How to Study for Physics? Textbooks, Resources and Tips?

[Center Field]

Physics is fun! But I sympathize, my teacher was weak...all he was good for was not getting moderated. I would suggest setting aside a few hours a night and just studying, this helped me because it allowed me to comprehend, and ultimately master things on my own-if you do not like physics, this may be a bit difficult.

Get friends to help and have big study sessions-I was invited to a few and they seemed to help everyone involved. Obtaining new perspectives on something opens up new ideas.

The purple covered text book is annoying, because I had to go out and buy it (our school couldn't afford to pay for them), but it is a good book-justr hard to use.

[Work hard party harder]

Hey guys, thank you so much for all the advice...it was very helpful...

The concept that I'm stuck on is: The Doppler Effect in EM waves...

Okay, I did try practice questions,(sorry about the over usage of capitals...LOL) only to find that I don't even know how to use the formula because there are two letters v and c for two different velocities, which are very confusing...I think one is for the speed of light or sound in vacuum or air respectively and the other is for the velocity of the moving object. Anyway, this is the formula I'm talking about:

change in frequency = v/c * original frequency

Thank you so much!

[Center Field]

oohh i love that stuff!!!!!!!!! If you need help ask away...i get a kick out of doppler

[Nickel_Cadmium]

I learned well from a textbook because you know what you read is what you have to know. I suggest a combination of two books: Physics by K.A. Tsokos from Cambridge(a complete courseguide) and Physics by Tim Kirk from oxford(a review guide).

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Physics-IB-Diploma-K-Tsokos/dp/0521708206/ref=dp_ob_title_bk/276-7399038-0060119

http://www.amazon.co.uk/IB-Study-Guide-Physics-Diploma/dp/0199151415/ref=dp_cp_ob_b_title_1/276-7399038-0060119

[Tilia]

c is speed of light in vaccum

v is just "ordinary" velocity

[blacko]

Hey guys,

I'm starting IB in late August and I personally to get ahead a little before the beginning of next year so I can be at ease. Anyways, people keep telling me that Physics HL is a killer in IB, so for those of you taking physics, what would you recommend would be the best way to prep a little for what I'm in next year?

[Center Field]

I would review basic physics textbooks or even buy the HL textbook you will be using ahead of time (or check it out) and then skim through the material and study stuff that immediately interests you (assuming its part of the curriculum) and if nothing interests you, just keep skimming over it. Do you have any background in physics?

[blacko]

I would review basic physics textbooks or even buy the HL textbook you will be using ahead of time (or check it out) and then skim through the material and study stuff that immediately interests you (assuming its part of the curriculum) and if nothing interests you, just keep skimming over it. Do you have any background in physics?

Yeah I took 10th grade physics, which covered vectors and some basic mechanics- 1D and 2d kinematics (projectile motion), and newton's three laws

[Center Field]

Cool. Kinematics are an important portion of the curriculum. Newton's laws also. I recommend reviewing what you learned...then try and go more in depth with it if you can get a textbook. That helped me a lot!

Vectors are good too! Although they were not prevalent on my exam or any practice test I took.

Maybe contacting your future teacher about what to study may help as well

[Tilia]

I would review basic physics textbooks or even buy the HL textbook you will be using ahead of time (or check it out) and then skim through the material and study stuff that immediately interests you (assuming its part of the curriculum) and if nothing interests you, just keep skimming over it. Do you have any background in physics?

Yeah I took 10th grade physics, which covered vectors and some basic mechanics- 1D and 2d kinematics (projectile motion), and newton's three laws

Then you'll be very well prepared. Personally, I think mechanics was the hardest topic, but that might have been due to that it was the first one we did. At any rate, it's the biggest topic and I've seen P1s where almost half of the questions are about mechanics, so if you know some of that, you'll be ahead.

The best way to prepare even more would be to get a detailed syllabus, read the mechanics topic and the introduction topic and see what you know and what you don't know. Maybe you could go on then to read about power, efficiency, energy etc. But as I said, you seem to be well prepared already know.

Enjoy your physics and keep in mind that if you just do your homework, revise, and ask your teacher if you don't understand, IB physics HL won't be as hard as people say.

[watermelon]

Thanks guys! they are AWESOME!

i dont really know any websites.. but i know there are some good videos on some topics.

there is an example here..

if you like it just search the preson's name : Derek Owens

Another source = IB Physics study guide, it condenses the syllabus

Edited August 13, 2010 by watermelon

[Aerobti.99]

Helloooooooooo

You all have probably heard of this situation many many times before, BUT- I am starting Physics HL this year, and I'm shocked at how high the standards are!

