Desperate for Help: Struggling with Physics B AP

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the challenges faced by students in an AP Physics B class, particularly focusing on topics related to electricity and magnetism (E&M). Participants share their experiences, study strategies, and seek advice on improving their understanding and performance in the subject.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Homework-related
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses frustration with low test scores and seeks advice on improving performance in physics.
  • Another participant shares their experience of initially struggling but eventually succeeding through hard work and utilizing online resources, suggesting that perseverance is key.
  • A different participant emphasizes the importance of identifying personal weaknesses, such as math skills, and focusing on those areas to improve overall understanding.
  • One reply suggests starting with easier problems to build confidence before tackling more difficult ones, advocating for persistence in problem-solving.
  • Another participant, who is performing well in the class, advises consistent study habits over time rather than cramming, and stresses the importance of understanding principles rather than memorizing problems.
  • Concerns are raised about the perceived difficulty of the course, with some participants noting that struggling is common among students in AP courses.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that physics can be challenging and that improvement requires effort and effective study strategies. However, there are differing opinions on the nature of the course difficulty and the effectiveness of various study methods.

Contextual Notes

Some participants mention the importance of math skills in understanding physics concepts, indicating that individual weaknesses may vary. There is also a suggestion that the difficulty of the course may depend on the specific school or instructor.

Who May Find This Useful

Students struggling with AP Physics B, educators looking for insights into student challenges, and anyone interested in effective study strategies for physics.

endi
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Hello all!
This year i have signed up for Physics B AP, it is an algebra based physics class that deals with E&M. I have been very inspired by this class, it is very interesting and intriguing, but i am horrible at the subject. I average 40% on tests/quizzes, when the class averages around 65%. I love the subject, and i wish i could be better at it, but i have no idea how to get better at it. Does anyone have any ideas on what i could do to get better at the subject?
Thanks,
Endi
 
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I had the same problem when I took my first physics class back in 11th grade. What I did was to do the hardest problems from the textbook and made good use of all the online resources available. After a quarter of spending a ridiculous amount of work studying physics (for me it was like 2+ hours a day), I got better and eventually took AP physics C and aced that class. Physics takes a while to get used to. Don't give up. I had my fair share of failing grades when I took honors physics.

Go to a search engine and type in ap physics b. So many ap teachers put their notes, practice questions, and such online. Look for them. I did that and that's greatly helped me to improve.



For starters try this site: www.hippocampus.org

Look under the physics section. The animations really help you understand the concepts.


Good luck.
 
I remember when I first took physics in high school. I was so excited to start learning the subject but I did awful the first couple of tests because my math skills were just not where they needed to be. I studied a lot and ended up with a B+ in the class because of my first few tests but I got a 5 on the AP test! Then the next half of the year I took E&M, got an A and a 5 on that test.

My point is if you really find the material interesting don't get discouraged yet. Its just a matter of finding the right way to study. And the first step is to figure out what your weaknesses are and work on them. My weakness was not my understanding of the physical concepts but my algebra skills. So that's what I worked on and it paid off.
 
update, i just got a 30% on my physics unit test,
does anyone else have any ideas on what i can do to get better?
 
endi said:
I have no idea how to get better at it. Does anyone have any ideas on what i could do to get better at the subject?
Study?
The first thing to do is to check for the easy problems and do them till you feel comfortable that you can solve them. Then continue on and go for the tougher ones till you run out of time or can do anything.

If you get stuck on a problem read those pages in the book again. Then try the problem again. Repeat till you can do it, if it takes a few times and you still don't get it then look it up on the internet or ask someone. Do not give up on a problem till you have sat with it for several hours.

Doing this will let you improve.
 
I am currently in AP Physics B and just finished my quarter with a 91% average... top 5 students in a class of 100...

Just study hard and make sure you learn the material OVER A LONG PERIOD..

for instance if a test is on friday i soak in information throughout the week over 30 minute study sessions instead of cramming in one night...

also on tests you never see a problem that is remotely (ok it will be similar but you can't just know equations) like a problem you have had on homework, but if you know your principles/equations and can apply them to the problem at hand, you can "build" the problem from the ground up using your "tools"...

PAY ATTENTION IN CLASS AND SIT IN THE FRONT ROW AND LOOK AT YOUR TEACHER/INSTRUCTOR (THIS WILL HELP A LOT)

some people are naturall "gifted" in this sort of thing but by no means should anyone be getting 40%s in AP Physics B unless your school is ridiculously hard (I mean insanely hard)

Also please realize physics is a struggle for EVERYONE, especially hard AP courses, and that even the guys who are tops in my class (one kid has a 99%) still works hard and his trouble with problems etc. Physics really is a struggle...

Good luck
 
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