Used High School Physics Textbooks – A United States nationwide survey among high school physics teachers was taken in recent years and its findings of the most frequently used physics textbooks at high school levels was reported as follows:

First Year Physics

  • “Physics: Principles and Problems” (Zitzewitz, Glencoe/McGraw) at 40 percent.
  • “Conceptual Physics – High School Level” (Hewitt, Addison Wesley) at 16 percent.
  • “Holt Physics” (Serway & Faughn, Holt) at 25 percent.
  • “Physics: Principles with Applications” (Giancoli, Prentice Hall) at 5 percent.

Conceptual Physics

  • Conceptual Physics – High School Level” (Hewitt, Addison Wesley) at 76 percent.
  • “Active Physics” (Eisenkraft, It’s About Time) at 5 percent

Honors Physic

  • “Holt Physics” (Serway & Faughn, Holt) at 26 percent.
  • “Physics: Principles and Problems” (Zitzewitz, Glencoe/McGraw) at 18 percent.
  • “Physics” (Giancoli, Prentice Hall) at 17 percent.
  • “College Physics” (Serway & Faughn, Holt) at 8 percent.
  • “Physics” (Cutnell & Johnson, Wiley) at 8 percent.
  • “Conceptual Physics – High School Level” (Hewitt, Addison Wesley) at 6 percent.
  • “Modern Physics” (Trinklein, Holt) at 5 percent.
  • “College Physics (Wilson and Buffa, Prentice Hall) at 5 percent.

Advanced Placement B

  • “Physics: Principles with Applications” (Giancoli, Prentice Hall) at 35 percent.
  • “College Physics” (Serway & Faughn, Holt) at 20 percent.
  • “Physics” (Cutnell & Johnson, Wiley) at 19 percent.

Advanced Placement C

  • Fundamentals of Physics (Halliday, Resnick & Walker, Wiley) at 45 percent.

So many different textbooks holding such a wealth of information for high school level physics, but what exactly is physics?  Physics derives from the Greek word “physis” which means “nature” and it literally means “natural science.”  Physics observes, studies and comes to conclusions regarding energy, force, space, time and everything that is associated with these such as mass, charge, matter and motion.  In much broader terms and in a simplified language, physics is the study of all that is part of nature.  Its main focus is the quest to comprehend the world and the universe; their behavior and mode of reaction to the existing forces.  Universe in this context is defined as everything that has a physical existence: the totality of space and time, all matter in all its forms, energy, momentum and the physical principles which reign over them.

If astronomy is to be included within its realm, physics is then the oldest academic subject of study as it has, for the past two thousand years, been thought of as one and the same discipline as philosophy, chemistry and some parts of mathematics and biology.  However, during the Scientific Revolution of the sixteenth century it acquired its own stance though it had continuously remained cooperative with the other sciences.  The tremendous importance attributed to physics is due to the fact that its progress, more than any other branch of science, inevitably leads to new technologies as well as greatly impacting the other sciences, mathematics as well as philosophy.

Physics is the science of our existence and all that surrounds us and to better understand what it is all about; great textbooks are available starting at high school levels.  As is true of all science textbooks, high school level physics textbooks are very expensive unless acquired used.  There are countless websites which sell used high school physics textbooks but you might want to start your search at the following online bookstores:

Free PDF Physics Textbook (Right Click & Save As)
Offers a free PDF file containing a physics book for high school level, print it on your own and you would have acquired a free high school physics textbook.

Filed under: Used Textbooks For Sale

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