Physics is a very crucial subject when it comes to understanding basic sciences. As far as middle or high school-goers are concerned, physics constitutes the bulk of their syllabus over the years. Personally for me, I consider physics to be the mother of all science subjects in school. Why is that? Well, if you can properly understand physics, then you are certain to grasp every aspect of your physical sciences’ syllabus very easily.
However, it is perfectly understandable if you are struggling to make sense of this subject and its concepts. For a beginner, physics and its conceptual analogies can sometimes be lost. Still, there is no need to worry since you can come up with effective tools to deal with it.
Common problems associated with Physics
Before we move on to the solutions for easy understanding of this subject, let us review some of the common problems that students face while studying physics. Each student’s approach towards this subject is unique, but you can be fairly certain that you will encounter these problems while studying. Let’s have a look:
- Use of theoretical models: Middle school physics is highly dependent on using theoretical models to deal with problems and concepts. Use of these models is very crucial to make young pupils understand the profound concepts. However, these models sometimes can confuse you as well.
- Use of classical symbols in physics problems: Ever been confused with all those Greek and Latin symbols in your physics textbooks? Yes, you are not alone in this. Many young students easily get baffled by those symbols in equations.
- Lack of application: Preliminary physics gets this criticism quite often from students who are eager to apply their school teaching to real life situations. Let me remind you; this is no longer the case if you move on to undergraduate level. There you can find various application based scenarios for physics.
- Perceived difficulty: Basic sciences in general and physics, in particular, are often regarded as difficult streams which are not meant for average students. This is a common misconception developed by students early on in their academic career.
How to deal with these problems?
Since we are talking about solutions, let me assure you that all the above-mentioned problems and misconceptions have been debunked for a long time. If you as a student are willing to devote your time to a particular subject, you can succeed very easily. Physics is no exception to that rule. Let’s talk about how you can effectively be better at it.
- First of all, do not be afraid to address your problems in class out of peer pressure or embarrassment. If you do not face your problems in this subject, you are doing yourself no good.
- Modern technology has made much progress in the last decade or so in providing better educational resources to students. There are many types of online tutorials and courses which you can attend in your spare time to improve your understanding of physics.
- Always remember you cannot “memorize and conquer†in physics. You have to have a better understanding of the subject itself and sheer mugging up will not help you in any scenario whatsoever.
- Use of digital media is quite beneficial when it comes to understanding physics. This also counters the problem of “use of too much theory†in physics. Encourage your teachers to bring in presentations, projects and videos in class to start a discussion about a particular chapter.
- Lastly, make sure that you are practicing every aspect of your syllabus. Learning will only prove to be successful if you are practicing – I don’t have to remind you what they say about practice, do I?
Balancing mathematical problems in physics
Mathematics constitutes a huge portion of high school physics. Everything you study in physics will have a mathematical side to it. This is partly the reason as to why many students have problems in their physics lessons. However, you should be happy that your physics problems have a practical approach to it, in contrary to your math problems.
Try to balance out your mathematical problems with your physical understanding of the lesson. Then you can successfully deal with those problems without having to worry about anything. It is always easier to develop a routine where you can plan out your schedule according to your lessons. That certainly helps if you are dealing with a huge syllabus, which is generally the case for basic science subjects.
Mathematical problems do not always have to be based on the medium of pen and paper. Just like physics, understanding math has also transformed itself in this day and age with the advent of technology. There are plenty of modern techniques that provide an innovative approach to solve mathematics problems.
Quick tips for dealing with physics before exams
All the things that I have mentioned above are sure to provide you with long-term solutions. However, if you are nearing your exams and physics seems especially difficult to deal with, check out these quick tips which can certainly benefit you on a short term basis.
- Reasoning and application constitute the bulk of physical study and questioning in themiddle and high school. So you should equip yourself with reasoning analysis of the chapters.
- Problem-solvingaptitude is difficult to develop overnight. However, that does not mean that you cannot solve a given problem. Learn to compartmentalize your problems based on their difficulty level and deal with them in an incremental fashion, starting with the easiest ones and then moving on to the next level.
- Avoid confusing conceptual understanding right before the exams. Try to understand the application based chapters first for better results – you can always go back for those conceptual chapters later.
- Develop a tendency to learn derivations and practice them repeatedly if you are having trouble remembering the steps.
- Make use of online guides and tools for assistance before exams. There is a vast library of resources online, and it is readily available to you for use.
Physics is a logical and analytical subject, so the best way to understand it has a logical approach, and proceeding with it in an analytical fashion. Do not be fooled by the common misconceptions about physics being hard and too difficult to understand – it is certainly not true. If you can strive towards your goal with conviction, then with a little help, you are certain to achieve it.