I'm abit intimidated by all of the complicated calculations and maths involved, but I still love Physics and I'm going to go through with it

Are there any websites that anyone recommends for Physics HL that contain notes? Just to make life easier and to reassure me haha, just some basic notes that I can print out and stick onto my wall for notes etc..

Thanks!

[DaydreamNation54]

Helloooooooooo

You all have probably heard of this situation many many times before, BUT- I am starting Physics HL this year, and I'm shocked at how high the standards are!

I'm abit intimidated by all of the complicated calculations and maths involved, but I still love Physics and I'm going to go through with it

Are there any websites that anyone recommends for Physics HL that contain notes? Just to make life easier and to reassure me haha, just some basic notes that I can print out and stick onto my wall for notes etc..

Thanks!

Get Tsokos's book please. And then print off the syllabus. And download the questionbank. Then, you will be good.

[Aerobti.99]

thankyouuuu

[theloserwins]

Helloooooooooo

You all have probably heard of this situation many many times before, BUT- I am starting Physics HL this year, and I'm shocked at how high the standards are!

I'm abit intimidated by all of the complicated calculations and maths involved, but I still love Physics and I'm going to go through with it

Are there any websites that anyone recommends for Physics HL that contain notes? Just to make life easier and to reassure me haha, just some basic notes that I can print out and stick onto my wall for notes etc..

Thanks!

Get Tsokos's book please. And then print off the syllabus. And download the questionbank. Then, you will be good.

I agree. You need to annotate your syllabus heavily to do well.

[MitchCampbell]

The suggestions made above are sound advice. Another thing I'd suggest is to make sure you look at the information booklet (the equation sheet). If you know exactly what every equation means and how it's used, you'll be very well off. You can learn things from a textbook, or ask friends in class as well. Try to get your hands on some past exams and work on those!

I'll be putting up more videos in the next few months as well. (I made a series of videos last year on youtube that explain one of the HL units - Quantum Mechanics and Nuclear Physics)

http://tutoring.dk/videos/

I'm working on a new website now that will eventually have all of the stuff you need for Math SL and Physics HL and SL. I've already done topic 1 videos and topic 2 (Mechanics), but they will probably only be up in November . I'm hosting all the videos myself, since youtube is a bit wonky with how they own everything you upload.

Good luck!

Cheers,

Mitch

[Varun Manoj]

I've taken Physics SL and my IB Final Exams are in May 2012. My teacher doesn't seem too IB-oriented and all he seems to do is jot down the formulae per sub-topic every session and I think I'm in need for an external resource. I've never seen an IB Physics SL paper so I really can't comment, but can you guys please guide me to any online resources.Physics for the IB Diploma by K.A.Tsokos is my only savior resource book. And can y'all point out the theory-application balance in the paper?

Thanks for all the help!

Edited September 10, 2010 by Varun Manoj

[dessskris]

I am using that textbook too!! I find it not so nice and the explanations there are not so clear. and the questions are really hard! but good

Hey why not helping each other since we have the same textbook questions are you on facebook? Or msn?

And actually I think for Physics all you need to know is the formulas. Definitions might be important too but I am not sure whether they ask for definitions in the final exam paper. My teacher said no, though.

And you could find links for online notes in this forum. Go to the Link section and then physics. There should be some helpful ones there.

[Doughnut]

c is speed of light in vaccum

v is just "ordinary" velocity

These are just the very basics in studying physics.

c here is actually the velocity of EM waves tavelling in vacuum but its all the same with the light

which is about 3E+8 m/s

Work hard party harder, which is the part of the concept that confuses you?

the formula really speaks for itself. Try reading through your physics textbook again.

Work hard and good luck on your school exams!

[chaoworld3]

Hey , for anyone who takes Ib Phyics SL. Umm so we got a new teacher this year, totally new to Ib, and i have this hunch that he doesnt know what he's doing. So for now i want to see if we're studying out of the right book. Its "Physics, principles with applcations" from giancoli, and we look at both the 5th and 6th edition. i was trying to get help with a question on the internet, and it turns out this is the book AP uses, sooooo........... can anyone tell me if this is the right textbook and if not, which one should we be working on. Thank you

Edited December 9, 2010 by Mahuta ♥
No text speak!-Thanks