recommended reference books for physics (alg/trig base) and organic

[md2bknox]

I was curious if someone could tell me what they would recommend to use for references and aids on physics, non calc and organic chemistry. I did so well this semester and I am starting to worry about physics and organic. So if someone could give me some pointers on how to study for each, recommended text, or anything you want to tell me about it it would be appreciated because it's obvious I'm on freak out mode! I plan on studying before hand during christmas break. It's insane that I am thinking about this before my finals for other test, lol.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[drimpossible]

I was curious if someone could tell me what they would recommend to use for references and aids on physics, non calc and organic chemistry. I did so well this semester and I am starting to worry about physics and organic. So if someone could give me some pointers on how to study for each, recommended text, or anything you want to tell me about it it would be appreciated because it's obvious I'm on freak out mode! I plan on studying before hand during christmas break. It's insane that I am thinking about this before my finals for other test, lol.

For Organic, I highly recommend Organic Chemistry as a Second Language by David Klein. I first read about this book on SDN and read most of it before starting Orgo I. It helped me understand the basic concepts/reaction mechanisms and allowed me to hit the ground running. They have one targeted for Orgo II as well, but I haven't read it.

Physics was different. I never found a text that helped me outside of the classroom, despite searching extensively. I owned NOVA Physics (MCAT prep) and some others, but didn't find any helpful for class. I found the best help for that class was doing all of the practice problems in my textbook and supplementing that with my school's tutoring services/study sessions. Youtube was also a great resource on occasion (Khan Academy, etc.) for explaining tricky concepts.

Good luck!

 

[Chevy Chase Fan]

Cramster.com is a good website to get solutions for problems from your textbook. I've found it very helpful at times. The odd number problems are free, but you gotta pay for the evens.

 

[Pons Asinorum]

For Organic, I highly recommend Organic Chemistry as a Second Language by David Klein...Khan Academy...

Yes and yes. Beat me to it.

 

[gunito]

For Organic, I highly recommend Organic Chemistry as a Second Language by David Klein. I first read about this book on SDN and read most of it before starting Orgo I. It helped me understand the basic concepts/reaction mechanisms and allowed me to hit the ground running. They have one targeted for Orgo II as well, but I haven't read it.

There's a Physics as a Second Language as well. Check it out.

 

[mzblue]

oh yeah. There IS physics as a 2nd language but it's not good as the ochem book. i had ochem as a 2nd language and it was a life saver. It made me breeze through my ochem course with an easy A.
Physics as a 2nd language on the other hand goes into lengthy ways to do stuff. Which isn't bad but for the first chapters in mechanics, i was more confused by that book and had to look through the Serway physics book (which btw, has lots of bad reviews on amazon.)
However, when you get to the work chapter onwards, Physics as a 2nd language starts to make sense. Maybe it's me, maybe it's the book but after that chapter on work, i figured out the authors method and it made sense and i loved to the book to the point of working through the entire thing. My original plan was to sell it but i think i still have it though i haven't seen it for a long time. If you suck at physics, i say take a look at it. i got it on amazon for less than 20bucks, new. Amazon had a huge discount on it and then they bumped the price up next day.
Good luck

 

[md2bknox]

Thanks you guys!! Yea I have definitely heard about the organic as a second language already have it saved as a book to get. gunito/Mzblue I didn't know about the physics as a second language, didn't see it, of course I wasn't looking. Amazon is usually pretty good about recommending books, guess this was a miss for them! You guys are awesome, off to Amazon I go!
Drimpossible and Pons Asinorum, I live in Khan Academy videos..lol I am forever and always watching them..I love him!! That is one thing I do plan on using and tutoring!
Chevy Chase Fan, every time I go to look for an answer on how to do something, cramster's does come up. I see it has the same questions as some of my homework, but then when I realized you had to pay for it, I got a little suspicious. Plus I really don't want answers as much as I want directions. I still will look into that!
Again Thanks Guys!

 

[operaman]

Ditto to the 2nd language orgo book already mentioned...

Also want to second the khanacademy for the physics. He has orgo now too but I haven't watched many of them. Anyhow, I too felt that I couldn't find a physics resource that really tied everything together for me until I found his site. Watched all the videos before taking a physics class and then it was an easy A. As far as books, I liked princeton review's hyperlearning mcat physics book most of all as I found it easy to read and understand.

Good luck!

 

[n3xa]

Back in the day a pre-orgo book I used was Pushing Electrons by Daniel Weeks.

And take the time to practice pushing electrons and looking at the mechanism. If I was an electron, what would I do?

 

[murfettie]

i used 1000 solve problems in physics..
just did a lot of problems.

 

[Isoprop]

Nova's MCAT Physics Book helped a lot during my undergrad physics course. It explained things so you could understand physics on an intuitive level. Also, it's great for the MCAT. The practice questions and practice passages suck though.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

i use khanacademy.org almost exclusively and it has been a miracle for me. and it's free.