Volume 1 contains Chapters 1–19.

• 1. Doing Physics
• I. MECHANICS
• 2. Motion in a Straight Line
• 3. Motion in Two and Three Dimensions
• 4. Force and Motion
• 5. Using Newton’s Laws
• 6. Work, Energy, and Power
• 7. Conservation of Energy
• 8. Gravity
• 9. Systems of Particles
• 10. Rotational Motion
• 11. Rotational Vectors and Angular Momentum
• 12. Static Equilibrium
• II. OSCILLATIONS, WAVES, AND FLUIDS
• 13. Oscillatory Motion
• 14. Wave Motion
• 15. Fluid Motion
• III. THERMODYNAMICS
• 16. Temperature and Heat
• 17. The Thermal Behavior of Matter
• 18. Heat, Work, and the First Law of Thermodynamics
• 19. The Second Law of Thermodynamics

Volume 2 contains Chapters 20–39.

• IV. ELECTROMAGNETISM
• 20. Electric Charge, Force, and Field
• 21. Gauss’s Law
• 22. Electric Potential
• 23. Electrostatic Energy and Capacitors
• 24. Electric Current
• 25. Electric Circuits
• 26. Magnetism: Force and Field
• 27. Electromagnetic Induction
• 28. Alternating-Current Circuits
• 29. Maxwell’s Equations and Electromagnetic Waves
• V. OPTICS
• 30. Reflection and Refraction
• 31. Images and Optical Instruments
• 32. Interference and Diffraction
• VI. MODERN PHYSICS
• 33. Relativity
• 34. Particles and Waves
• 35. Quantum Mechanics
• 36. Atomic Physics
• 37. Molecules and Solids
• 38. Nuclear Physics
• 39. From Quarks to the Cosmos
•  
• APPENDICES
• Appendix A Mathematics
• Appendix B The International System of Units (SI)
• Appendix C Conversion Factors
• Appendix D The Elements
• Appendix E Astrophysical Data

• Emphasise conceptual understanding:
  • NEW! Big Picture features begin each chapter, connecting past, present, and future content. Students will develop an understanding of the connections between different physics principles helping them to see how the overarching principles fit together.
  • Got It? questions present multiple-choice and ranking task problems in most sections to prompt students to check their understanding of key concepts as they read.
    • NEW! “GOT IT?” questions have been revised for clicker systems to inspire classroom discussion.
  • NEW! Media links (as scanable QR codes) link to Video Tutor Demos (VTDs). These are placed in the text near appropriate content, so students have easy access to a more visual, engaging presentation.
  • NEW! Increased numbers of both Conceptual Examples and worked examples help students understand how to work through the more difficult problems and concepts.
• Focus on the fundamentals:
  • Written with brevity and affordability in mind, Wolfson offers a concise and streamlined solution for students and instructors.
  • The text promotes the overarching theme that physics has a simple foundation that underlies a wide range of topics.
  • Key equations and definitions are set on coloured screens with titles and explanatory material, so that students will not grab a bare equation without a sense of  how to apply it.
  • Visual chapter and part summaries present a big-picture review of key concepts and connections using multiple representations (words, equations, and figures).

•  Teach sound problem-solving skills:
  • NEW! Calculus earlier: the author has reorganised the text so that calculus examples and problems have been moved up earlier in the discussion, allowing students to tackle more challenging physics problems and instructors to introduce topics using either algebra or calculus.
  • The consistent and explicit problem-solving strategy is designed to develop students’ confidence and conceptual problem solving skills by systematically setting up problems rather than diving right into the math.
  • The IDEA (Interpret, Develop, Evaluate, and Assess) framework, used in every worked example, begins with a problem’s key ideas, stresses the importance of planning a solution and drawing a diagram, works through the math, checks for reasonable answers, and relates the problem’s content to a broader understanding of physics.
    • Problem-Solving Strategy boxes follow the IDEA framework and provide detailed guidance for specific classes of physics problems.
  • Pencil-style illustrations in worked examples teach students to use simple sketches in problem solving to help develop conceptual understanding.
  • Tips offer concise explanatory or cautionary notes for typical misconceptions and identify the fundamental connections between new and old topics.
  • Tactics boxes review mathematical topics and develop specific problem-solving skills.

• Connect to the real world:
  • Every chapter includes Applications exploring modern examples of physics in the real world.
    • NEW! More engineering applications prepare engineering students for the field.
  • Chapter-opener photos, accompanied by thought-provoking questions, showcase examples of physics in everyday life.
  • Biomedical-related questions investigate the physics concepts behind biological topics. These appear in end-of-chapter problem sets.
  • Passage Problems, similar to the types of questions asked on the MCAT, appear in end-of-chapter problem sets. Each set includes four multiple-choice questions based on a passage of text, often with an accompanying figure or graph, and involves biomedical and other real-world scenarios.