Study tips for physics

[drabberbadge]

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When you guys take classes like physics (taking physics II right now) or math(calculus)
Do you do the problems in the book just once
Or do you do them over and over again?
I tend to do all problems over and over again but I feel like I'm memorizing more than understanding

 

[ciestar]

For calc, I did the problems that were required for the homework, that was it
Same goes for physics. I never did more than that.

And yes, I agree that it seems to me you're just memorizing the process for a problem you've done before. That won't help you understand it.

 

[Body Habitus]

This question was recently posted, here's the thread: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=14457945

My own advice - don't do problems multiple times, but do do similar problems multiple times (maybe let yourself cheat a little by looking back at problems you've already done) until you get a feel for how the physics works. Don't know how much homework your profs assign, but if you feel like you're not getting enough practice check out the Schaum's outline+problems here: http://www.puhsd.org/cms/lib6/CA0100...ge_Physics.pdf .

 

[1nvictus]

^ shows up as bad request... :[

 

[BlackBox]

When you guys take classes like physics (taking physics II right now) or math(calculus)
Do you do the problems in the book just once
Or do you do them over and over again?
I tend to do all problems over and over again but I feel like I'm memorizing more than understanding

I have found the best way to learn is through practice problems- different numbers, but similar concepts. I would actually recommend the EK1001 questions book. The problems are really simple, but you get to zip through the major concepts really quickly.

I would also recommend youtube videos for comprehension:

http://www.youtube.com/user/brightstorm2?feature=watch (the guy with the ponytail).

 

[Body Habitus]

^ shows up as bad request... :[

Weird, worked earlier today, maybe they're onto us...

Found this one though: http://www.puhsd.org/cms/lib6/CA010.../2977/Schaums_Outline_for_College_Physics.pdf

edit - oh it's just because of the way I copy/pasted the link

 

[QuantumJ]

As someone with a degree in physics I'll share my own tips:

Don't do the same problem over and over. That really won't help you understand what is happening. Instead, you need to recognize the type/style of problem so when the test comes you can relate it to problems you have done before. For example, doing a momentum and collision problem over and over again wont' help. Identify what makes that problem unique as in this momentum/collision problem involves an inelastic collision, so such and such is/isn't conserved. This problem is a trajectory problem but it gives me time instead of asking for time so what is different in my approach. Before long you shouldn't be seeing anything on a test that doesn't resemble something you've done on practice problems.

Secondly, in order to use the above strategy you need to do as many practice problems as possible. Don't go through the examples just reading along; get your pencil and paper out and try to do it yourself without looking at the steps in the book. If you get it right be sure to check with the book that you did the steps correctly. I've seen countless students stumble their way into the right answer and not see if their thinking was actually correct. I personally did every problem at the end of each chapter and although this might be overkill for a non-physics major the only way to learn physics is through problem solving.

Be sure to utilize professors/TAs/tutors when you can. I've found that different people sometimes just have a better way of teaching certain topics. Let your professor see that you're trying. Additionally, I got a great amount of help from the opencourseware lectures from MIT on physics. Look for the Walter Lewin lectures. These lectures were invaluable in teaching me the concepts of each subject that are necessary to understand before solving problems.

 

[Tappinfool66]

To study for physics, I did as many practice problems as I had time for. I would read the chapters to get a loose understanding of the concepts but I really learned by doing so practice problems helped me the most.

I would also disagree with some of the above posters about not redoing the same problems. Yes, I think it's a bad idea to keep doing the same problems over and over again. But what I did was I did the problems that were assigned as homework first (I figured that if they were assigned as homework, the material they covered would be similar to the material that would show up on the exam), and I usually struggled with them, seeing as it was the first time I was doing them. Then I would choose a bunch of other problems (similar and not) to do. And then, a night or two before the exam, I would come back to the homework problems later after I had done a lot of practice to see if I had a better understanding of how to do them after having studied a lot. It ended up helping me do well.

 

[gtbROX]

When you guys take classes like physics (taking physics II right now) or math(calculus)
Do you do the problems in the book just once
Or do you do them over and over again?
I tend to do all problems over and over again but I feel like I'm memorizing more than understanding

For mcat and college physics, I used a lot of khan academy and other science videos? Visualizing the concepts makes it easier to apply to questions.