Physics (PHY)

See also Open Access Texts, a list of open textbooks for undergraduate physics curated by Professor Alistair Savage, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Ottawa.

BSc Optics

Authors: Sander Konijnenberg, Aurèle J.L. Adam, and H. Paul Urbach (Delft University of Technology)

Date: 2021

Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

This book treats optics at the level of students in the later stage of their bachelor or the beginning of their master.  It is assumed that the student is familiar with Maxwell’s equations. Although the book takes account of the fact that optics is part of electromagnetism, special emphasis is put on the usefulness of approximate models of optics, their hierarchy and limits of validity. Approximate models such as geometrical optics and paraxial geometrical optics are treated extensively and applied to image formation by the human eye, the microscope and the telescope.

Format: PDF

Includes: Problems

Reviews: Open Textbook Library

College Physics

Authors: Paul Peter Urone (California State University), Roger Hinrichs (SUNY at Oswego), and Kim Dirks (University of Auckland) (OpenStax)

Date: 2012

Licence: CC BY 4.0

This introductory, algebra-based, two-semester college physics book is grounded with real-world examples, illustrations, and explanations to help students grasp key, fundamental physics concepts. This online, fully editable and customizable title includes ample practice opportunities to solve traditional physics application problems.

Formats: Online and PDF

Includes: Learning objectives, concept questions, links to labs, and simulations

Reviews: eCampusOntario Open Library – Open Textbook Library – BCcampus

Introduction to Electricity, Magnetism, and Circuits

Authors: Samuel J. Ling, Jeff Sanny, William Moebs, and Daryl Janzen (University of Saskatchewan)

Date: 2018

Licence: CC BY 4.0

This textbook emphasizes connections between theory and application, making physics concepts interesting and accessible to students while maintaining the mathematical rigour inherent in the subject. Frequent, strong examples focus on how to approach a problem, how to work with the equations, and how to check and generalize the result.

Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, MOBI, and more

Mechanics

Author: Ben Crowell (Fullerton College)

Date: 2017

Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

This is a calculus-based book meant for the first semester of a first-year survey course taken by engineering and physical science majors. It has a traditional order of topics whereby force is discussed before energy. It is divided into 17 chapters that cover a review of high school physics, scaling and estimation, vectors, velocity, acceleration, forces, circular motion, gravity, conservation of energy, work, conservation of momentum and angular momentum, vibrations, and resonance. A treatment of relativity is interspersed with the Newtonian mechanics, in optional sections.

Formats: Online and PDF

Reviews: BCcampus

Mechanics for Applied Science (Instructor Course Pack)

Author: Jennifer Kirkey (Douglas College) 

Date: 2023

Licence: CC BY 4.0

Formats: Online and Word

Includes: lesson plans, problems, activities, textbook, instructor guide, syllabus, quizzes, image collection

Phet Interactive Simulations

Author: Carl Wieman (University of Colorado Boulder)

Date: 2002

Licence: CC BY 4.0

Description:

PhET provides fun, free, interactive, research-based science and mathematics simulations. We extensively test and evaluate each simulation to ensure educational effectiveness. These tests include student interviews and observation of simulation use in classrooms. The simulations are written in HTML5 (with some legacy simulations in Java or Flash), and can be run online or downloaded to your computer. All simulations are open source (see our source code). Multiple sponsors support the PhET project, enabling these resources to be free to all students and teachers. To help students engage in science and mathematics through inquiry, PhET simulations are developed using the following design principles:

• Encourage scientific inquiry
• Provide interactivity
• Make the invisible visible
• Show visual mental models
• Include multiple representations (e.g., object motion, graphs, numbers, etc.)
• Use real-world connections
• Give users implicit guidance (e.g., by limiting controls) in productive exploration
• Create a simulation that can be flexibly used in many educational situations

Several tools in the simulations provide an interactive experience:

• Click and drag to interact with simulation features
• Use sliders to increase and decrease parameters
• Choose between options with radio buttons
• Make measurements in your experiments with various instruments – rulers, stop-watches, voltmeters, and thermometers.

