First quarter of college physics

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the experiences of a participant who has just completed their first quarter of college physics and is seeking advice on improving their understanding and performance in the subject. The focus includes recommendations for textbooks and study resources, as well as strategies for problem-solving in physics.

Discussion Character

  • Homework-related
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • The original poster expresses a desire to improve their physics skills after receiving a C+ and is willing to re-read chapters and redo homework over the break.
  • Participants suggest that Halliday & Resnick is a highly regarded textbook for learning physics and emphasize the importance of solving numerous problems to enhance understanding.
  • Some participants propose that exploring different texts or study guides may help clarify concepts, with specific mentions of "The Portable TA" and "Schaum's Outline of Beginning Physics" for additional resources.
  • Warren introduces Hyperphysics as a non-textbook resource that can help clarify concepts in physics.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the quality of Halliday & Resnick as a physics textbook and the importance of problem-solving practice. However, there is no consensus on which additional resources are best, as different suggestions are made without clear agreement on their effectiveness.

Contextual Notes

Participants express varying levels of confidence in their problem-solving abilities and the effectiveness of different learning resources, indicating a range of personal experiences and preferences in studying physics.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for college students seeking to improve their understanding of physics, particularly those looking for textbook recommendations and study strategies.

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I just took my first quarter of college physics and it made my head spin! I ended up with a C+ in the class and this is only my 2nd C ever. I'm not a genius so I study a lot and enjoy learning.

Now, I really want to learn Physics and know that I need to do a lot more work than I did this past quarter to get a better grade. I'm willing to re-read all the previous chapters and re-do all the homework over this Christmas break so I can be better prepared for next quarter. We're using the 6th edition of fund. of physics by Halliday, Resnick, and Walker. What do you guys think of this book? I haven't looked at any other physics book to make a comparison. Do you know of any other books or study guides that you think would be helpful? Some people suggested The portable TA by Andrew Elby and Schaum's Outline of Beg. Physics. Anyone have any feedback regarding these?

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance.
 
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Halliday & Resnick is, by all accounts, one of the best texts you can get. It's a great book! My advice: do lots and lots and LOTS of problems. You may find that are you are able to read the book very easily and follow along with everything they say -- but when it comes times to solve a problem, you still don't know what to do. The answer: try to solve lots of problems! There's no better way to learn than by doing. If you get stuck on a problem, just find another one that looks enticing. You can come back to the hard ones another time.

- Warren
 
Thx Warren! Yes, I'm able to follow and read the text but I get stuck when it comes to solving a problem. Doing lots of problems is my plan for these next 2.5 weeks. I'm thinking I may "see and understand" the concepts better if it was presented to me in different ways (as in different texts or study guides). Do you suggest a beginning Physics book as good as Halliday's?
 

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