Struggling a lot with physics -- no problems with math

[Mulz]

So far I'm able to get good grades in mathematics, near top. I'm always able to solve the problems given to us. The problem is I'm utterly worthless at physics, even though I'm studying a physics program. I failed my mechanics course and it seems like I will fail thermodynamics now. I don't know what to do.

My problem solving skills are null when it comes down to physics, I have no noticeable difficulties solving mathematical problems. This is also a problem I have with programming. I understand it. I know how to "read" it. I know how to "read" physics but I don't know how to "use" it. With maths, I know how to "use" it, apply my knowledge. I can't even solve the most basic problems in physics!

What should I do? Currently studying medical physics, I refuse to quit.

 

[Vanadium 50]

The last time you posted this, you were advised that you needed to study more. What has changed?

 

[Mulz]

The last time you posted this, you were advised that you needed to study more. What has changed?

I study several hours everyday, about 80% of it goes to math and rest to physics simply because I'm unable to progress without looking at the answers sheet.

I do have extreme noise sensitivity so lately I can't seem to study effectively even though I put more hours. Makes it hard when I really need to put effort in subjects like physics.

 

[ZapperZ]

Without actually seeing where you got stuck, there is no way to diagnose the problem.

So why don't you pick one example of a problem that you couldn't make a progress in, post in in the HW/Coursework section, and then show us what exactly you attempted to do. Where you stop progressing may tell us the source of your problem.

In many cases, a lot of my students struggle in converting "word problems" into mathematical form. They could not express the information given to them into proper mathematical forms. So if you claim that you are actually good in math, but struggle with physics problems, then this might be the source. But without actually seeing one or a few examples of where exactly you are struggling, then there is no way to make an accurate evaluation.

Zz.

 

[Mark44]

The last time you posted this, you were advised that you needed to study more. What has changed?

I study several hours everyday, about 80% of it goes to math and rest to physics simply because I'm unable to progress without looking at the answers sheet.

How much time is "several hours"? Two? Three? The expectation for college courses is two to three hours of study for each hour spent in class. By this measure, you should be spending at least two hours just on physics.

It's very possible that whatever amount of time you're studying, it's not the most effective way. In another thread you were saying you had difficulty with MATLAB programming, and seemed to think that when your professor was discussing code examples, that wasn't helpful to you. With physics, your study time should consist of reading the textbook material and making sure you understand each step in the worked examples. After that, you should be able to tackle the problems at the end of the section without needing to look at the answer sheet first.

It's also problematic that you failed the mechanics course and are now in the thermodynamics course. I don't recall that there is a whole lot of overlap between these two courses, but whatever overlap there is, failing the mechanics course doesn't bode well for success in the following course.

I do have extreme noise sensitivity so lately I can't seem to study effectively even though I put more hours. Makes it hard when I really need to put effort in subjects like physics.

What can you do to change your study environment to one that is less noisy?

 

[Mulz]

How much time is "several hours"? Two? Three? The expectation for college courses is two to three hours of study for each hour spent in class. By this measure, you should be spending at least two hours just on physics.

It's very possible that whatever amount of time you're studying, it's not the most effective way. In another thread you were saying you had difficulty with MATLAB programming, and seemed to think that when your professor was discussing code examples, that wasn't helpful to you. With physics, your study time should consist of reading the textbook material and making sure you understand each step in the worked examples. After that, you should be able to tackle the problems at the end of the section without needing to look at the answer sheet first.

It's also problematic that you failed the mechanics course and are now in the thermodynamics course. I don't recall that there is a whole lot of overlap between these two courses, but whatever overlap there is, failing the mechanics course doesn't bode well for success in the following course.

What can you do to change your study environment to one that is less noisy?

I study for most of the day. In maths, i put 3 hours for every 1 hour of lecture. Physics, I put less than 2 hours because I simply can't solve the problems.

 

[Mark44]

Physics, I put less than 2 hours because I simply can't solve the problems.

Have you tried what I suggested, of looking at the worked examples and making sure you understand each step?

 

[Mulz]

Have you tried what I suggested, of looking at the worked examples and making sure you understand each step?

That's the problem. The books we use don't have worked examples, only very few, sometimes none. There's a bunch of theory but no idea how to use it.

 

[Mark44]

That's the problem. The books we use don't have worked examples, only very few, sometimes none. There's a bunch of theory but no idea how to use it.

Then get another book, one that has a lot of examples.
Another alternative is to get problems from a site like khanacademy.org. They have a section on physics.

 

[Mulz]

Then get another book, one that has a lot of examples.
Another alternative is to get problems from a site like khanacademy.org. They have a section on physics.

