Where Can I Learn Physics Without a Teacher?

[MrPickle]

This may seem weird but weird's my middle name.

I'm 14 and I sort of crave knowledge. I like to know how things work, why they happen etc but now my schools just getting, I think the suitable word would be rubbish. All the science teachers are leaving for better paid jobs so we're getting stuck with cover teachers. I wouldn't mind about the chemistry and biology teachers leaving but my physics teacher left too so now I haven't got a physics teacher to ask my questions too. (My previous teacher couldn't answer most of my questions anyway)

So I'm taking things into my own hands. Except I don't just want to know the curriculum stuff I want to know as much as I can fit into my head :P

Only thing is, I don't know where to start.

 

[lisab]

Hi MrPickles!

You've found PF -- that's a good place to start.

Weird is good, btw, but you already knew that .

 

[kingdomof]

You don't understand how awesome of a position you are in. With so many online resources such as Wikipedia and various torrent sites to provide you with textbooks, the possibilities are infinite. Get your hands on a textbook of whatever subject matter you're into. Learn as much as you can! If I got into science a couple of years younger (I'm 18, got into science pretty hardcore around 16) I would've been doing some pretty far out crap. Don't be afraid to teach yourself science and don't be afraid to be bad at something; without recognition that you are bad at something, you cannot improve. It's hard to start out, but when you do finally get into the swing of things, you'll enjoy yourself quite well.

Also, another thing you could try later on is to get in contact with a professor at a local college which is doing research you're interested in. I'm sure if you present yourself as mature, humble, and ready to work, they would be happy to have you, depending on the college of course. I spent my days last summer at a lab and I learned a lot about electron microscopy. This could help you out a ton.

My main advice is, find what you like the most out of all the sciences. Good luck and have fun!

 

[MrPickle]

That's the trouble, I can't find what I like the most because it all interests me D:

 

[Evo]

That's the trouble, I can't find what I like the most because it all interests me D:

Stay away from places like Wikipedia for information, it is not to be trusted. It's ok as a starting point only.

 

[OAQfirst]

You don't understand how awesome of a position you are in. With so many online resources such as Wikipedia and various torrent sites to provide you with textbooks, the possibilities are infinite.

Torrent sites provide textbooks? Is this a legal offering from them? Or is it "under the blanket piracy"?

 

[rootX]

This may seem weird but weird's my middle name.

I'm 14 and I sort of crave knowledge. I like to know how things work, why they happen etc but now my schools just getting, I think the suitable word would be rubbish. All the science teachers are leaving for better paid jobs so we're getting stuck with cover teachers. I wouldn't mind about the chemistry and biology teachers leaving but my physics teacher left too so now I haven't got a physics teacher to ask my questions too. (My previous teacher couldn't answer most of my questions anyway)

So I'm taking things into my own hands. Except I don't just want to know the curriculum stuff I want to know as much as I can fit into my head :P

Only thing is, I don't know where to start.

I also had a strong carving for knowledge when I was 14. I would spend 20% of time on things that I was required to know for my school and 80% of time learning things that were above my curriculum. I never understood why my sister always gets higher marks when she spends far less time studying. I always hated school; they don't teach anything challenging/interesting/tough. So, I think that's why I was never interested in hs people/teachers/curriculum.

Now I am about 19.

The one thing I learned is always try to keep things simple
I spend 100% of time on the things that I am required to know (I am also overwhelmed by knowledge)

I am doing better than my sister now

 

[MrPickle]

I learned to keep things simple from programming. I always use to dive in at the deep end and get annoyed when I couldn't get it to work. I still tend to do that.

 

[kingdomof]

I used to be seriously into studying by myself in the beginning of senior year. I had a 97 average. I learned about 1/2 Organic 1 and taught myself about a Semester of Biology and some bits of Gen Chem. Then I focused completely on my schoolwork, got a 98 average, and learned jack.

Do what you feel is right depending on your situation. If your high school doesn't feel challenging, chances are you have plenty of time for science on your own. Learn what you have to and move onto different things if you can.

As for finding things you like, what kind of person are you? Are you a theorist or an observer? Biology/Chemistry are more geared for the observer IMO. Also do you like microscopes? Behavior studies? etc

 

[DrClapeyron]

Play a sport. There is always plenty to learn from playing football.

 

[binzing]

Good job man. I'm of your same age and aptitude. I got into BEAM robotics fairly recently, try out music, building stuff, whatever, its all good.

DrClapeyron, I'm sorry, but I got to say, I think you've infiltrated PF for purposes of changing us nerdfolk to jocks. Well it ain't going to happen.

 

[mattmns]

I like DrClapeyron's suggestion, and I don't think s/he is trying to turn anyone into a jock. The point being that it is a good idea to be well-rounded. You don't have to be a jock, but you should get out and have some fun doing something "athletic" and competitive once in a while.

 

[lisab]

Biology/Chemistry are more geared for the observer IMO.

Hmmm...I've never thought of that before. I think you're right about that.

Very astute observation, kingdomof!

 

[MrPickle]

I think I'm a theorist, I tend to get a question in my head then it sort of creates a strain of thoughts.

