 1870–1945. With each shift, French and German officials sought to win the allegiance of the local populace. In response to these pressures, Alsatians invoked regionalism—articulated as a political language, a cultural vision, and a community of identity—not only to define and defend their own interests against the nationalist claims of France and Germany, but also to push for social change, defend religious rights, and promote the status of the region within the larger national community. Alsatian regionalism however, was neither unitary nor unifying, as Alsatians themselves were divided politically, socially, and culturally. The author shows that the Janus-faced character of Alsatian regionalism points to the ambiguous role of regional identity in both fostering and inhibiting loyalty to the nation. Finally, the author uses the case of Alsace to explore the traditional designations of French civic nationalism versus German ethnic nationalism and argues for the strong similarities between the two countries’ conceptions of nationhood.