Back to School Physics

I frequently get a lot of questions, especially around this time of year, for suggestions on studying physics. Actually, what I tend to get are e-mails asking me to explain physics (or quantum physics or thermodynamics or relativity or fluid mechanics or energy or momentum or ... well, you get the idea). Sorry to disappoint everyone, but here's a sad truth:

There are a variety of tactics which can help at having success in a physics course this fall. Many of these suggestions are not necessarily specific to physics courses. Being prepared for school in general will obviously help in being prepared for physics courses. Toward that end, you can check out the About.com Back to School site for some general back to school tips.

One option to prepare for fall classes is to review various free online course options and see if the lectures or materials available will parallel your own classes. Watching them ahead of time, as well as reading your textbook in advance, will help you be prepared for the material when the teacher presents it. This also gives you the chance to map out any areas of uncertainty and, if your teacher doesn't clarify it in the lecture, you will be ready to ask questions.

Take detailed notes on both readings and lectures. The notes should include all vocabulary terms and relevant formulas. This is also a good place to take notes on anything that you need to ask further questions about.

Of course, there are some specific tips related to studying physics and science which can be especially helpful. One of my first major suggestions is that you get comfortable with the idea of dimensional analysis. Frequently, by knowing the units that are involved, a student can determine how to use one set of values to get the value that is needed by the problem.

Physics is the study of how to apply scientific knowledge and, as such, typically involves solving physics problems. Work all assigned problems, but also glance through problems and examples which are not specifically assigned. The goal of this review is to see if you at least understand what the questions are asking - you don't need to solve them all. If solutions are in the back of the textbook, look at those to see if you can determine how they were arrived at. (This is also a good tip for any science or mathematics course. It can quickly become time consuming, but will definitely be worth it.)

• What Is Physics?
• What Skills Do I Need To Study Physics?
• Why Study Physics?
• Prepare for Fall Courses Online
• Dimensional Analysis
• Classroom Physics Tips
• Grand Ideas of Science

Provide your own tips for preparing for physics courses or ask for specific suggestions on the best way to study (or teach) a specific topic by leaving a comment on the blog.