<p>I didn’t get a change to take physics prior to college, and so I’m taking a introductory physics course at the CC next semester. I bought a 300 page self teaching book a while back, before I planned on taking the intro course, to help me catch up a little bit. I know a lot of people did take physics in HS. I’m wondering what is actually covered in courses that come before the calculus based physics 1 at a university (I asked a question on here before about first year physics math prereq and was told that I should take calc 1 before takings physics) and what are you supposed to know before taking first year physics?</p>
<p>The book I have briefly covers:</p>
<p>Force and motion;
Newton’s laws of motion;
Conservation of momentum and energy;
Gravity;
Atoms and molecules;
Solids;
Liquids and gases;
Temperature and heat;
Change of state and transfer of heat;
Wave motion;
Sound;
Diffraction, interference, and music;
Static electricity;
Electrical current;
Magnetism and magnetic effects of currents;
Electrical induction;
Electromagnetic waves;
Light: wave or particle;
Quantum nature of light;
Reflection, refraction, and dispersion;
Lenses and instruments;
Light as a wave;
Color;</p>
<p>The list of topics given above appears to be a typical list of high school physics topics.</p>
<p>Once upon a time, a typical high school physics book and syllabus was the one from the Physical Science Study Committee (PSSC); it was meant for high school students who were expecting to take physics courses in college. Not sure how common it is now, though. (An alternative was (Harvard) Project Physics, meant for high school students who were not going to take physics courses in college.)</p>
<p>Some high schools now use the AP physics B syllabus as the honors physics course.</p>
<p>However, a motivated student with the needed math background can jump right into college physics, but s/he will likely have to work harder than someone who has had high school physics.</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply.</p>
<p>It’s good to know that the book I have covers what is typically covered in HS, but it sucks because the book doesn’t give enough practice problems. It more or less tells you about the subject at hand and gives 3 or 4 problems for practice before moving on. When they say brief, they really mean brief. When I’m learning something new, I like to do at least 30-40 or more for practice so that it really sinks in. No luck finding much of anything online. Any recommendations?</p>
<p>Non-calculus physics book for college physics for biology majors, AP physics B, or (probably) honors high school physics:</p>
<p>[Light</a> and Matter, an online physics textbook](<a href=“http://www.lightandmatter.com/lm/]Light”>Light and Matter, an online physics textbook)</p>
<p>A book that uses calculus:</p>
<p>[Simple</a> Nature, an online physics textbook](<a href=“http://www.lightandmatter.com/area1sn.html]Simple”>Simple Nature, an online physics textbook)</p>
<p>More books:</p>
<p>[The</a> Physics Hypertextbook](<a href=“http://physics.info/]The”>http://physics.info/)
[General</a> & Introductory Physics Books](<a href=“http://www.sciencebooksonline.info/physics/general-introductory.html]General”>General & Introductory Physics Books)</p>