The Physics Series

Additional resources to help navigate further understanding

Physics 201

Some students dread the idea of taking physics, others are excited for the challenge. Either way, your outlook on this class will contribute to the amount of effort you give and your effort will reflect in your grade. For me, the physics series is required for my major and the first term was the biggest learning curve. The mathematical concepts were straight forward, but the conceptual multiple choice questions took more time to decode. I had to change a lot of my study techniques as memorization of formulas was equally as imperative as understanding the concepts. In my experience, most of the physics concepts aligned perfectly with the general chemistry series. I was essentially learning many of the same concepts at the same time from different professors. However, physicists deal with the basic principles that explain matter as substance and energy, and study aspects of atomic matter by following concepts derived from fundamental principles. While chemists focus more on how substances interact with each other and with energy. There are key differences, but ultimately cover the same topics and equations. Depending on your major a calculus based physics may be more appropriate.

To be successful in physics you must develop good study habits, and learn how to manage time on certain problems. I never practiced timing myself on problems, but it would benefit those who struggle with test anxiety. I ended up saving important simulations that gave me a more complete understanding of certain concepts. I’ve linked them below.

Learning objectives
Interpret graphical representation of a graph with position versus time, velocity with respect to time, and acceleration with respect to time
Understand instantaneous velocity and instantaneous velocity (knowing calculus comes in handy)
Kinematic equations: Describing motion & 1-D Kinematics explained
Differentiate between the magnitude and direction when interpreting plots
Recognize the area under a curve
Introduction to mechanics is where you learn how to see the world in mathematical terms.
Understand the basics of motion in a straight line, motion in two dimensions, motion in three dimensions.
The law of conservation energy is covered and potential and kinetic energy is introduced.
Force diagrams: introduction and how to
Understand that net force points in the same direction as acceleration
Force analysis and kinematics are related to each other by acceleration
Differentiate between static and dynamic equilibrium
Friction is always parallel to the two surfaces touching them
Understand that coefficients from friction can be larger than 1
Sense Making

Textbook: College Physics
Oregon State University Physics through Boxsand : Create a free log in an learn physics just like I did.
Physics Simulation: Masses and Springs
Calculus was not a prerequisite but depending on the course level may be. I found prior calculus knowledge helpful though many problems can be solved algebraically.
A comprehensive guide to mathematical methods
The “ultimate” collection of free physics videos provided by futurism.com

Note taking: iPad Pro 11; Goodnotes app

Here are some physics formulas that you may find useful:

1. Hooke's Law: F = -kx (force exerted by a spring is proportional to the displacement from equilibrium)

2. Power: P = W/t (power equals work done per unit time)

3. Pressure: P = F/A (pressure equals force per unit area)

4. Density: ρ = m/V (density equals mass per unit volume)

5. Bernoulli's Equation: P1 + 1/2ρv1^2 + ρgh1 = P2 + 1/2ρv2^2 + ρgh2 (relates pressure, velocity, and height in a fluid)

6. Snell's Law: n1sinθ1 = n2sinθ2 (relates the angles of incidence and refraction of light at an interface between two media with different indices of refraction)

7. Coulomb's Law for Electric Fields: E = kQ/r^2 (electric field strength equals Coulomb's constant times charge per unit area)

8. Capacitance: C = Q/V (capacitance equals charge stored per unit voltage)

9. Magnetic Flux: Φ = BAcosθ (magnetic flux equals magnetic field strength times area times the cosine of the angle between the area and the field)

10. Torque: τ = rFsinθ (torque equals force times lever arm times the sine of the angle between the force and lever arm)

Physics 202

Physics is a dense course load, more so than any other series I’ve taken. To be successful in physics it takes a lot of time reworking problems. Physics is a combination of math and science, so it requires a deeper level of conceptual understanding. Do your best to be prepared before class, be an active listener, engage with the professors questions and always ask for help when needed. Understanding the learning objectives in your specific course syllabus can help manage study time. Labs are important for conceptual understanding. Create a reliable study group and watch as many videos as time will allow. Because physics builds on itself, attending lecture is necessary. Also, procrastinating homework and lab assignments will have a seriously negative impact on the level of understanding. There is a high probability your end grade will likely reflect effort made and conceptual understanding.