As users interact with these tools, they get immediate feedback about the effect of the changes they made. This allows them to investigate cause-and-effect relationships and answer scientific questions through exploration of the simulation.

Formats: HTML5 source code

Physics

Author: Lumen Learning

Date: 2015

Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

This Lumen Learning course covers all of the concepts of first-year physics with a balance of application and theory.

Format: Online

Includes: Problem-solving guides, examples, videos, applications, problems, selected solutions, and summaries

Physics 132: What is an Electron? What is Light? 

Authors: Roger Hinrichs, Paul Peter Urone, Paul Flowers, Edward J. Neth, William R. Robinson, Klaus Theopold, Richard Langley, Julianne Zedalis, John Eggebrecht, and E.F. Redish (UMass Amherst)

Date: 2020

Licence: CC BY 4.0

Description:

A second-semester introductory physics course for life sciences students that looks to deepen students’ understanding of biology and chemistry through physics all through the lens of understanding two of the most fundamental particles in the Universe: electrons and photons. The book begins with exploring the quantum mechanical nature of these objects to expand on what students have learned in chemistry and then proceeds to geometric optics (using the human eye as a theme), electrostatics (using membrane potentials), circuits (using the neuron), and finally synthesizing everything in a unit exploring the meaning of “light is an electromagnetic wave.”

Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, and HTML

Relativity Lite: A Pictorial Translation of Einstein’s Theories of Motion and Gravity

Author: Jack C. Straton (Portland State University)

Date: 2020

Licence: CC BY-NC 4.0 (Note: most figures are licensed CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

Relativity Lite is designed for the General Astronomy sequence (PH 361-2U, SCI 315-6U) whose primary book glosses over Special Relativity and General Relativity while trying to explain the Cosmology that is based on those subjects. Relativity Lite translates the mathematical equations conventional relativity texts rely upon into pictures that are readily understood and contain within them the mathematical essentials. This book provides the comprehensive coverage needed to understand, in sufficient depth, these three linked areas of our reality. Readers seeking this knowledge on their own, and those in other courses for nonscientists, may also find it helpful.

Formats: Online and PDF

University Physics Volume 1

Authors: Jeff Sanny (Loyola Marymount University) and Samuel Ling (Truman State University) (OpenStax)

Date: 2016

Licence: CC BY 4.0

University Physics is a three-volume collection that meets the scope and sequence requirements for two- and three-semester calculus-based physics courses. Volume 1 covers mechanics, sound, oscillations, and waves. This textbook emphasizes connections between theory and application, making physics concepts interesting and accessible to students while maintaining the mathematical rigor inherent in the subject. Frequent, strong examples focus on how to approach a problem, how to work with the equations, and how to check and generalize the result.

Formats: Online and PDF

Reviews: Open Textbook Library – BCcampus

University Physics Volume 2

Authors: Jeff Sanny (Loyola Marymount University) and Samuel Ling (Truman State University) (OpenStax)

Date: 2016

Licence: CC BY 4.0

Description:

University Physics is a three-volume collection that meets the scope and sequence requirements for two- and three-semester calculus-based physics courses. Volume 2 covers thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism. This textbook emphasizes connections between theory and application, making physics concepts interesting and accessible to students while maintaining the mathematical rigor inherent in the subject. Frequent, strong examples focus on how to approach a problem, how to work with the equations, and how to check and generalize the result.

Formats: Online and PDF

Reviews: Open Textbook Library

University Physics Volume 3

Authors: Jeff Sanny (Loyola Marymount University) and Samuel Ling (Truman State University) (OpenStax)

Date: 2016

Licence: CC BY 4.0

Description:

University Physics is a three-volume collection that meets the scope and sequence requirements for two- and three-semester calculus-based physics courses. Volume 3 covers optics and modern physics. This textbook emphasizes connections between between theory and application, making physics concepts interesting and accessible to students while maintaining the mathematical rigor inherent in the subject. Frequent, strong examples focus on how to approach a problem, how to work with the equations, and how to check and generalize the result.

Formats: Online and PDF

Reviews: Open Textbook Library

Know of an OER not listed here? Submit your suggestion.

Already using an OER? Share your adoption!