As for Biology, Chemistry or Physics, Physics interests me more than the other sciences.

 

[kingdomof]

Well, all scientists start with theory. It's what you want to do with that theory that would define what you're interested in, IMO. If you want to test out the mathematical soundness of an equation, you're a theorist. If you want to get some mice and observe their behavior and see what happens to them chemically, you're an observer. I dig experimenting more and waiting to see results, but that's a ton of time and plenty of things go wrong.

There's plenty of overlap in science, though, keep that in mind. You have inorganic chemists and physicists working in Biology, nowadays. Science, from what I gather, has changed a lot over the past 50 years and there has been more collaboration between all of the branches. A ton of things in science are relatively young and many innovations just came about relatively recently, such as electron microscopes, PCR, etc.

Have fun and don't confine yourself to a single interest. I mix things up and learn a bit of Physics, as it is always good to know things in different perspectives. I also read a decent amount of literature and philosophy. Being well rounded works wonders, as it's terribly hard to pull off, but the benefit is worth it.

 

[AhmedEzz]

Do you like maths?

 

[kingdomof]

Torrent sites provide textbooks? Is this a legal offering from them? Or is it "under the blanket piracy"?

Sorry for not responding earlier.

Torrent sites are a great resource for anything under the sun. It isn't legal, but I'll be blunt; nobody cares. There are no government agencies, at least I would hope, trying to prevent people from getting a free education or teaching themselves. It's kinda a taboo thing to restrict.

 

[TeTeC]

You should be careful with the PF guidelines here...

 

[kingdomof]

I didn't drop any names, so I think I'm fine.

 

[OAQfirst]

Sorry for not responding earlier.

Torrent sites are a great resource for anything under the sun. It isn't legal, but I'll be blunt; nobody cares. There are no government agencies, at least I would hope, trying to prevent people from getting a free education or teaching themselves. It's kinda a taboo thing to restrict.

Eh, I care. At least enough not to do anything unethical. The authors care, especially after all the work they put into it.

So. I guess I'll not get into torrents.

*glances up at free resources listed here*

 

[rootX]

Eh, I care. At least enough not to do anything unethical. The authors care, especially after all the work they put into it.

So. I guess I'll not get into torrents.

*glances up at free resources listed here*

 

[MrPickle]

I liked maths, yes.

 

[Integral]

I liked maths, yes.

Any time you spend working on Math is well spent. Algebra, trigonometry, Calculus, Linear Algebra, and Differential equations are fundamental tools essential to doing any real physics. It is best to pick these skills up early. While it may not seem as sexy as say Quantum Physics, if you have the proper mathematical tools, the physics falls into place.

 

[AhmedEzz]

Any time you spend working on Math is well spent. Algebra, trigonometry, Calculus, Linear Algebra, and Differential equations are fundamental tools essential to doing any real physics. It is best to pick these skills up early. While it may not seem as sexy as say Quantum Physics, if you have the proper mathematical tools, the physics falls into place.

My point exactly

 

[Moonbear]

If you don't feel you are getting enough out of your schoolwork, and that seems understandable if you have mostly temporary teachers who may not have much experience teaching the subjects you're taking, I'm going to suggest something a bit different from what others here are suggesting.

Rather than venturing off completely into unknown territory on your own, and potentially getting onto wrong paths or developing misconceptions that are hard to unlearn (misconceptions are just like bad habits...very difficult to break once you've latched onto them, and hard to avoid without someone to guide you around them), try to just take your class lessons a step further. This way, you're not falling into the trap of diving into the deep end without first becoming a strong swimmer over in the shallow end, and you have some guidance of what to study next.

You can use our homework and coursework forums to do this, or even some of our main forums depending on the questions you have. For example, if you have a physics class that is just tossing formulas at you to use without really explaining where they come from or how you know when to use them correctly, you can ask that here. How else can they be used? Where did they come from? You may even find yourself curious about the history behind the science...whose work led to the derivation of those formulae, or what experimental evidence supported it?

If you don't get a satisfactory explanation of something in your own textbook or class, borrow some other texts from the library and look up what they say about that topic. Different authors present things in different ways, and putting it all together might help you gain better understanding that relying on a text by a single author. I'd advise against jumping into reading a text on a subject a lot more advanced than where you are now, though, because you first need to develop the foundation of your learning to understand the more advanced subjects. There's a reason courses are taught in a particular order, and that's because each builds upon the ones before it. Work on strengthening your foundation, which is something you may not be getting if you have inadequate teachers right now.

 

[MrPickle]

Wow, great advice, thanks.

 

[Pythagorean]

Eh, I care. At least enough not to do anything unethical. The authors care, especially after all the work they put into it.

So. I guess I'll not get into torrents.

*glances up at free resources listed here*

When I become a physics textbook author I'm going to sue your for slandering me! (s'a joke...)

I don't care if joe schmoe gets my textbook free. I'd be flattered someone has an interest in science and that I could serve as a sort of gateway. Of course, I still think it should be illegal so that the obedient ones will make me a profit, but I would never sue joe schmoe for intellectual property rights. I would sue a company looking to profit on my ipr, of course.

Anything we can do to wash away the ignorance, especially for people who want to be clean.