Physics is an area of science that most students aren’t accustomed to. In fact, there is an aura around the subject that scares people before they even begin solving or tackling a problem. The aura begins with the very basics of physics and extends to higher and more complicated levels. This utterly means that unless you have a natural enthusiasm for the subject you won’t stick around long enough.
Only those who naturally like physics, or are drawn to physics, will find a good way to solve the numerous problems associated with the subject. If you have been given an assignment on physics, in this article we will go through 3 basic rules to make it easier to solve.
There are a lot of reasons why people don’t take up a career in physics. Physics and most science subjects like chemistry can be very complicated and hard to comprehend. Most times, they require a mathematical concept to fully understand. The methodology of problems solved in basic physics and other lower-level institution is very straightforward but increasingly gets complicated as you go higher.
To tackle physics problems you most remain claim so that your thinking faculty will function at an optimal level. In fact more often than not, it’s the panic and the lack of confidence in yourself that prevents students form doing well in this subject.
To make your physics homework assignments a lot easier follow these 3 steps:
- Organize the Information
The first step to getting your physics homework done on time is to organize the information. No matter how difficult it might be, if you are able to organize the information the battle is half won. Word problems for example are only difficult because they are very good at hiding the required variables. Most times word problems come with extra information that you really don’t need. Some times the extra information is just there to confuse and throw you off balance.
If you want to be good at physics, you must be a master at separating the shafts from the wheat. Organizing the required information gives clarity to the problem and helps you achieve your aim on time.
Organizing variables will help you see what’s needed. The right variable will also help you choose the correct formula or approach to take.
- Use Diagrams
Diagrams have a unique way of making things clearer. Ever heard of the phrase “a picture speaks a thousand words”. Pictorial examples and visual representations of problems are a great way to quickly solve physics homework assignments. The truth is that you don’t need to be very good at drawing to make visual representations of problems, a rough sketch will do. Arrows are your best friend in trying to bring out visual representations. They can show where an object is going or the sum total of forces applied. Use arrows, they will help you organize the information properly.
If the question comes with diagrams, use it. They are pointers to what needs to be done or how the question needs to be solved.
- Consider the Formula to use
As a student of basic physics you are not permitted to reinvent the wheel. You must stick to the building blocks within your level. All that is required of you here is to understand the underlying concepts of the formulas.
If you have followed the first two steps of organizing information and using diagrams then the variables given and the ones you need to look for will be clear. The next step is to pick an appropriate formula.
If you are required to memorize the formulas or given a cheat sheet make sure you have picked the right formula to tackle the problem. The truth is that unlike mathematics most problems in physics don’t require that you memorize many equations.
Organize the formula you choose to the variables form the question to see if you can make headway. Choose the best formula that can take up the most known variables leaving the least amount of missing variables.
Final Thoughts
If you take the 3 step approach to solve your physics homework, in no time you will discover that they weren’t hard after all. To wrap things up; Organize the information to bring out the necessary or important variables, effectively use diagrams to your advantage and finally pick an appropriate formula that best suits the known variables leaving the least amount of variables.