Any book or website recommendations for learning physics?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around recommendations for books and websites to learn physics, particularly aimed at high school students interested in self-study and competition preparation. Participants share their experiences and suggest resources that may aid in understanding physics concepts and succeeding in competitions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Homework-related
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses a desire to learn physics independently over the summer and seeks recommendations for resources and experiences related to physics competitions.
  • Another participant suggests visiting the STEM Learning Materials forum for a variety of links and discussions on learning materials.
  • Several participants emphasize the importance of calculus for success in high school physics competitions, with one noting that early exposure to calculus seems to correlate with competitive success.
  • One participant shares that YouTube channels can effectively teach basic physics concepts and mentions the Princeton Review's AP Physics B Review Book as a valuable resource from their own learning experience.
  • A participant requests more information about the original poster's current math and physics knowledge to provide tailored recommendations.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the importance of calculus for competitive physics, but there are varying opinions on the best resources and methods for learning physics. The discussion remains open-ended with no consensus on specific recommendations.

Contextual Notes

Some participants mention personal experiences with learning resources, but there is no detailed exploration of the effectiveness of these resources or their applicability to different learning styles.

Who May Find This Useful

High school students interested in self-studying physics, educators seeking resources for students, and individuals preparing for physics competitions may find this discussion relevant.

SeaweedBrain
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Hi! I'm in high school and I'm really interested by physics and I want to learn about it myself over the summer. I really want to enter competitions as well if I am able to understand the material well. If you have any recommendations, I would love to hear about them as well as your experiences with physics competitions!
Thank you :)
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Check out our STEM Learning Materials forum:

https://www.physicsforums.com/forums/stem-learning-materials.160/

Lots of links and discussion there.
 
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SeaweedBrain said:
Hi! I'm in high school and I'm really interested by physics and I want to learn about it myself over the summer. I really want to enter competitions as well if I am able to understand the material well. If you have any recommendations, I would love to hear about them as well as your experiences with physics competitions!
Thank you :)

From PF's main page, look at the two forums that have been highlighted here:

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Zz.
 
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SeaweedBrain said:
Hi! I'm in high school and I'm really interested by physics and I want to learn about it myself over the summer. I really want to enter competitions as well if I am able to understand the material well. If you have any recommendations, I would love to hear about them as well as your experiences with physics competitions!
Thank you :)

Tell us in detail what math you know and what physics you know.
 
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youtube channels tackle the basics really hard and are a greater teaching tool. Princeton Review's AP Physics B Review Book was my best friend in learning physics in my early years. Learning physics is far from an overnight task. If you want to be a competitive at the high school level, you MUST learn calculus. I'll never understand some kids learn calculus at such an early age, but they are always the most successful competitors. Seems like a very ambitious goal, but go for it!
 
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micromass said:
Tell us in detail what math you know and what physics you know.

I'm currently taking Pre-calculus in high school but I learned Calculus in 7th grade and I don't know any physics but I am taking AP Physics next year.
 
JohnPrior3 said:
youtube channels tackle the basics really hard and are a greater teaching tool. Princeton Review's AP Physics B Review Book was my best friend in learning physics in my early years. Learning physics is far from an overnight task. If you want to be a competitive at the high school level, you MUST learn calculus. I'll never understand some kids learn calculus at such an early age, but they are always the most successful competitors. Seems like a very ambitious goal, but go for it!

Thank you so much :) I'm definitely going for it!
 

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