Let me be honest with you. There is no secret to achieve success in life. No matter what subject you are pursuing, you need to put in your best efforts to taste success. ‘‘There is nothing special in the world. Nothing magic. Just physics.’’ Wherever you go, whatever you do, the concept of physics gets applied to each and every aspect of life. Thus, you need to be good in Physics to understand the core concepts.
I remember an incident when I once announced to my parents that I don’t want to continue school since I am unable to do well in Physics. Hearing this statement, my dad remarked, ‘’I will make you love Physics, and your life will never be the same anymore.’’ He made me understand physics through some tips and steps which have been benefitting me till today. And thus today, being aware of the various problems which students face in Physics, I am here to provide you those tips,strategies which will make you understand physics in a never before way. And who knows, by the end of this post, you may start loving Physics!
Why you need to learn Physics?
Among all the branches of science, I can proudly assure you that physics is the most basic and fundamental one. This is because you need physics to understand the world around you, the world beyond your means as well as the world lying inside you. It is due to the challenges of physics that we have some great discoveries like computers and lasers. Today, laser is used by mankind to cure joint problems, cure cancer, etc. Thus, it can easily be said that physics has its existence in everything- from the biggest galaxies to the smallest particles.
With some simple changes to your study habits, you can be in love with physics. It is such a magical subject that it can even decrease all your worries and dissatisfaction.
Tips to solve Physics Homework Problems:
- Develop a picture-
A visual representation always impacts the best. Visualizing the problem in mind helped me in capturing the essence of the problem. Through this, it will be convenient for you to understand what is expected from you. Developing a picture is more important in case of advanced physics. There are some sums which can be easily visualized whereas there are some problems with abstract physical concepts and quantities, for which you need to, put more effort in visualizing. You can even try to draw the picture. Even a poor drawing will do.
- Make use of symmetries-
You can make use of symmetries to simplify your work. It is very important to understand the problem and if you believe that symmetries will help you, then go for it!
- Identifying the scales-
I used to identify the scales which are important for the sum before starting. By scales we mean important quantities with dimensions.
- Think of the appropriate formula-
It is true that physics involves several formulas. Thus, instead of using any random formula, think of the formula which is appropriate for the sum.
- Think whether to use advanced techniques or elementary methods-
There are problems which require advanced techniques to be solved. However if noticed carefully, you will see that you can make use of elementary methods. It is important to go through the sum carefully because using an advanced technique instead of an elementary method will clearly depict that you don’t have the basic understanding of the particular sum.
- Don’t put emphasis on numerical values all time-
You should make use of numerical values carefully. It is always advisable that you make use of the values only towards the end.
- Criticize your solution-
Once you complete a sum, ask yourself whether the way you have solved the sum, is making any sense or not. You can even check your sum with some available examples in the textbook or with any previous sum you have solved. Remember to check the units of your solution.
Strategies to be successful in your Physics Homework:
- Start planning for your Physics homework/exam from day one-
With my experience; I can assure that a work done at the eleventh hour will never be much fruitful. Thus, you should never believe that there is enough time to get prepared for the exam. You need to plan a strategy and implement it in your daily study habits so that you can work hard from before. By developing a strategy of your own from the day you are assigned the work, will help you in getting successful during the exam too.
- Treat your syllabus well-
If you have the physics syllabus with you, you can understand the chapters on which your teacher will assign you homework. You can start practicing these from before so that you can easily work out these during your homework or exam.
- Attend your lectures-
You will notice that most of the topics you get homework on are based on what your teachers have taught in the class. Remember that teachers are the ones who provide you the first-hand information. If you pay attention to the class lectures, then you will be able to solve your physics homework without any hindrances. In case you face any doubts, you can instantly approach your professor,
- Take your homework positively-
From the day I started treating homework as an opportunity, there were less problems I faced. Most students start panicking the moment they get physics homework. Instead of trembling with fear the moment you sit down to study, take the homework positively. Have a positive attitude when you start doing the homework as this will ease most of your problems.
- Appear for various tests, quizzes and key problems-
You can enhance your knowledge on Physics by appearing for various tests and quizzes which are available on online and offline method. The more you appear in these, the easier will it be to solve difficult homework.
- Review your homework-
Once you complete the homework review the entire work properly before submitting it for evaluation. Check whether you have made any silly mistakes or missed out some information.
Real-life examples to have a better understanding:
It became more convenient for me to understand some vital concepts of Physics when my dad gave me some real-life examples. Real-life examples always help students to connect to the subject in a better way. You can even consider going through 10 important facts that you should know about physics homework in case you want to know more about your Physics homework. You can approach various professional educational websites too for further assistance.
- Balancing a see-saw–
Have you noticed a see-saw carefully? You will see that when people of different weights sit a see-saw by maintaining the same distance from the axis of rotation, the see-saw does not get balanced. This is because only with equal torques, the system of the see-saw can balance itself. Level arm= smallest distance from the axis of rotation.
- Fouette Turns–
Follow a ballerina. A ballerina turn depicts an example of conservation of angular momentum. The ballerina girl moves and extends in a way that it increases her rotational inertia. This is due to the fact that her mass is away from the axis of rotation which decreases her rotational velocity.
- Notice your walking style–
We all know Newton’s third law that there is an equal and opposite action to every reaction. Well, now go for a walk. Put your left foot forward on the ground. You will see that when you are putting a force with your left foot on the ground, it will have an equal reaction of putting the right foot forward and an opposite reaction of making you move forward.
With these tips, strategies and examples, I am sure that you will be successful in your Physics homework.