doing well in physics

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chasingmytail

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How did you study physics for those of you who took it?

I'm taking it now and I feel like I'm hitting my head against the wall. 😱

I'm ready to go into memorizing all the practice problems at this point...
 
chasingmytail said:
How did you study physics for those of you who took it?

I'm taking it now and I feel like I'm hitting my head against the wall. 😱

I'm ready to go into memorizing all the practice problems at this point...
Click to expand...

Read the text book. Don't memorize the practice problems, but UNDERSTAND them. You'll probably want to memorize and understand the formulas/equations, but that's peanuts compared to what you'll have to do in Ochem
 
yeah physics is pretty tough. I took it undergrad as an autotutorial course (big mistake)

The best way to study is to go over problems that were assigned by your professor (they will probably be on the exams) and understand them.

IF you don't understand a concept, don't waste your time trying to figure it out yourself. Ask the professor (preferably) or TA for help. (thats what they are getting paid for anyway)

Good luck!
 
chasingmytail said:
How did you study physics for those of you who took it?

I'm taking it now and I feel like I'm hitting my head against the wall. 😱

I'm ready to go into memorizing all the practice problems at this point...
Click to expand...

Yeah...listen to the first person who posted....if you memorize anything, memorize the formulas. Just practice practice practice!!!!
Be sure to understand the concepts!

good luck! 😀 😀
 
riceman04 said:
Yeah...listen to the first person who posted....if you memorize anything, memorize the formulas. Just practice practice practice!!!!
Be sure to understand the concepts!

good luck! 😀 😀
Click to expand...

Memorize how to do each and every type of practice problem 😀 worked for me
 
Enginerd42 said:
Read the text book. Don't memorize the practice problems, but UNDERSTAND them. You'll probably want to memorize and understand the formulas/equations, but that's peanuts compared to what you'll have to do in Ochem
Click to expand...

oddly enough, i like ochem a lot more...

And I know it's the stupid way to approaching the material just to memorize it, but honestly if you do not have a good physics foundation (i've never taken it) can you really understand it in one or 2 semesters? I have some friends who are international students who have studied it for 3 years in high school! (which is way too much physics if you ask me, but nevertheless they're prepared)
 
i got a d my sophmore year in physics. retook it as a postbacc and got an A at the same college UNC. so yes go heels, even though they initially kicked my butt. i got that A by following the advice given so far in this thread and also a few other things:

1) pay attention to how one formula can be rearranged and substituted into another formula. this is impt. for both the class + the tougher mcat physics problems. you want to be really really nimble and flexible with those formulas. understand when and why they use cosine versus sine for forces. learn how to identify all the forces in a problem and how to write equations for those problems.

2) be patient. when i was trying to work through a torque problem and really really understand it, it would take me maybe 30 or 40 minutes. then i would get faster b/c i had spent so much time on my first attempt at the examples.

3) be super organized. before a big 5 chapter test, know when you are going to study each of those chapters and be sure to allot yourself enough time.

i not only got my A, but actually enjoyed it this time around, no more physics phobia for me!

good luck :luck:
 
chasingmytail said:
How did you study physics for those of you who took it?

I'm taking it now and I feel like I'm hitting my head against the wall. 😱

I'm ready to go into memorizing all the practice problems at this point...
Click to expand...

physics and math go hand in hand. Make sure you are referencing trig and calc books if you dont understand what is going on mathematically.
 
tacmrage said:
physics and math go hand in hand. Make sure you are referencing trig and calc books if you dont understand what is going on mathematically.
Click to expand...

Thank you for all the advice everyone

Medanthgirl - you raised some good points, also it gives me a lot of encouragement to know someone improved so tremendously even with a physics "phobia"
 
chasingmytail said:
Thank you for all the advice everyone

Medanthgirl - you raised some good points, also it gives me a lot of encouragement to know someone improved so tremendously even with a physics "phobia"
Click to expand...


no problem!! 🙂 i think given enough time you can work through anything, no matter how hard, just be patient with yourself.

hee that's funny about texas riceman!!
we have one at unc: DUCK FUKE!!!
 
Enginerd42 said:
Read the text book. Don't memorize the practice problems, but UNDERSTAND them.
Click to expand...

Yes yes yes- the key is understanding physics, not memorizing. For many this is not easy. This is the beauty of these courses; you can save a lot of time by working to understand rather than plugging and chugging with equations. Think of what the answer should roughly be in your head, positive/negative, huge or small, and then use the equation to give you more accuracy. This is how I got a 15 in PS.
 
Do practice problems.

Alluded to but not stated directly in the previous threads and in my opinion the absolute KEY to doing well in physics. Do as many problems as you can get your hands on. ALL the problems in the book (ie not just the odds or evens or the ones assigned). You gotta do problems.
 
no matter how much time i spend with Sir Isaac Newton, we still remain enemies...
 
Alibi said:
no matter how much time i spend with Sir Isaac Newton, we still remain enemies...
Click to expand...

I much prefer fig newtons, myself..
 
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