What are some good books for catching up on basic physics and chemistry?

[Tenshu]

Hey

This summer, I plan on participating in an entry exam for medicine. It requires a basic knowledge on biology, mathematics, chemistry and physics. I had a classical high school education, so very light on sciences. Biology and maths should be no problem; chemistry and physics are giving me a hard time though...

I have a lot of catching up to do, and I will need a good book on basic classical physics. Considering the stuff I have to know, I assume it has to be a very big one.

Subjects on the curriculum: mechanics, fluids, electrodynamics, electricity, waves, ... in other words: high school physics.

Anyone have any good (big) book recommendations? Decent mathematics, though not too complicated. Preferably a visual book, modern, so I don't get bored. Lots of exercises, of course...

For chemistry, I'm looking for a similar book (same style, ...), also high school subjects: stoichiometric, atom structure, binding, kinetics, balance, ... (I'm translating this, so I don't know if these are the exact terms.)

So: a big, modern book on high school physics and a big, modern book on high school chemistry.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Joel]

I have not applied to med-school myself, but I did participate (and succeeded pretty well!) in a technical university's entrance exams. I studied based on some very compact material, which for me was a very good approach. Now I have the elementary university books and they contain MUCH more than I needed to know in the entrance exams. My point is, that if you have not studied very much chemistry and physics, learning from a university book may be so much work (since you'll have a hard time telling what you can skip) that it takes unnecessary focus away from the other subjects you need to know.

But then again, I'm from Finland so it is quite possible that my experience is not comparable to what you are facing.

PS. Oh, and I have Young & Freeman for physics and Housecraft & Constable for chemistry.

 

[JasonRox]

You can find them on the net.

I forgot the name of it, but there is a good basic physics textbook free online somewhere.

 

[Tenshu]

Thanks...

any more? I want to compare.

 

[misogynisticfeminist]

Besides a physics textbook, Feynman's six easy pieces which are exerpts from his lectures is a good one to bring to the bus or toilet...