Learning Physics for the 1st time

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To effectively learn physics from scratch, it's essential to grasp the concepts intuitively, ensuring you can explain them to someone without a physics background. Applying these concepts to real-life situations enhances understanding and appreciation for the subject. Engaging with a variety of problems is crucial; rather than repetitive practice, focus on mastering different types of problems within a set time. Enjoying the learning process is vital, as physics should be engaging rather than tedious. A foundational understanding of math, particularly algebra and trigonometry, is necessary, and familiarity with calculus is beneficial. Starting with a first-year physics textbook, such as University Physics, is recommended for structured learning.
tictac123
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Hello,

I'm in high school;last year.

And I'm wondering what is the best approach to learn physics from scratch, I've forgotten most of the ideas behind physics.

cheers
 
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Cool! I am a senior too!

Well, I would say the best idea is to understand physics at an intuitive level (assuming you aren't taking quantum physics or above). I personally think that if you are able to teach and explain the concept to a non-physics person, then you have a pretty good understanding. Physics is very conceptual-base, you need to understand the concept.

Then, apply the concepts to real life (which can be fun). You will gain a much deeper understanding (and appreciation) for physics.

Lastly, do problems. I am not saying do the same problem over and over again, that is just boring and tedious. I personally do a type of problem, if I can get it under x amount of time (and have no troubles), then I proceed onto another type of problem.

And most importantly, have fun! Physics is not suppose to be boring, if you think it's boring...then you need to 1. do less problems 2. understand the deeper aspects of physics.


I hope I made sense. Lol.
 
The first step to learning physics is learning the math (I'm guessing that the physics course you took in high school was algebra-trig physics, but it wasn't, then you just need to review that). If you haven't learned calculus, you'll need to. If you have, you can start with a first year physics textbook like University Physics.
 
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