how do you do well at physics?

[Maz]

hey
pretty much says i in the question...last year- year 11, i was doing all the questions in the books we had and all the homework
plus i was studying physics for at least an hour a day- sometimes more around tests. but I've never seemed to be able to do well at it...finished year 11 with an average of 60% (which i absolutely hated  ) Firstly, do you think i could pull my mark up to the high 80s or early 90s when it was that bad last year? secondly, how? i really want to do good and i don't have a problem with the amount of work- it just never works out at the end of the day 
I'm really confused and would love anyone's and everyone's opinion
Thankyou soooo much in advance

[Orson]

Just do as many questions as you can. VCE Physics is insanely repetitive. Once you do like 500 questions (ballpark), you'll start to see how often the same style questions turn up.

[Syndicate]

hey
pretty much says i in the question...last year- year 11, i was doing all the questions in the books we had and all the homework
plus i was studying physics for at least an hour a day- sometimes more around tests. but I've never seemed to be able to do well at it...finished year 11 with an average of 60% (which i absolutely hated  ) Firstly, do you think i could pull my mark up to the high 80s or early 90s when it was that bad last year? secondly, how? i really want to do good and i don't have a problem with the amount of work- it just never works out at the end of the day 
I'm really confused and would love anyone's and everyone's opinion
Thankyou soooo much in advance

I absolutely hated Physics in Year 9 (didn't understand anything!), however, started enjoying it in Year 10. In Physics, the key thing is not just remembering the formulas, but understand what they actaully mean. Many will know what Newton's FIrst law is called, however, they won't know the theory behind it. Whenever I see a question, I try to visualise it (trust me, it makes it much easier), and sometimes when I can't, I would usually draw it up.

Don't just study Physics, but learn it (and with a passion). I have seen several students struggle with Physics for the same reason being. Whenever I learn something new, I always put it down is a seperate notesbook, which has helps me a lot (just started a week ago, and it's half full xD).

If you really want to do well, why not just put in an extra hour? Learn the basics, then start doing complex questions

Good Luck this year

[wyzard]

Just do as many questions as you can. VCE Physics is insanely repetitive. Once you do like 500 questions (ballpark), you'll start to see how often the same style questions turn up.

I'd disagree, doing physics should not get repetitive. It should be engaging, fun and fascinating. Mass repetition is a very ineffective studying method, as you'll get really insanely good with a specific type of question, but you'll lack versatility and understanding of the fundamental principles.

Rather, learn it from ground up starting from fundamentals, see how different concepts relate together, always push yourself to get a deeper understanding and work on increasingly complex problems, apply what you learn to many different settings (and also see why sometimes it doesn't work), and of course take a moment and appreciate the beauty of physics How a simple physical law can lead to such grandiose predictions.

Think about Newton's law; with it you can figure out how an object will move forever in time, if you know the forces acting on it. Or Conservation of Energy, how in the entire universe, the total amount of energy stays the same. In physics, we are just trying to learn the secrets of the universe.

Take baby steps, learning physics is like learning a language. Just focus on progression, understand a little more and solve a slightly more complex problem each day, as long you're committed and work hard, you'll be surprised how much you've learned and better you've become

[Orson]

I'd disagree, doing physics should not get repetitive. It should be engaging, fun and fascinating. Mass repetition is a very ineffective studying method, as you'll get really insanely good with a specific type of question, but you'll lack versatility and understanding of the fundamental principles.

Rather, learn it from ground up starting from fundamentals, see how different concepts relate together, always push yourself to get a deeper understanding and work on increasingly complex problems, apply what you learn to many different settings (and also see why sometimes it doesn't work), and of course take a moment and appreciate the beauty of physics How a simple physical law can lead to such grandiose predictions.

Think about Newton's law; with it you can figure out how an object will move forever in time, if you know the forces acting on it. Or Conservation of Energy, how in the entire universe, the total amount of energy stays the same. In physics, we are just trying to learn the secrets of the universe.

Take baby steps, learning physics is like learning a language. Just focus on progression, understand a little more and solve a slightly more complex problem each day, as long you're committed and work hard, you'll be surprised how much you've learned and better you've become

I totally agree with you with that statement with Physics as a whole. VCE Physics on the other hand is a very dry, repetitive subject where every exam is some sort of derivation of the last. As boring as it may seem, I think VCE Physics should be studied that way.

Awesome! Someone majoring in Physics! I bet you do some pretty cool stuff.

[Maz]

thank you everyone