What's a good book to explain physics and electricity to an average person?

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manlymatt83

Lifer
Oct 14, 2005
10,051
44
91
So I'm a computer scientist --- I understand logic, operating systems, etc...

What I don't have a clue about is how electricity works -- the difference between amps, volts, ohms, etc... nor do I have an understanding of how basic physics works ...

there a good book for this?
 
9

91TTZ

Lifer
Jan 31, 2005
14,374
1
0
You're a computer scientist and you don't understand the difference between amps and volts? How did that happen? I would just read up on it on the internet.
 
sdifox

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
100,183
17,886
126
Wait, how did you get away with not taking first year core physics?
 
M

manlymatt83

Lifer
Oct 14, 2005
10,051
44
91
Originally posted by: sdifox
Wait, how did you get away with not taking first year core physics?
Click to expand...

My college doesn't require physics for a BS in Computer Science. They do now, but didn't when I got it. That's why I kinda feel half missing :)
 
Jeff7

Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
41,596
20
81
Volts: How much the electrons want to move.
Amps: Sort of like how many electrons there are.
Ohms: Resistance to current flow.

High voltage, low amps: There aren't a lot of free electrons, but they really want to move. Static electricity sparks are this - thousands of volts, but only a few microamps.

High amperage, low voltage: Loads of electrons, but they just want to mosy along. No rush.

It is possible to have a high voltage within something with very high resistance, such as an insulator. However, even though the voltage is high, since there's high resistance, the electrons won't be going anywhere anytime soon. Unless you get dielectric breakdown - think "lightning bolt." :)

Originally posted by: 91TTZ
You're a computer scientist and you don't understand the difference between amps and volts? How did that happen? I would just read up on it on the internet.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I would think that basic physics would be required for that. A friend of mine is in computer engineering, and she also had to take Physics I and II.
 
J

jmcoreymv

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
4,264
0
0
Voltage: electric potential, think of it as a pressure in a water pipe
Current: the rate at which charge flows, think of it as the amount of water per second going through a cross-section of the pipe
Resistance: how heavily something resists the flow of electrons, think of it as the diameter of the pipe and the smaller the diameter, the more resistance

put them all together, V = I*R.
 
Born2bwire

Born2bwire

Diamond Member
Oct 28, 2005
9,840
6
71
Originally posted by: mjuszczak
So I'm a computer scientist --- I understand logic, operating systems, etc...

What I don't have a clue about is how electricity works -- the difference between amps, volts, ohms, etc... nor do I have an understanding of how basic physics works ...

there a good book for this?
Click to expand...

Must resist urge... to... commment.

Originally posted by: thesurge
Try:
Introduction to Electrodynamics
or
Physics for Scientists and Engineers.

They are both solid textbooks.
Click to expand...

If he doesn't know basic electricity then he won't want to try Griffiths. He'd be better off with a general college physics E&M textbook, like Giancoli.
 
sdifox

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
100,183
17,886
126
Originally posted by: mjuszczak
Originally posted by: sdifox
Wait, how did you get away with not taking first year core physics?
Click to expand...

My college doesn't require physics for a BS in Computer Science. They do now, but didn't when I got it. That's why I kinda feel half missing :)
Click to expand...

good grief... Let me guess, no math either? :) I had to do a ton of math (just needed 1.5 more credit to get a math major) and did 2 credits of electronics, plus physics, chemistry (though only first year level)


http://www.amazon.com/exec/obi...21153/sciencehobbyist/

Feynman is very readable, this is considered essential reading.
 
Googer

Googer

Lifer
Nov 11, 2004
12,576
7
81
Originally posted by: mjuszczak
So I'm a computer scientist --- I understand logic, operating systems, etc...

What I don't have a clue about is how electricity works -- the difference between amps, volts, ohms, etc... nor do I have an understanding of how basic physics works ...

there a good book for this?
Click to expand...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
 
H

habib89

Diamond Member
Jan 17, 2001
3,599
0
0
conceptual physics by paul g. hewitt is a good book... but obviously since it's conceptual physics, it's not super technical
 
F

FleshLight

Diamond Member
Mar 18, 2004
6,883
0
71
Just read up on Vector Mechanics, Fluid Mechanics, Fracture Mechanics, and Thermodynamics and you're set.
 
sdifox

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
100,183
17,886
126
Originally posted by: iamaelephant
Originally posted by: sdifox
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obi...21153/sciencehobbyist/

Feynman is very readable, this is considered essential reading.
Click to expand...

Although the Feynamnn Lectures are great books, I wouldn't want to try to learn physics from them. They are an awesome supplement if you are studying physics though.
Click to expand...

he is a computer scientist, I assume he has the math and the 'logic' for it...sorry... couldn't help it...
 
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