Studying Where to start in self studying physics?

AI Thread Summary
To effectively teach yourself physics, it's crucial to establish a solid foundation in mathematics, as this is essential for understanding physical concepts and equations. Many learners encounter difficulties when they come across unknown terms or equations, which can lead to distractions and detours in their studies. A logical starting point is to follow structured courses, such as those offered by MIT OpenCourseWare, which provide syllabi that outline prerequisite knowledge, ensuring that learners are adequately prepared for the material. Engaging with community forums for questions and clarification can also help maintain focus and overcome obstacles in the learning process.
iwilllearn
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I am currently teaching physics to myself, however when I start to comprehend one thing, an unknown term or equation finds me and I get stolen from my current reasearch to begin to research that. So my question is, where should I start? Is there any logical starting point to begin to teach yourself a subject as broad as physics?
 
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What materials are you studying from? Standard textbooks usually at least attempt to present things in a logical sequence. However, they usually assume you already know certain prerequisite material. This is usually described in the introduction.

Can you give an example of the kinds of detours you’ve been making?
 
iwilllearn said:
I am currently teaching physics to myself, however when I start to comprehend one thing, an unknown term or equation finds me and I get stolen from my current reasearch to begin to research that. So my question is, where should I start? Is there any logical starting point to begin to teach yourself a subject as broad as physics?

You can't ask that question and expect a reasonable answer if you neglect to let us know what level of understanding or education you already posses. Otherwise, we will be assuming that you already know such-and-such, and will recommend things that might be well beyond what you can comprehend, which is exactly what seems to be happening now.

Zz.
 
The place to begin to study physics is in mathematics. Only then can you make any progress.
 
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When you hit roadblocks you can always ask questions on here to get you back on track.

<3
 
Here is the MIT OpenCourse. https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/physics/

I self-learn physics following courses on it.

Especially, the syllabus in every courses include informations about prerequisite courses.

For example, in 8.01 Classical Mechanics, single variable calculus will be requisite.

Hope this would help you.
 
Hey, I am Andreas from Germany. I am currently 35 years old and I want to relearn math and physics. This is not one of these regular questions when it comes to this matter. So... I am very realistic about it. I know that there are severe contraints when it comes to selfstudy compared to a regular school and/or university (structure, peers, teachers, learning groups, tests, access to papers and so on) . I will never get a job in this field and I will never be taken serious by "real"...
Yesterday, 9/5/2025, when I was surfing, I found an article The Schwarzschild solution contains three problems, which can be easily solved - Journal of King Saud University - Science ABUNDANCE ESTIMATION IN AN ARID ENVIRONMENT https://jksus.org/the-schwarzschild-solution-contains-three-problems-which-can-be-easily-solved/ that has the derivation of a line element as a corrected version of the Schwarzschild solution to Einstein’s field equation. This article's date received is 2022-11-15...

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