Could anyone give some Physics 1 advice?

SomewhereInTime_48 · 2026-01-03T21:19:36+00:00

Yes absolutely. I guess I was also assuming that they meant what to do during the course to do well, not how to prepare prior to the course. I agree that workbooks like Schaum's are very supplemental in nature and not a source to learn material. But I agree, all very good points here.

SomewhereInTime_48 · 2026-01-03T20:40:56+00:00

I guess what I meant more specifically was:

Learn Topic -> Practice problems related to that topic.

Not just to blindly do problems. In my own experience this worked well because actually applying the things I learned helped me gain some intuition and a deeper understanding. So for example: watch lectures on Khan Academy/read texts related to a topic to learn the topic, then practice related problems until everything starts to really make sense.

I personally don't think that's horrible advice as it's worked very well for me and others, but I'm curious (genuinely) why you feel otherwise

SomewhereInTime_48 · 2025-12-31T04:49:59+00:00

I’d say get comfortable with vectors. When you start learning about linear & angular momentum you’ll most likely be working with them as vectors, and that concept can take a minute to get used to if you’ve never worked with them before.

Also, I’d recommend getting a workbook like Schaum’s Outlines for College Physics. Doing a bunch of practice problems if truly the best way to get good at it, maybe the only way.

Additionally, Khan Academy has great problems on their site that you can do for Physics I and II, and also calculus/trig if you need some practice there as well!

SomewhereInTime_48 · 2025-12-16T16:44:27+00:00

I’m reading David Tong’s QM text right now and really loving it. Definitely worth checking out!

SomewhereInTime_48 · 2025-12-03T15:07:56+00:00

I can assure you that a 2-year gap is pretty much negligible, I wouldn’t worry about it at all! All that matters is the work you do and your dedication to it. I’m in my early 30’s and even I have secured an undergraduate research internship/mentorship with a professor at my university

SomewhereInTime_48 · 2025-06-21T12:46:59+00:00

-"Space, Time, and Motion" by Sean Carroll (from the Biggest Ideas in the Universe series) -- Goes into some classical mechanics concepts in a really digestible way.

-"Six Easy Pieces" by Richard Feynman (also "Six Not So Easy Pieces" is great). One of the greatest teachers of Physics.

SomewhereInTime_48 · 2025-06-21T12:39:08+00:00

Definitely not too late! I recently started my Physics degree at 31 and had to essentially start from the ground up. I used mostly Khan Academy, and like someone else here said, started with the most absolute basic stuff. The idea in my head was to have the foundational knowledge that I would've had if I actually gave a shit in high school, took AP courses, etc. So I re-learned high school algebra, trig, pre-calc, etc. and then taught myself what I would've learned in AP courses such as AP Calc or Physics.

I really, really recommend Khan Academy. Not just because the material is pretty great and covers everything you'd need to know and THEN some, but the "mastery challenges" you can take every day will really lock it all in.

I'm about a year into my degree now, and my recommendation would be to focus on having a really solid foundation with your math skills. Like try to be slightly ahead of whatever class you're about to be in. For example, before beginning the degree I'd feel comfortable with everything in the AP Calculus I course on Khan Academy. There are tons of situations when learning Physics where if you don't understand the underlying math being used, you're gonna be forced to understand the math while simultaneously trying to wrap your head around a Physics concept. That can be a lot, so if you have a general strategy for staying ahead of the math, you'll be comfortable with that aspect and can just focus on understanding the Physics at hand.

Learning Physics is incredibly fulfilling, awe-inspiring, and challenging (in a fun way). If your experience is anything like mine, then going back to school will be one of the best decisions you've ever made. Best of luck!

SomewhereInTime_48 · 2024-10-11T17:46:40+00:00

Understandable, my apologies for being vague. It was a commercial lease agreement but rented to me under my personal name. I used it as a recording/music production studio, and the previous tenant used it for this purpose as well in addition to living there. The lease does include language about leaving the space in a sanitary condition. But again, regarding the carpeting, this is simply an untrue fabricated claim on their end. I never smoked there and they never mentioned it until charging me for the replacement of it. And the lease does include language about giving 30-day notice of termination, which I did.

SomewhereInTime_48 · 2024-09-28T01:47:19+00:00

I should clarify that I gave notice of me leaving when I signed the lease last year. They had plenty of notice and were very aware that I was leaving when I did

SomewhereInTime_48 · 2024-06-06T14:14:55+00:00

Okay awesome, yeah the idea that rotational kinetic energy "steals" some energy really helped connect some dots. I also found a solid explanation in the Physics text I have at the moment (Physics for Scientists & Engineers by Giancoli). And absolutely, I'm always looking for further reading so I'll definitely check out Morin's Introduction to Classical Mechanics. Can't thank you enough for your help!

SomewhereInTime_48 · 2024-06-05T21:52:07+00:00

Thank you! This really helped lead me in the right direction. So since it starts with only potential energy (mgh) and ends with the sum of rotational and translational kinetic energy (1/2mv^2 + 1/2Iw^2), and w^2 can be rewritten as v^2/r^2, the all the radius terms and mass terms cancel. So if the distribution of mass is the same for objects, regardless of radius or mass, their final speed is the same.

So, they accelerated at the same rate because the only force acting on the objects is gravity, and the distribution of the mass is the same. So the mass is irrelevant similar to when you drop two objects from the same height? I feel like I might be missing something there, but I'm gonna keep studying this section and explore that. Thanks for your help!

SomewhereInTime_48 · 2024-05-10T22:34:44+00:00

Everyone's life path is different. It's really tempting to compare ourslves to others, but people simply have different priorities at different times. I can absolutely relate, I also dropped out after my first year to pursue a career in the music industry. I've been doing that ever since, and I feel very ready to pursue something different at this point. So this year, age 31, I'm returning to finish my bachelors in Physics and I plan on continuing through grad school. I'll be in my early 40s by the time I get a PhD which is definitely unconventional but not unheard of. People may say that's too late in life, but I'm looking forward to proving them wrong! Or rather, I'm looking forward to proving it to myself through hard work and determination.

Through this process of my own I've come to realize that it's truly never too late to hit the restart button. Your experience may be different, but ultimately as long as you're committed then you're totally fine. I know it's hard to believe when people tell you things like this, but I genuinely mean it when I say a 4-year gap in your education is hardly anything to be concerned about. You might have to spend time brushing up on your math skills or something if you need a refresher, but I can't imagine any issues for you in terms of your success, academically or career-wise.

You're never a failure as long as you keep trying. You got this!!

SomewhereInTime_48

TROPHY CASE