The overall goal of this calculus-based text is to provide an introduction to physics with a modern point of view. It emphasizes the atomic nature of matter, macro-micro connections, and modeling complex physical systems. The approach is designed to go beyond low-level physics and to build upon readers' prior preparation.

The second volume deals with electricity and magnetism, and with physical optics in terms of the classical interaction of light and matter. Atomic models of matter are again a major theme. A key feature is the unified treatment of electrostatics and circuits in terms of electric field and microscopic models of matter.