Yeah. I think my problem is laziness. Regarding math, I do everything possible to learn and understand. Feels like I'm being lazy with physics, not being creative in my ways of learning. Maybe I have simply realized my real interest is in math. I will try to push myself with physics, try to learn outside of the book just like math.

 

[Dr.D]

I suggest that you try looking at physics a bit differently. Look for examples of physics in the everyday world around you. When I was teaching college level mechanics, I would often discuss examples of work going on in our building or other parts of the campus. Then students could go look at that situation and try to connect it with what they had learned in class. You can do this, to a degree, simply by looking for examples of the material you have been studying in everyday life.

You mention that you are currently studying thermo. Have you investigated how the heating/cooling system in your building works? Have you dug into the thermodynamics of the engine in your car or motorcycle? Have you considered what happens when you turn on an electric light? This stuff is all around you, every day! Look at it, think about it, ask yourself questions about it. If you can't answer those questions (try first), then go look for answers on the Internet.

 

[symbolipoint]

That's the problem. The books we use don't have worked examples, only very few, sometimes none. There's a bunch of theory but no idea how to use it.

That is outrageous.
OUTRAGEOUS!

 

[Mulz]

That is outrageous.
OUTRAGEOUS!

What should I do about it?

 

[symbolipoint]

That is outrageous.
OUTRAGEOUS!

What should I do about it?

You should do this:

Then get another book, one that has a lot of examples.
Another alternative is to get problems from a site like khanacademy.org. They have a section on physics.

Your school needs to supply better textbooks, too.

 

[Mulz]

You should do this:
Your school needs to supply better textbooks, too.

Probably too late since we are almost done with the course. How do I know which books are good? I am studying in Sweden and there arent any good swedish books on thermodynamics and mechanics.

 

[ZapperZ]

Probably too late since we are almost done with the course. How do I know which books are good? I am studying in Sweden and there arent any good swedish books on thermodynamics and mechanics.

I'm sorry, but have we nailed down the "culprit" as being the bad textbooks? If we have, I've certainly missed it reading this thread.

Are all the textbooks that you have used this BAD? Is the reason you can't do physics problems is because all the physics textbooks are bad, while the math textbooks are excellent? Is it THIS easy to solve this problem, i.e. just by finding good textbooks?

Zz.

 

[Mulz]

I'm sorry, but have we nailed down the "culprit" as being the bad textbooks? If we have, I've certainly missed it reading this thread.

Are all the textbooks that you have used this BAD? Is the reason you can't do physics problems is because all the physics textbooks are bad, while the math textbooks are excellent? Is it THIS easy to solve this problem, i.e. just by finding good textbooks?

Zz.

Possibly, I don't think so to be honest. Many in my class, more than 60% failed the mechanics exam and even they complained that the book wasn't appropriate and that the teacher didn't "connect" to the book. I personally think the biggest problem is the lack of time to solve problems. Being bombarded by things to do, makes it difficult to solve problems since that is a process that takes a lot of time.

I really still don't know how to solve physics problems, only math.

 

[ZapperZ]

Possibly, I don't think so to be honest. Many in my class, more than 60% failed the mechanics exam and even they complained that the book wasn't appropriate and that the teacher didn't "connect" to the book. I personally think the biggest problem is the lack of time to solve problems. Being bombarded by things to do, makes it difficult to solve problems since that is a process that takes a lot of time.

OK, so this might explain why you suck at Mechanics. What's the excuse for other physics classes?

I really still don't know how to solve physics problems, only math.

And that's why we need to figure out the source of the problem! Trying to peg this on a bad instructor or a bad textbook doesn't explain why you "... don't know how to solve physics problems ..." in general! Have you attempted to do what I suggested in my first post in this thread?

Zz.

 

[Stephen Tashi]

My problem solving skills are null when it comes down to physics, I have no noticeable difficulties solving mathematical problems. This is also a problem I have with programming.

When I look over your posts to this forum, they are mostly about generalities, not about specific textbook problems. It's not impossible that you could be helped by some general sort of advice, but you haven't given your adivsors any specific examples to go on. If you are looking for psychological reinforcement or criticism, you'll get plenty of that by asking about generalities. However, it isn't clear if that general sort of advice will help Without specific information, you will get contradictory advice from various people, who are just guessing about your situation.

The usual assumption in advising a person is that the person exhibits the usual correlations in skills - e.g. good and math and good at physics, bad at writing and bad at philosophy, etc. I have encountered people where these correlations did not hold. It's possible that you are an exception. It's also possible that the way you think about math is not the way that a typical person thinks about math even though it allows you do well in courses. Without specific examples, there is no way to decide among these possibilities.

