Conceptual Physical Science, 6th edition

For one- or two-semester physical science survey courses for non-science majors.

Opening the Doors of Science

Conceptual Physical Science, Sixth Edition, provides a conceptual overview of basic, essential topics in physics, chemistry, earth science, and astronomy with optional quantitative analyses. The authors focus on concepts before computations. With its clear, friendly writing style, and strong integration of the sciences, this book connects well with all students.

Also available with MasteringPhysics

MasteringPhysics^™ from Pearson is the leading online teaching and learning system designed to improve results by engaging students before, during, and after class with powerful content. Ensure that students arrive ready to learn by assigning educationally effective content before class, and encourage critical thinking and retention with in-class resources such as Learning Catalytics^™. Students can further master concepts after class through traditional homework assignments that provide hints and answer-specific feedback. The Mastering gradebook records scores for all automatically graded assignments while diagnostic tools give instructors access to rich data to assess student understanding and misconceptions.

Mastering brings learning full circle by continuously adapting to each student and making learning more personal than ever—before, during, and after class.

Conceptual Physical Science, 6th Edition is also available via Pearson eText, a simple-to-use, mobile, personalized reading experience that lets instructors connect with and motivate students – right in their eTextbook. Learn more.

• A student-centered writing style weaves real-world examples and applications into the text to capture students' attention and give them context.
• A powerful media package including MasteringPhysics^™ allows instructors to assign practice outside of class and includes a comprehensive suite of media for self-study.

• A library of assignable and automatically graded content, including tutorials, visual activities, end-of-chapter problems, and test bank questions allows instructors to create the most effective homework assignments with just a few clicks. A color-coded gradebook instantly identifies vulnerable students, or challenging areas for class.
• A student study area with practice quizzes, Interactive Figures, award-winning self-guided tutorials, flashcards, videos, access to the Pearson eText version of the book, and more.
• An instructor resources section with PowerPoint^® lectures, clicker questions, Instructor Manual files and more.   
• Engaging art makes rigorous scientific concepts less intimidating and easier to grasp. 
• “Link To” boxes interspersed throughout the chapters connect key concepts to everyday life experiences and promote discussion of relevant topics like the environment and geology.
• Readiness Assurance Tests at the end of each chapter function as signposts for the student to assess their grasp of important concepts.

• NEW! Video tutorials include screencasts created by the authors to help students arrive in class prepared. These video lessons complement chapter material by giving students the context they need to read with greater understanding. In the print book, these are accessible by scanning a QR code with a portable device such as a smartphone; in the eBook, users can click on the video icon.
• NEW! Learning objectives are now placed at the start of each chapter. An Explain This question still appears beneath each section heading—students should be able to answer this after having read the chapter section.
• Updated! Boxed essays are revised throughout the text as needed, with optional topics explored in more detail. Figuring Physical Science boxes walk the student through a mathematical analysis of the concepts presented in the narrative.
• Updated! “FYI” side notes highlight applications of the concepts.
• Updated! Insights that are brief and insightful comments identified by an LED light blub.
• NEW! End-of-chapter material organized around Bloom’s taxonomy has been updated with 150 new questions added. Existing questions have been reviewed for accuracy and clarity. Exercises are now segregated by chapter sections, which should facilitate homework assignments.

Also available with MasteringPhysics^™

MasteringPhysics from Pearson is the leading online teaching and learning system designed to improve results by engaging students before, during, and after class with powerful content. Ensure that students arrive ready to learn by assigning educationally effective content before class, and encourage critical thinking and retention with in-class resources such as Learning Catalytics. Students can further master concepts after class through traditional homework assignments that provide hints and answer-specific feedback. The Mastering gradebook records scores for all automatically graded assignments while diagnostic tools give instructors access to rich data to assess student understanding and misconceptions.

Mastering brings learning full circle by continuously adapting to each student and making learning more personal than ever—before, during, and after class.

