What areas of physics should I focus on as a 16-year-old aspiring scientist?

[PetSounds]

I'm a 16-year-old home-schooled boy. After Grade 12, I plan on studying physics, so I thought I'd see what I'd be getting myself into. Hopefully I can contribute despite my youth and inexperience.

And yes, I realize a Richard Feynman avatar on a physics forum is a cliché.

 

[Evo]

I'm a 16-year-old home-schooled boy. After Grade 12, I plan on studying physics, so I thought I'd see what I'd be getting myself into. Hopefully I can contribute despite my youth and inexperience.

And yes, I realize a Richard Feynman avatar on a physics forum is a cliché.

Welcome PetSounds, can't do much better than a Feynman avatar!

 

[phinds]

Welcome. Home schooling, like ANY schooling, can be good or bad. I hope yours has been good. How much math have you studied?

 

[PetSounds]

Welcome. Home schooling, like ANY schooling, can be good or bad. I hope yours has been good. How much math have you studied?

I'm currently taking first-year university calculus. I think my schooling's pretty good.

 

[phinds]

I'm currently taking first-year university calculus. I think my schooling's pretty good.

Great. Sounds like you'll do well here. Welcome.

 

[PetSounds]

Great. Sounds like you'll do well here. Welcome.

Thanks. To be honest, I'm not sure where to start posting, since everything seems a bit over my head. Any suggestions?

 

[Evo]

Thanks. To be honest, I'm not sure where to start posting, since everything seems a bit over my head. Any suggestions?

It's best to just spend some time reading. I spent quite a while reading before I started posting. I wanted to know what kind of posts were acceptable and be careful not to repeat recently asked questions. Then, if you have questions about something you've read, be sure to link to the source of what you didn't understand so that we can see what you read.

Also make sure you've read the rules, both the Global Guidelines https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/physics-forums-global-guidelines.414380/ as well as any sub-forum specific rules that will be pinned near the top of that's subforum page.

 

[phinds]

I agree w/ everything Evo said and would add that you should give some though to what area you want to focus on lest you spread yourself too thin. For example, if you attack Quantum Mechanics and Cosmology both at the same time, you are likely to get a headache. Actually either one will likely give you a headache at first