An Introduction to Physical Science

Consistent with previous editions of AN INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL SCIENCE, the goal of the new Fourteenth Edition is to stimulate students' interest in and gain knowledge of the physical sciences. Presenting content in such a way that students develop the critical reasoning and problem-solving skills that are needed in an ever-changing technological world, the authors emphasize fundamental concepts as they progress through the five divisions of physical sciences: physics, chemistry, astronomy, meteorology, and geology. Ideal for a non-science major's course, topics are treated both descriptively and quantitatively, providing instructors the flexibility to emphasize whichever approach works best for their students.

Dr. James T. Shipman was a long-time physics educator at Ohio University, his alma mater, and was Professor Emeritus until his passing in 2009. Jerry Wilson received his physics degrees from Ohio University (B.S., Ph.D.) and Union College in Schenectady, New York (M.S.). In addition to co-writing PHYSICS LABORATORY EXPERIMENTS, he is one of the original authors of the first edition of AN INTRODUCTION OF PHYSICAL SCIENCE (published in 1971) and has several other physics textbooks to his credit. Wilson is currently Emeritus Professor of Physics at Lander University in Greenwood, South Carolina. Chuck Higgins received his B.S. degree in physics from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in 1988 and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees form the University of Florida in 1996. Areas of interest and research include planetary radio astronomy and astronomy education and public outreach. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Middle Tennessee State University in Mufreesboro, Tennessee. He is the 2007-8 recipient of the MTSU Outstanding Teacher Award, and is also the recipient of the NASA Excellence in Outreach Award for his work on NASA's Radio Jove Project in 2005. Omar Torres received his undergraduate degree in Chemistry from Texas A&M University in 1998 and his graduate degree in Inorganic Chemistry from UCLA in 2001. He has experience in teaching, research (inorganic, organic, and analytical) and academic administration. Professor Torres taught both inorganic and organic chemistry at UCLA, where he earned two UCLA Department of Chemistry Awards for Excellence in Teaching for the 1998-1999 and 1999-2000 school years. In addition, Professor Torres has worked at the Dow Chemical Company (Freeport, TX) in the area of Analytical Quality Control, developing and implementing new technologies for various plant operators and analytical scientists. He is currently Dean of Science at the College of the Canyons.