University level physics (mechanics learning tips and resources)

[elad katzir]

Hello, I'm a first year university physics student, and I'm having a hard time understanding the material, which badly affects my grades.
I'm posting this thread hoping to get some tips for how and where to learn physics(reading materials, online lectures) aside from my university lecture, which I often don't even understand, any tips and help will be welcomed and highly appreciated

 

[elad katzir]

Hello, I'm a first year university physics student, and I'm having a hard time understanding the material, which badly affects my grades.
this is my syllabus:
1. Vectors and kinematics
2. Newton's laws
3. Forces and equations of motion
4. momentum
5. Energy
6. Topics in dynamics
7. Angular momentum
8. Movable body movement (hard)
9. Harmonic oscillator (oscillator)
10. Non-inertial systems and simulated forces
11. Stats
12. Movement under the influence of a central force - Kepler's laws
I'm posting this thread hoping to get some tips for how and where to learn physics(reading materials, online lectures) aside from my university lecture, which I often don't even understand, any tips and help will be welcomed and highly appreciated

 

[Mondayman]

You should have a textbook. Something like Physics for Scientists and Engineers by Serway or University Physics by Young. They have good chapters on those topics.

 

[BvU]

Hello @elad katzir ,

$\qquad$ !​

hard time understanding
...
which I often don't even understand

I'm exactly half a century ahead of you but for what it's worth:

How do you prepare for the lectures ? Is it all brand new or just going a lot faster than in your previous school ? (did you have trouble there as well, or not at all?)
Is it the math or the physics that cause you trouble ?
Do you have tutorials where you do exercises and can ask questions ?
Do you have examples in the 12 items that were easier than others ? More difficult ?
Does the teaching you receive now match your preferred learning method (hearing, or seeing, or doing) ?

$\$

 

[elad katzir]

Hello @elad katzir ,

$\qquad$ !​

I'm exactly half a century ahead of you but for what it's worth:

How do you prepare for the lectures ? Is it all brand new or just going a lot faster than in your previous school ? (did you have trouble there as well, or not at all?)
Is it the math or the physics that cause you trouble ?
Do you have tutorials where you do exercises and can ask questions ?
Do you have examples in the 12 items that were easier than others ? More difficult ?
Does the teaching you receive now match your preferred learning method (hearing, or seeing, or doing) ?

$\$

Every lecture is almost brand new to me. I did learn physics in high school, but it was highly simplified: most questions back then were about logic or just using the formulas, they even implied which formula you should use.

while now, at the university i struggle with both the math and understanding the physics in the question(the movement described in the question and which formulas to use), we do have tutorials in our university where the tutor solve and answer question from our h.w but i often only manage to understand and solve the first and sometimes the second question in each one of the h.w

 

[BvU]

Every lecture is almost brand new to me

That is indeed worrying. You can't follow the argument and the line of reasoning through the lecture if it's all new.
So your remedy is obvious: work ahead! You have a syllabus and hopefully a textbook or at least written notes from your course (bij your predecessors or from prof. Dutch term is: dictaat)
Try to follow the steps in the text, try a few exercises or search for simpler exercises on the net, etc.

It will cost you time, but it's all I can think of.

$\$

 

[elad katzir]

That is indeed worrying. You can't follow the argument and the line of reasoning through the lecture if it's all new.
So your remedy is obvious: work ahead! You have a syllabus and hopefully a textbook or at least written notes from your course (bij your predecessors or from prof. Dutch term is: dictaat)
Try to follow the steps in the text, try a few exercises or search for simpler exercises on the net, etc.

It will cost you time, but it's all I can think of.

$\$

thank you for your time and advice, will do and hopefully it will help

 

[vela]

How are you doing in your other courses? Is it just physics which gives you problems?

Some students need to learn how to learn. For example, reading the textbook and getting information from it is a skill that needs to be learned. Below are some methods you might try so you can use your time effectively.

Before lecture, read over the relevant sections of the textbook. At this point, don't worry about trying to understand everything. Your aim is to get a good idea of what's to be covered in class and to formulate questions that might be answered by the lecture. After the class, reread those sections carefully. This time, however, you're trying to solidify your understanding of the material.

When you get to a dense section of text, read one paragraph at a time, and then express in your own words what you just read. Then and only then, go on to the next paragraph. If you can't paraphrase a paragraph, it's a sign you need to go back and fill in holes in your understanding.

When you get to examples in the book, cover up the solution and try to solve the problem on your own first. Get as far as you can before you start revealing the solution. Reveal only as much as you need to get unstuck, and return to trying to solve the problem.