Physics Suggestions????

[manchika]

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Non-trad... Done physics in high school last around 20 yrs ago... My challenge while i am reading physics chapters right now is applying what I learnt... I have EK, TBR and TPR(H) books with me (borrowed)

I am trying to follow SN2ed schedule and going back and forth between EK, TPR and TBR while I am reading the chapters... getting confused with all 3....

Like for example, f = ma, none of the books mentioned that f is directly proportional to a and vice versa etc... however when the practice question was asked if acceleration is increased by 2 times how will it impact force, I could not answer it right until i read the responses.... This is just one example..

. How do I learn this stuff and from where??? What is the best book to follow (first round of content review) ? How do i learn to apply what i have learnt?

Please help

 

[clothcut]

There's a book called NOVA Physics that a lot of people have recommended. EK Physics isn't ideal for extensive content-review as much as it is a brief refresher. I remember being quite frustrated after reading the EK Phys chapter and seeing the questions really didn't mirror the light overview.

With your question regarding proportionality, you raise a key point: you have to understand your errors from the answers and retain them. I'm pretty sure EK describes it as basically as follows: in an equation, if two or more variables are in the numerator on the same side of the equation they are inversely proportional (e.g. - m and a in F = ma). Conversely, if two or more variables are on the opposite sides of an equation and both in the numerator/denominator, they are proportional (e.g. F and m are proportional; a and F are proportional as well). Hope that helps.

 

[zipnogg]

I found the physics book from the 5-book set from Kaplan extremely helpful. It covers pretty much everything that you'd need to know for the MCAT. It also comes with a small ~6-page booklet that has all the major key concepts/equations/points that encompasses all the sections.

 

[strawberri]

I second nova. It is excellent. for content review. and has a lot of questions.

if you need like complete content review though, I think the physics textbook by Giancoli is really good. If anything, you could do the problems there (just the easy ones. maybe medium) if you need just more practice. I'd do that over 1001 EK.

This is probably the only subject I wouldn't recommend EK for. It's too basic. If you need more practice, I suggest TPR. (Although my friends told me great things about BR)
don't use Kaplan's. the calculations they expect you to do within that amount of time wihtout a calculator is ridiculous.

 

[SN2ed]

You're required by most schools to have a year of college physics, so I'd get that done (and your other pre-reqs) before studying for the MCAT.

 

[manchika]

You're required by most schools to have a year of college physics, so I'd get that done (and your other pre-reqs) before studying for the MCAT.

I do have my Physics subjects from back in university... Its just been a long time now.....

 

[Palam]

I really like the princeton review. It's thorough and pretty easy to understand.

You're biggest mountain to climb is all the work you have to put in. You'll want to read through the book more than once and application is just as important.

Read the book while doing lots of passages and discretes. Then rinse and repeat. It's a language you've completely forgotten and you can only relearn it. There is no faking it on the exam.

I haven't used EK physics, but if it's anything like their BIO (which I'm told it's worse) then I wouldn't even bother picking it up. It's going to be too concise.

It seems to me that EK is really for people with a solid foundation. People like you and I need the textbooks.

 

[Roxas]

I second nova. It is excellent. for content review. and has a lot of questions.

if you need like complete content review though, I think the physics textbook by Giancoli is really good. If anything, you could do the problems there (just the easy ones. maybe medium) if you need just more practice. I'd do that over 1001 EK.
.

Sorry man, but I disagree. My physics professor uses Giancoli's text and I hate it! The problems are good, but the chapters provide very little to no explanation, and its layout is terrible.

 

[maybemed2013]

I use PR. But just to forewarn you. I had to read the book 2 times ( very slow about a 1-2 ch a week) before I finally grip the concept.

 

[PreMedSS]

Yall not feelin TBR?

I mean, if you've got the time I don't see why detail is a bad thing.

 

[phunkeyfantom]

Non-trad... Done physics in high school last around 20 yrs ago... My challenge while i am reading physics chapters right now is applying what I learnt... I have EK, TBR and TPR(H) books with me (borrowed)

I am trying to follow SN2ed schedule and going back and forth between EK, TPR and TBR while I am reading the chapters... getting confused with all 3....

Like for example, f = ma, none of the books mentioned that f is directly proportional to a and vice versa etc... however when the practice question was asked if acceleration is increased by 2 times how will it impact force, I could not answer it right until i read the responses.... This is just one example..

. How do I learn this stuff and from where??? What is the best book to follow (first round of content review) ? How do i learn to apply what i have learnt?

Please help

I use Nova physics as a supplement to my EK book. I feel that it really helps clarify what wasn't explained properly or at all by the EK book. If you have time, might I also suggest trying Chad's videos or even Khan Academy to get a better understanding of the physics concepts that are being tested. I'm learn by watching and then try and cement what I've watched by rereading the information that has been provided to me. I find that watching Chad's videos have been helping me to see the relationships given by the formula without having to do all of the calculations.