strategies to tackle physics

[kaybee94]

Currently I am doing physics 2 life sciences and I am just managing to keep my head above the water. Does anyone have any advice on how to approach this subject with about 4 weeks left until the exam (or any physics subject in general)? I have the tutorial questions and solutions at my disposal as well as the textbook. Since physics is really conceptually based subject that requires a certain depth of understanding compared to other sciences what is the best possible way to attack the final month and use my time most effectively? Any advice would be welcome 

[Belgarion]

Thats good for VCE, but im doing physics for biomed which is year 11 and 12 physics in one semester, so you can imagine how fast we have gone through things. Any advice for us? Most of us are drowning lol, with our heads going under water a long time ago...

[alondouek]

Thats good for VCE, but im doing physics for biomed which is year 11 and 12 physics in one semester, so you can imagine how fast we have gone through things. Any advice for us? Most of us are drowning lol, with our heads going under water a long time ago...

I had to do a Physics for Biomed equivalent unit for Monash Biomed (Re: Monash University - Subject reviews & ratings) last semester, and - having never touched physics before - it was quite rough. I found that the best way for me to get by way to summarise and make notes for each topic as I learned it.

Also, make sure you make use of any support the university provides; I don't know what peer-teaching programs are like at UoM, but at Monash there are drop-in sessions at the physics labs where you can get your questions answered by a tutor. This really helped, especially given that they started us off with fluid dynamics -_-.

Also, make sure you're always asking your lecturers/tutors/proficient classmates questions; chances are at least one of them can answer your question to a level where you can start to get to grips with the concepts.

tl;dr

• Summarise by topic
• Use all the support you get from the university
• Ask questions

[Shenz0r]

Thats good for VCE, but im doing physics for biomed which is year 11 and 12 physics in one semester

+ Some first year university physics lol

[Belgarion]

+ Some first year university physics lol

thanks for making me realise that it is more horrible then i thought 

[kaybee94]

The biggest concern is that the exam is on the 6th november (for life science and physics for bmed i think) so I need to find a way to tackle this head on while keeping up to pace with the other 3 subjects any 2nd/3rd years or older share with us how u guys survived

[BigAl]

Well go to YouTube and listen to various profs around the world...it's really like listening to a song...and you actually learn

[lzxnl]

I had to do a Physics for Biomed equivalent unit for Monash Biomed (Re: Monash University - Subject reviews & ratings) last semester, and - having never touched physics before - it was quite rough. I found that the best way for me to get by way to summarise and make notes for each topic as I learned it.

Also, make sure you make use of any support the university provides; I don't know what peer-teaching programs are like at UoM, but at Monash there are drop-in sessions at the physics labs where you can get your questions answered by a tutor. This really helped, especially given that they started us off with fluid dynamics -_-.

Also, make sure you're always asking your lecturers/tutors/proficient classmates questions; chances are at least one of them can answer your question to a level where you can start to get to grips with the concepts.

tl;dr

• Summarise by topic
• Use all the support you get from the university
• Ask questions

I agree with the last bit about asking for help. I'm sure there are physics students who know what they are doing and can help you. Your classmates may be especially helpful because as they are in the same class, they'll have a higher chance of knowing if the lecturer is being confusing.

One tip that worked wonders for me when learning physics was to understand the foundations of all of the basic concepts. So far in physics, most of the information presented isn't like "here's a formula; use it and we're not going to tell you where it came from". The derivations are generally given. Try and learn every step of the derivations too if possible so that the knowledge makes sense. What I've found is that even though I can't remember formulas like the capacitance of a parallel-plate capacitor, as I know where it comes from, I can always derive it on the spot. If you know the basics well enough, physics questions will only be a matter of time. Most, if not all, of the formulas on the formula sheet can be derived from basic principles.

Granted, you may have to rote-learn some formulas (I'm not sure what's in the Physics for Biomed course so correct me if this isn't relevant to you) like Maxwell's equations and the circular diffraction formula, but they are a minority. Stuff like Bernoulli's equation for fluids can be derived from rather simple concepts.

[ferrsal]

For Physics for Biomed, Khan Academy is equivalent to the second coming of Christ. Seriously, everything is explained faster and easier. It even made me enjoy physics (for approximately 5 seconds)