• BEFORE CLASS
• Pre-lecture Videos prepare students before lecture. Interactive Pre-lecture videos address the rapidly growing movement toward pre-lecture teaching and active classrooms. These videos provide an introduction to key topics with embedded inquiries to help students prepare before lecture and to help professors identify student misconceptions.
• DURING CLASS
• Learning Catalytics^™ promote student engagement and peer-to-peer learning with the real-time analytics. Generate class discussion, guide your lecture, and promote peer-to-peer learning. MyLab & Mastering with eText now provides Learning Catalytics—an interactive student response tool that uses students’ smartphones, tablets, or laptops to engage them in more sophisticated tasks and thinking. Instructors can:
• Pose a variety of open-ended questions that help your students develop critical thinking skills
• Monitor responses to find out where students are struggling
• Use real-time data to adjust your instructional strategy and try other ways of engaging your students during class
• Manage student interactions by automatically grouping students for discussion, teamwork, and peer-to-peer learning
• AFTER CLASS
• Tutorials and Coaching help students learn science by practicing science. Self-paced tutorials guide students through the toughest topics in science with individualized coaching and Socratic hints that emulate the office hour experience.

Conceptual Physical Science, 6th Edition is also available via Pearson eText, a simple-to-use, mobile, personalized reading experience that lets instructors connect with and motivate students – right in their eTextbook. Learn more.

• Authors have made content updates to astronomy, earth science, and chemistry where necessary to maintain the currency of the material.
• Video tutorials include screencasts created by the authors to help students arrive in class prepared. These video lessons complement chapter material by giving students the context they need to read with greater understanding. In the print book, these are accessible by scanning a QR code with a portable device such as a smartphone; in the eBook, users can click on the video icon.
• Learning objectives are now placed at the start of each chapter. An Explain This question still appears beneath each section heading—students should be able to answer this after having read the chapter section.
• Updated! Boxed essays are revised throughout the text as needed, with optional topics explored in more detail. Figuring Physical Science boxes walk the student through a mathematical analysis of the concepts presented in the narrative.
• Updated! “FYI” side notes highlight applications of the concepts.
• Updated! Insights that are brief and insightful comments identified by an LED light blub.
• End-of-chapter material organized around Bloom’s taxonomy has been updated with 150 new questions added. Existing questions have been reviewed for accuracy and clarity. Exercises are now segregated by chapter sections, which should facilitate homework assignments.

Content Updates

• Fuel-cell technology coupled with photovoltaic panels in Chapter 3
• Geothermal heating or cooling of homes in Chapter 8
• Trans-fats now discussed in Chapter 12
• A new subsection on thorium nuclear reactors in Chapter 13
• The concept of enthalpy introduced in Chapter 17
• Updates on global climate change and ocean acidification in Chapters 18 and 24
• A major revision of atmospheric moisture in Section 25.1
• A new presentation of nebula and discussions of the internal and external structure of the Sun and deeper detail on the non-planetary bodies such as the asteroids, trojans, greeks, hildas, centaurs, and KBO’s, with updated images and discussions of comet 67P, Vesta, Ceres, and the Pluto system in Chapter 27
• Updates on cosmology and the latest on dark matter and dark energy in Chapter 28
• A new chapter section on Einstein’s special theory of relativity that now follows the general relativity section.

Also available with MasteringPhysics

MasteringPhysics^™ from Pearson is the leading online teaching and learning system designed to improve results by engaging students before, during, and after class with powerful content. Ensure that students arrive ready to learn by assigning educationally effective content before class, and encourage critical thinking and retention with in-class resources such as Learning Catalytics. Students can further master concepts after class through traditional homework assignments that provide hints and answer-specific feedback. The Mastering gradebook records scores for all automatically graded assignments while diagnostic tools give instructors access to rich data to assess student understanding and misconceptions.

Mastering brings learning full circle by continuously adapting to each student and making learning more personal than ever—before, during, and after class.

• More end-of-chapter questions are coded in a multiple choice format for easy assignability in MasteringPhysics.
• NEW! Pre-lecture Videos are linked from within the text to MasteringPhysics.
• NEW! Screen casts are now integrated into the eText with this edition. QR codes in the text provide links to this learning tools.
• Learning Catalytics™ provides questions perfectly adapted to the text’s coverage and its philosophy, available for in class activities.

Conceptual Physical Science, 6th Edition is also available via Pearson eText, a simple-to-use, mobile, personalized reading experience that lets instructors connect with and motivate students – right in their eTextbook. Learn more.