Energy

August 1, 2012
Grades 7-10 There are no fireworks in Britannica's Introduction to Physics series, only straightforward text to explain the fundamentals of physics for middle- and high-school students. Some of the science topics here are easier to explain than othersfor instance, explaining binary numbers used in digitization is much easier than making Planck's quantum theory of heat understandable. For the most part, though, with their attractive, lively graphics, these will make good supplements in libraries needing lots of science-experiment background information. Energy does a good job relating subjects like potential and kinetic energy to objects familiar to students, like playgrounds and cars. Students are often forbidden from using encyclopedias in writing research papers; this series offers the same overview in an acceptable format.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)