 

[Vanadium 50]

The usual assumption in advising a person is that the person exhibits the usual correlations in skills - e.g. good and math and good at physics

Well, two threads back the story was more typical:

In mathematics, I'm also quite slow, compared to my peers I'm really stupid. I'm also struggling a bit here

That thread (which has a lot of good advice, not necessarily taken) also had Mulz saying his total studying was 3 hours per day.

 

[symbolipoint]

So far I'm able to get good grades in mathematics, near top. I'm always able to solve the problems given to us. The problem is I'm utterly worthless at physics, even though I'm studying a physics program. I failed my mechanics course and it seems like I will fail thermodynamics now. I don't know what to do.

My problem solving skills are null when it comes down to physics, I have no noticeable difficulties solving mathematical problems. This is also a problem I have with programming. I understand it. I know how to "read" it. I know how to "read" physics but I don't know how to "use" it. With maths, I know how to "use" it, apply my knowledge. I can't even solve the most basic problems in physics!

What should I do? Currently studying medical physics, I refuse to quit.

Well, two threads back the story was more typical:
That thread (which has a lot of good advice, not necessarily taken) also had Mulz saying his total studying was 3 hours per day.

Mechanics? Thermodynamics?
Which Mechanics course? The basic beginning Calculus-based Physics course for Mechanics, or the "Classical Mechanics" course for Physics major students?
Is your "thermodynamics" included in the Calculus-based beginning set of courses, or is this the more dedicated one for the Physics major students? Whatever the case, EACH of your Physics courses will require applying your mathematical skills, and study time can easily be, for each course, 12 to 15 HOURS PER WEEK. That would be for a course which you find HARD. If an "easier" Physics course, maybe 8 or 9 hours PER WEEK.

 

[ZapperZ]

Well, two threads back the story was more typical:
That thread (which has a lot of good advice, not necessarily taken) also had Mulz saying his total studying was 3 hours per day.

Somehow, I have a feeling that I've been wasting my time.

Zz.

 

[clope023]

The last time you posted this, you were advised that you needed to study more. What has changed?

Telling someone to 'study more' is like telling an obese person 'eat less' or an anorexic person 'eat more, the fact that that's essentially what they need to do is irrelevant to the fact that that advice presented by itself is vacuous and meaningless.

 

[Mark44]

The last time you posted this, you were advised that you needed to study more. What has changed?

Telling someone to 'study more' is like telling an obese person 'eat less' or an anorexic person 'eat more, the fact that that's essentially what they need to do is irrelevant to the fact that that advice presented by itself is vacuous and meaningless.

I don't think V50's question (which isn't advice) is either vacuous or meaningless. Unlike you, V50 has been following and posting in numerous other threads started by Mulz, the OP. In one of those threads Mulz stated that he was spending only about 2 hours studying for each hour in class. Advising him to spend more time sounds reasonable to me in light of this fact. Since Mulz has already failed the first physics course in the series, we're trying to determine why this happened, one possible cause of which could very well be not spending enough time on his studies.

 

[symbolipoint]

I don't think V50's question (which isn't advice) is either vacuous or meaningless. Unlike you, V50 has been following and posting in numerous other threads started by Mulz, the OP. In one of those threads Mulz stated that he was spending only about 2 hours studying for each hour in class. Advising him to spend more time sounds reasonable to me in light of this fact. Since Mulz has already failed the first physics course in the series, we're trying to determine why this happened, one possible cause of which could very well be not spending enough time on his studies.

Another reason he failed his first Physics course could be, sudden new shock of applying his Mathematics to this. He should be able to overcome this shock and become more comfortable applying his Mathematical skills to Physics. The transition from "knowing your Math" to handling the variety of beginning Physics 1 exercises can be an adjustment. Student enters the process of learning how to study the right way, maybe needing the whole semester to do this part of the adjustment. Mulz must figure out for himself what really happened.

 

[Mulz]

Well, when I said I study 3 hours a day I meant only during days in which I come home late. Otherwise I study for about 4-6 hours when I don't have many lectures. The course exam I failed was classical mechanics. Doesn't seem like how much I spend matters when most of those hours gets wasted at not understanding what to do when doing physics. Every minute is useful in math, in physics they get wasted at nothing.

My total studying hours including lectures is above 8 hours. I might slack of for one day a week and not study much but the other days I put effort, more so than many of my classmates.

 

[Mark44]

My total studying hours including lectures is above 8 hours.

Study time doesn't include the time you're in class...

Several posts back someone asked you to post a problem of the sort you're having trouble with. If we know specificallly where you're having trouble, maybe we can steer you in a more productive direction.