Requesting Tips on Surviving Physics

[shinghan]

Hey everyone, I'm in my final year in high school right now and I always seem to be stressed about physics. My other classes are fine with high 80's/90's, but with physics, I always seem to be in my low 70's o.o. I'm just wondering if some people have experienced this problem before and how did they cope with it. My passion is the sciences, hopefully majoring in biochemistry =D. My teacher is an awesome teacher, but the hard part is applying what I learn into problems. I'm just asking for some advice on how to handle the rest of the year in physics. Any help is greatly appreciated! I really want to finish with 85%, maybe even 90%!

 

[diazona]

Well, the first thing I'd do is identify as specifically as possible exactly what's giving you the most difficulty - and once you do that, just practice as much as possible. Try doing some of the extra problems in your textbook (beyond what you're assigned for homework)... I know that takes time, but there's really no substitute for it (believe me, I've been looking for years ;-).

If I understand you correctly, it sounds like you're okay with the mathematical aspects of physics, and you're just having a hard time connecting the formulas/numbers to what's going on in the real world. With that sort of thing, you develop an intuition for it with enough practice. I'm sure you could also get some good advice by posting some specific examples of problems and showing exactly where they're giving you trouble. (I'm new to these forums too, but from my experience helping people elsewhere, I know it's often easier for others to gauge your abilities and help you effectively when you present specific examples of problems you're having.)

 

[qspeechc]

When I was in grade 11 I was getting 70s in science. Then I worked through an A-Level (post-matric year of school in some countries, like England) physics books over the holiday between grade 11 and 12. It was gruelling, but I stuck to it, and grinded through it. Next year I ended with a 96% aggregate in science. I got a problem book for physics, and one for chemistry. I got a second textbook. And I worked by butt off. I did tonnes of problems, past papers etc.
The point is; maybe get some extra books, and just work harder.