Physics in fall

[bacctobacc]

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Hi all,

I was wondering what were the best supplemental physics books that I could purchase to get a head start on the material (I don't know my textbook yet).

Thanks!

 

[physguy]

calc or alg based?

 

[bacctobacc]

Alg.

 

[physguy]

I wouldn't worry about it. Walter Lewin's videos are good, but they'll go way past what you'll do. If your algebra skills are decent, hit the beach.

 

[Doudline]

Khan Academy, Freelanceteacher (on Youtube), Coursera...

Not worth it to buy an expensive physics book only to get a head start.

 

[bacctobacc]

Thank you!

Would you guys recommend brushing up on trig in preparation for this?

 

[physguy]

You won't need any weird theorems or anything. If you know SOHCAHTOA, you're pretty much good to go.

 

[deleted407021]

I cannot recommend Khan Academy too highly. Other youtube instructors are available. Many, actually. Good choice taking alg based physics too, no need to hassle with any more calculus than is necessary IMO.

 

[487806]

I cannot recommend Khan Academy too highly. Other youtube instructors are available. Many, actually. Good choice taking alg based physics too, no need to hassle with any more calculus than is necessary IMO.

Lol. Calc-based physics is where you actually learn something, and not memorize. But that's besides the point.

I second the Walter Lewin videos. Those are awesome regardless of alg or calc based.

 

[Jewels86]

Lol. Calc-based physics is where you actually learn something, and not memorize. But that's besides the point.

I second the Walter Lewin videos. Those are awesome regardless of alg or calc based.

I third the Walter Lewin videos!! They're the best!!

Also, I second calc-based physics. Took algebra-based physics ~ didn't learn anything other than witness the SI dude undress the Greek girls with his eyes. SI: supplemental instructor or in my case, stupid idiot, provided by the school to help students get a letter grade better at the end of the term, except this guy forgot the that little element, help. I left after four horrible months of my life wasted thinking, "What was that all about?"

I'm taking calc in the fall, then retaking physics, calc-based. I only hope you have a better experience than I did.

 

[Lamel]

Lol. Calc-based physics is where you actually learn something, and not memorize. But that's besides the point.

I second the Walter Lewin videos. Those are awesome regardless of alg or calc based.

This varies by school/course/instructor. You can learn a lot in algebra based if you are taught how to approach the problem correctly.

 

[487806]

This varies by school/course/instructor. You can learn a lot in algebra based if you are taught how to approach the problem correctly.

Mechanics sure. E&M, I doubt it. Explaining EM fields in terms of summation and not an integral is a recipe for disaster

 

[deleted407021]

Mechanics sure. E&M, I doubt it. Explaining EM fields in terms of summation and not an integral is a recipe for disaster

Many of us do not have the capacity to comfortably take on the coursework of calc based physics on top of everything else. Some of us are content with being prepared for the MCAT and not mathematically describing cosmic events. However, I suppose we will be left behind when the technological singularity rolls around.

 

[487806]

Many of us do not have the capacity to comfortably take on the coursework of calc based physics on top of everything else. Some of us are content with being prepared for the MCAT and not mathematically describing cosmic events. However, I suppose we will be left behind when the technological singularity rolls around.

MCAT is an understanding exam. Calc-based physics helps you to actually learn the physics that will simplify the physics review for the MCAT. Indeed in the future, calculus will be accepted as the norm in medicine and AAMC will implement calc-based physics in MCAT, effectively making algebra-based physics outdated.

 

[Jewels86]

Curious, how much calc was used in calc-based physics 1? I've heard it's very little...

I'm taking calc 1 this fall and the instructor said I would do fine with calc physics 1 simultaneously. I already had algebra-based physics 1 so I'm familiar with it although I didn't learn jack.

Thanks!! 🙂

 

[physguy]

You're fine taking Calc I concurrently. Most of the time you don't need calc to actually solve problems in mechanics, its just the way you should be viewing the concepts is from a point of view of derivatives and limits. Without a solid footing in calc, common problems like spotting a graph of velocity given a graph of acceleration are unnecessarily complex (coincidentally problems like this appear on the MCAT).

BTW jewels, I think adcoms are gonna love that you took alg-physics and didn't do too well, so the next semester decided the take the same class but harder. Given the same situation, most premeds I know would head in the opposite direction and take alg-based at CC.