Totally confused physics student!!!!Help

[tookiew]

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I am taking general physics class this semester and it has proven to be a real challenge for me for some reason. I took gen chem last semester and received a 94 as a final grade, so i definately have the intelligence to pass the class just not the understanding of the concepts of physics. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[JamesBond15]

Physics and Chem are different, some people are good at one but not the other.

Just go to the prof's office hours. I was always a regular at OH, it helps greatly.

 

[psy]

Do more practice problems in the book.

 

[DrMattOglesby]

if the class is really taxing your brain...you could try to drop it and take a survey course instead. I started with a survey course in biology and that really solidified my foundations and I felt confident as I continued building on that knowledge throughout the rest of my education.

 

[RySerr21]

hang in there!!! I struggled with physics too. I ended up taking both semesters over the summer to get it done w/ as fast as possible. It may help to do it over the smmer b/c it will hopefulyl be your only class and you can spend as much time on it as you need. Its also likely that it will be a smaller class and you can maybe get more attention/help from the professor. GL

 

[lastcall]

I am taking general physics class this semester and it has proven to be a real challenge for me for some reason. I took gen chem last semester and received a 94 as a final grade, so i definately have the intelligence to pass the class just not the understanding of the concepts of physics. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Hey there, you mention you are not understanding the concepts...This I think was the hardest part about Physics I&II because while it may be easier to just memorize the formulas and regurgitate for them for exams, it will not help when it is time to take the actual MCAT which is a conceptual, critical-thinking exam.

I think the book I am about to suggest may be 'overkill' (because you're still in the process of taking Physics, not reviewing for MCAT) but I think what might help fine-tune the concepts is this book: Nova Physics (Author: Garrett Biehle). It will help you understand the concepts as well as introducing the stuff you need to know for the MCAT.
Hope this helped. Good !

 

[engineeredout]

The way to get through physics is practice problems. Do practice problems out the ass. Do every problem in your textbook at the end of the chapters. Its long and time consuming but its the best way to reinforce the material and learn how to apply the equations.

 

[lastcall]

The way to get through physics is practice problems. Do practice problems out the ass. Do every problem in your textbook at the end of the chapters. Its long and time consuming but its the best way to reinforce the material and learn how to apply the equations.

Definitely, I agree with this as well!

 

[Chocolate Bear]

OP, if you have specific topics that you need help in, the MCAT Questions Q&A section is a great place. Just don't post specific homework questions--that's against the rules.

 

[zenlike]

Watch these when appropriate:

http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Physics/8-01Physics-IFall1999/VideoLectures/

They're also available on iTunes University for free.

 

[JaggerPlate]

2,000th POST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[punkiedad]

OP--Agree with what everyone is saying here. PRACTICE PROBLEMS!!!

Just remember, this class is hard, so others are probably struggling as well, which means there will probably a curve. You don't need to be a master, just better than the others in your class.

Also, if you are getting near taking the MCATS, I highly recommend getting Examkrackers Audio Osmosis. Even though I got an A in both physics I and II, Audio Osmosis helped me because they broke the topics down into really simple methods. They know all the shortcuts, which might not help you if you want to be a physics major, but if you want to get through Physics to get into Med School.....Audio Osmosis will help.

 

[ShyRem]

This has been discussed before, as it is a common source of angst among pre-meds. My prior replies:

I have one basic guiding principal that has never failed me when dealing with physics:


THINK LIKE AN IDIOT.


Truly. Never failed. Draw a pretty picture. Color it if you want. Pencil in what you KNOW happens (and if you don't know what a ball does when you throw it, GO THROW ONE AND WATCH). DO NOT... I repeat... DO NOT THINK unless absolutely necessary. Physics is there to explain what we know happens - it just tries to say WHY it happens that way.

And:

There have been threads on this in the past -- with some really good advice. However, a few things to survive physics (which I actually considered one of my easiest classes):

1. Draw a picture.
2. Write down what you KNOW.
3. Write down what you WANT.
4. Write down formulas that have one or both of #2 and #3 above.
5. Use one or more of the formulas in #4 to solve your problem.
6. Think like an idiot. Physics isn't there to come up with new stuff - it's there to explain what you ALREADY KNOW HAPPENS. Don't get suckered in by the fancy formulas and weird lingo. Physics is all common sense wrapped up in mathematics. If your answer doesn't make sense, try to figure out why. Do lots of problems. Get a study group together. Learn how to use your calculator.

Good luck. Even though I thought physics very easy (I actually didn't take many notes and knitted during class), there were plenty of potential physics majors that failed the course.

Good luck. Physics can be an awful lot of fun once you "get" it.

 

[bryce]

Physics can be tough, but as long as you memorize the formulas you can easily learn how to manipulate the numbers... Unfortunately, I didn't learn this until after my midterms... I, like an idiot, took a full year of physics courses [3 classes in a quarter] to get it out of the way... I honestly hadn't taken a math course since high school and that had been 10 years prior... I wound up with B's in all three... It's pretty sad, now that I think about it.

 

[johnniewalker11]

.

 

[sitthakim]

I agree with office hours. And it never hurts to bring the prof a pie or some other sort of baked good 😀