Online Physics Textbooks

There are many, many Physics textbooks available online, ranging from basic concepts to advanced college level work.  Some of them also include embedded videos, simulations, and practice problems.  I encourage you to use whatever textbook helps you to understand the material the best, whether that’s the paper book I provide in class or an interactive e-book online!  If you find any other books that you think I should add to this list, please add them in the comments section and I’ll put them in here.

  • cK-12 Basic Physics – Second Edition
    • A good book with simplified writing, solved examples and practice problems.
  • cK-12 People’s Physics Book Version 3 (with Videos)
    • A textbook with more of an emphasis on conceptual understandings and less difficult math.  LOTS of practice problems, and videos, of course!
  • cK-12 Physics Concepts – Intermediate
    • A stripped down, “Cliffs Notes” version of a physics textbook appropriate for the AP level.  I like this text for review of concepts I’ve already learned but want a quick refresher.  It also includes practice problems and links to explanatory YouTube videos.
  • cK-12 Physics Intermediate
    • A more in-depth, AP level textbook with deep explanations, diagrams, and practice problems.
  • HyperPhysics
    • An online-only text with focused, straightforward explanations, clear diagrams and some interactivity.
  • OpenStax College Physics
    • A complete, college-level text loaded with diagrams and formulas.  Very high quality, but very complex and bit more difficult to read.
  • Physics 2000
    • An online text with interactive Java applets and a largely conversational feel, but the layout and graphics are a bit dated.
  • The Physics Classroom
    • Simpler to understand than all of the other textbooks with an emphasis on mechanics and containing cartoon-style diagrams and an explanation or demonstration video at the end of each lesson.
  • The Physics Hypertextbook
    • A complete textbook that’s mobile-friendly with a heavier emphasis on the derivations of equations using algebra and calculus.  Each section has practice problems and explanations, but some sections are incomplete.
  • TeachEngineering: Physics
    • Physics curricular units, lessons and activities from an engineering perspective.
  • Teaching Advanced Physics
    • Aimed more at teachers, this textbook is straightforward with numerous diagrams and lots of practice problems and labs in Word format.