How to Succeed in Physics (and reduce your workload) Kyle Thomas, Luke Bruneaux, Veritas Tutors OpenStax
Table of Contents HOW TO SUCCEED IN PHYSICS (and reduce your workload) Introduction............................................................................................. 7 MATH CONCEPTS....
,Table of Contents Using Inverse Trigonometric functions to solve trian
HOW TO SUCCEED IN PHYSICS Pythagorean theorem................................................
(and reduce your workload) The second use of trig functions:
Introduction............................................................................................. 7 Percentages, rotations, and waves...........................
MATH CONCEPTS.................................................................... 8 WAVES...............................................................
The ideas behind the symbols................................................................ 9 Interchangeability of f, T, and ω..............................
ALGEBRA..................................................................................... 9 The wave equation....................................................
Techniques for simultaneous equations............................................... 11 Geometry...................................................................
Principle 1: you need as many equations as there are unknowns...... 11 Demystifying π...........................................................
The substitution method....................................................................... 12 Demystifying radians.................................................
The elimination method........................................................................ 13 Calculus (optional section)........................................
Word problems...................................................................................... 14 No need to fear.........................................................
Elementary word problem technique: A derivative is a rate of change................................
solving for one unknown variable................................................................ 14 A derivative is the slope on a graph.........................
Units and physics................................................................................... 18 An integral is the area under a curve........................
Principle 2: Units should be analyzed algebraically............................ 18 Vectors and scalars....................................................
S-o/h C-a/h T-o/a................................................................................... 21
,Principle 3: Whenever you have a problem involving vectors, ENERGY.............................................................
you should:..................................................................................................... 36
The mystery of energy...............................................
Cross products and dot products......................................................... 36
Conservation of energy.............................................
Signs: positive and negative................................................................. 37
Energy’s many forms..................................................
One last word........................................................................................ 37
MOMENTUM......................................................
PHYSICS CONCEPTS.............................................................. 38
Momentum is a vector...............................................
Human intuitions................................................................................... 39
Momentum, impulse, and the relationship to force
KINEMATICS.............................................................................. 41
Collisions: The confluence of energy and momentu
Basic quantities...................................................................................... 41
ROTATION..........................................................
Velocity and acceleration are vectors................................................... 41
Principle 5: Rotation is just like everything else, bu
Kinematics equations............................................................................ 41
From linear dynamics to rotational dynamics and b
Principle 4: Make sure you know what every variable represents ..... 42
The first piece of the rotational puzzle:
Forces are vectors.................................................................................. 45 Circumference, distance, and radians......................
Forces are accelerations........................................................................ 45 Rotational analogues.................................................
Forces: causes and descriptions........................................................... 45 Rotational kinematics................................................
Superposition and free body diagrams................................................ 46 The second piece of the puzzle: Moment of inertia
, Introduction This will not work in physics. You should
This guide will teach you a number of concepts and techniques to help you
ace your physics class with less overall work. We place a strong emphasis
on understanding concepts, not just memorizing formulas and example
problems. This is not only a better way to learn physics, but it is actually an
immensely more efficient way to learn physics, and will make the MCAT (or Time spent
SAT II or GRE, etc.) much easier as well, if that’s on your horizon. studying
First, we need to make a note here about the relationship between study
Progression thro
habits and physics education. As you work your way through the course, the quarter
each chapter will build upon the last. As a result, if you do not keep up
in the beginning, you will be in serious trouble by the middle of the class If you are diligent at the beginning and l
because you will have no foundation for learning the new material. By the you will probably actually end up studyin
time you get to the final
exam, you will likely be
completely lost. In lots of
courses, students tend to
take it easy at the beginning, Time spent Time spent
studying studying
and then cram at the end:
Progression through Progression thro
the quarter the quarter
Those of you with a solid calculus background will realize that total time studying is equal to the area under that line. You will
last graph has the smallest area, and therefore is the way to get through the course with the least work, and is also the way to
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