For every major category of problem in physics such as: kinematic, force, circular motion, thermodynamics, optics, and conservation of energy . . . it is helpful to outline and describe all the steps necessary to find a plausible solution. For every problem type, there is a key principle required to solve it, therefore by practicing skills in identifying the principle problems you will be able to work problems faster on an exam. Time constraints on exams are a big hurdle to overcome in physics.

Key concepts

Rotational Mechanics
Energy
Thermodynamics & equation sheet 1 & 2
Physics simulation: The Pendulum Lab
Practice questions found here

Additional resources

Khan Academy’s Physic Library
Flash animations for physics
Find lecture notes on past classes and additional resources from MIT Open Course Physics
Interactive simulations
Cutnell & Johnson Physics: Online Study guide

Physics 203

Be prepared to spend 10 or more hours a week on physics assignments. Reference the text and know your units. There is really a limited number of equations needed so always define your system and know which equation to use after analysis. Lastly, try to aways use sense making to determine if your answers are logical…but don’t forget, sometimes there is more than one right answer. The series builds on concepts from previous terms and considers the physics of wave interference, standing waves, acoustic waves, electromagnetic waves, geometric optics, diffractions and topics from special relativity to quantum mechanics.

Key Concepts:
Wave and Oscillations: PDF; Light and sound give us the ability perceive the world around us, from the art of music and to learning intricate details of atomic structure.
Optics: The Physics Classroom & Video series found here
Circuits : Ohms Law and resistance
Magnetism: Explore the physics of electricity and magnetism in static situations where no motion is involved. Many topics are addressed including electric charges and fields, magnetism and magnetic fields. Also Gauss's Law, capacitance, resistance and conductance, inductance and current are introduced. (This portion has many overlaps with the general chemistry series)
Physics Simulation: A wave on a string
Physics Simulation: Bending light
PDF of Physics Formulas
Physics for the 21st Century Harvard online
All science and math related simulations
Stanford Institute for Theoretical physics
Additional Physics Courses
Coursera
Physics Made Easy YouTube

Here are more key physics formulas

1. Newton's Second Law of Motion: F = ma (force equals mass times acceleration)

2. Work-Energy Theorem: W = Fd (work equals force times distance)

3. Kinetic Energy: KE = 1/2mv^2 (kinetic energy equals one half times mass times velocity squared)

4. Potential Energy: PE = mgh (potential energy equals mass times gravity times height)

5. Law of Conservation of Energy: KEi + PEi = KEf + PEf (the total initial energy equals the total final energy)

6. Ohm's Law: V = IR (voltage equals current times resistance)

7. Electric Field: E = F/Q (electric field equals force per unit charge)

8. Coulomb's Law: F = kQ1Q2/r^2 (force equals Coulomb's constant times the product of two charges divided by the distance squared)

9. Magnetic Force: F = qvB (magnetic force equals charge times velocity times magnetic field strength)

10. Wave Speed: v = fλ (wave speed equals frequency times wavelength)

Here are some types of jobs for people with a physics degree:

1. Research Scientist

2. Astrophysicist

3. Nuclear Physicist

4. Particle Physicist

5. Aerospace Engineer

6. Data Scientist

7. Quantum Physicist

8. Optics Engineer

9. Materials Scientist

10. Computational Physicist

11. Acoustics Engineer

12. Energy Analyst

13. Geophysicist

14. Medical Physicist

15. Robotics Engineer

These are just a few examples, as the field of physics offers diverse career paths and opportunities across various industries and sectors. Physics majors often possess strong analytical and problem-solving skills, which can be applied to a wide range of fields and disciplines.