Help with College Physics: Newtonian Mechanics & Vector Math

[dbu8554]

Mod note: Moved from a homework section. I edited this post to remove the homework template sections.

I'm having trouble with college level Physics class, classic Newtonian physics, uniform circular motion, a little trouble with vector math.

Tried reading the book (Halliday & Resnick) but did not seem terribly helpful just wondering what other people used or videos or lectures available for these problems. Just seem kind of confused when it comes to applying formulas overall not sure why.

 

[Bandersnatch]

Hi dbu8554.

I could recommend a different book, as H&R is not that great (often reads more like a book on history of science than actual physics), but perhaps simply going to Khan Academy (https://www.khanacademy.org/) and watching a few videos there will suffice.
They take you step by step through many mathematical and physical concepts, in a very conversational way.

Walter Lewin's physics lectures are also great (http://videolectures.net/walter_h_g_lewin/).

My experience was that it's generally a good idea to hear the same concept explained by more than one person - the different styles of presentation help with retention and understanding, and besides, sometimes you might just not 'get' somebody's teaching style.And if you can get it, and have the time to go through another textbook, try Kleppner & Kolenkow's 'Introduction to Mechanics'. It's universally praised at THE book for intro mechanics.The Homework section of this forum is intended for help with specific textbook-style problems, and people here do their best to guide to solutions rather than just spell them out. So if there's something you can't seem to crack - post the problem there and see if the guidance helps you get a handle on it.
Remember, doing problems is not about applying formulas, but learning how to solve puzzles.

 

[symbolipoint]

An old University Physics book by Sear, Zemansky, & Young might be helpful. Be sure that you previously studied, earned credit, and understand (at least ) intermediate Algebra and (more than just) basic Trigonometry.

 

[dbu8554]

Okay so one thing I noticed in my class we use NO Calculus even though it is required to take the class. Watching the MIT videos he seems to try to use mostly calculus. What the hell? In class we have been using CRAZY long algebra formulas. I watch the MIT video and he shows the algebraic relationship between the crazy algebra formula and the super easy integral you just do it one time for each axis of movement. Anyways it seems like I might need to relearn some stuff.

 

[symbolipoint]

Okay so one thing I noticed in my class we use NO Calculus even though it is required to take the class. Watching the MIT videos he seems to try to use mostly calculus. What the hell? In class we have been using CRAZY long algebra formulas. I watch the MIT video and he shows the algebraic relationship between the crazy algebra formula and the super easy integral you just do it one time for each axis of movement. Anyways it seems like I might need to relearn some stuff.

You need Calculus because that is or should be part of how Physics 1,2,3 is taught and developed, and without Calculus, your Physics 2 course (Electricity & Magnetism) will whack you. MOST of what you do in the Calculus-based Physics 1 is with Intermediate Algebra and basic Trigonometry.

 

[jtbell]

Watching the MIT videos

Remember, most schools aren't like MIT.

At most "ordinary" universities, in a calculus-based first-year physics course, you don't actually use much calculus during the first semester, because at most schools, calculus I is a co-requisite, not a pre-requisite. They have to go easy on the calculus because at least some students are actually learning the basics of derivatives and integrals at the same time in their calculus course. The second semester is another matter.

 

[ZapperZ]

Mod note: Moved from a homework section. I edited this post to remove the homework template sections.

I'm having trouble with college level Physics class, classic Newtonian physics, uniform circular motion, a little trouble with vector math.

Tried reading the book (Halliday & Resnick) but did not seem terribly helpful just wondering what other people used or videos or lectures available for these problems. Just seem kind of confused when it comes to applying formulas overall not sure why.

In all of this, and in the replies that you have received, it seems as if it has been established that the "culprit" is the text. I'm not convinced.

You have not clearly described what exactly is your "trouble" and if you've attempted to try and diagnose the source of this trouble. Somehow, the blame has fallen onto the textbook.

Unless you are able figure out the source of the problem, using more sources and more textbooks will be irrelevant. After all, if you are enrolled in school, who has the time to read ALL those books and view all those videos when you should be spending your time wisely.

Zz.

 

[micromass]

I agree with Zz. You need to be more specific about what kind of trouble you're having.

 

[dbu8554]

I have not posted a specific question as I am confused as to why my professor is teaching us about work & energy using excessively long algebra formula's vs using extremely simple integrals.

My school requires Calc before physics it would be nice if we actually used it.

As soon as I wrap up my Diff Q homework ill pop back here with specific questions regarding Work & Energy.

 

[micromass]

We're not looking for a specific question. But we are looking perhaps for a specific example of something you're struggling with and an explanation of why you're struggling with it. This is because there could be a lot of reasons why you struggle with something. And every different reason requires a very different solution.

 

[symbolipoint]

I have not posted a specific question as I am confused as to why my professor is teaching us about work & energy using excessively long algebra formula's vs using extremely simple integrals.

My school requires Calc before physics it would be nice if we actually used it.

As soon as I wrap up my Diff Q homework ill pop back here with specific questions regarding Work & Energy.

How does your professor respond to your written work which uses Calculus?

 

[Mark44]

Tried reading the book (Halliday & Resnick) but did not seem terribly helpful

In all of this, and in the replies that you have received, it seems as if it has been established that the "culprit" is the text. I'm not convinced.

Nor am I. H & R has been used for a very long time -- I used it back in the early 70s when I took Physics. I still have my copy, the first edition (but not labeled as such) with a copyright date of 1966.
From the wikipedia article on this textbook (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamentals_of_Physics).

Fundamentals of Physics is a calculus-based physics textbook by David Halliday, Robert Resnick, and Jearl Walker. The textbook is currently in its tenth edition (published 2013) and is published in a five-volume set. The current version is a revised version of the original textbook Physics by Halliday and Resnick, first published in 1960. It is widely used in colleges as part of the undergraduate physics courses, and has been well known to science and engineering students for decades as "the gold standard" of freshman-level physics texts. In 2002, the American Physical Society named the work the most outstanding introductory physics text of the 20th century.