Advice for 14-Year-Old Pursuing Physics After High School

[Jake Minneman]

Hello,I am fairly interested in understanding aspects of the fields of theoretical of experimental physics, I plan to pursue this goal after high school. However I lack any diverse knowledge on the topics of college acceptance. I am currently 14 years old, but I feel Its never to early to start paving my path. I have been reading many books by theoretical physicists such as Michio Kaku and Stephen Hawking and plan to read many more over the summer. I most likely be taking calculus in two years and wish to learn the initials of this as well this summer.

Can anyone provide me with advice?
Thank you

 

[General_Sax]

You might not have done enough algebra/trig to really study calculus. Don't be 'afraid' to study some trig/algebra if you need it. However, I think you should try to see if you can handle some basic calculus.

tl;dr -> study calculus.

 

[General_Sax]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0495011665/?tag=pfamazon01-20

decent text imo

 

[khemist]

Study mathematics, not physics. While is it important to understand the conceptual ideas, the more rigorous part of physics (imo) is the necessity to understand math, be able to read it, and have it mean something.

 

[Jake Minneman]

Thank you for your advice.

 

[micromass]

I would also suggest reading some trigonometry. And while you're at it, you may also find sphere trigonometry quite fun. Also, you might want to read a book on proofs, knowing these soon enough will be helpful.

I think you should not be taking calculus immediately. First you need a lot of experience before you can handle calculus. Brush up trigonometry and proofs (optional, but it makes your life easier), and then start calculus...

And it will also be necessary to say that the pop physics books you're reading really give a false image of physics. Real physics research is completely different. I don't say you should stop reading these, but you should be aware of it so that you don't get misconceptions about physics. It is very likely that you will find physics an math boring at first. You'll need some knowledge before it even starts to be remotely interesting...

 

[Jake Minneman]

I would also suggest reading some trigonometry. And while you're at it, you may also find sphere trigonometry quite fun. Also, you might want to read a book on proofs, knowing these soon enough will be helpful.

I think you should not be taking calculus immediately. First you need a lot of experience before you can handle calculus. Brush up trigonometry and proofs (optional, but it makes your life easier), and then start calculus...

And it will also be necessary to say that the pop physics books you're reading really give a false image of physics. Real physics research is completely different. I don't say you should stop reading these, but you should be aware of it so that you don't get misconceptions about physics. It is very likely that you will find physics an math boring at first. You'll need some knowledge before it even starts to be remotely interesting...

Thank you, I will will most likely look up the trig functions of spheres. I only posted calculus because I will most likely skip trig for pre calculus in two years.

 

[Angry Citizen]

If your precalculus is anything like my sister's and mine, it'll include trigonometry without all the unnecessary nonsense.

 

[Jake Minneman]

You might not have done enough algebra/trig to really study calculus. Don't be 'afraid' to study some trig/algebra if you need it. However, I think you should try to see if you can handle some basic calculus.

tl;dr -> study calculus.

By basic calculus do you mean derivatives and such because that is quite simple that's all I have been doing

 

[General_Sax]

Yes, that's very good. Keep up with it. Here's a good website that I think will probably help you.

http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu/Classes/CalcI/CalcI.aspx

 

[General_Sax]

You can probably tackle the applications of a derivative section if you'd like.

 

[Stephen Tashi]

If you are interested in phenomena right around you like the cream swirling in a cup of coffee or the corners of paper curling in humid weather, you could be an experimentalist. But if you read about the life of Richard Feynmann, you see that he was also interested in the world immediately around him. For example, he learned to repair radios when he was a kid. I think that having interest in ordinary phenomena is a good indicator of whether you have a future in physics.

 

[Jake Minneman]

i am very interested in physical phenomena, Thank you for the website.