I’m a junior taking AP physics C mech and am failing miserably right now. I have a 69 in the class and have never been doing this poorly in a class in my life, being mostly a straight-A student. I’ve normally been very good at math and am doing well in calculus BC right now, but physics is a whole different story. My school doesn’t offer any other AP physics classes, so I had no choice but to begin by taking the hardest one. The math is pretty easy but conceptually it’s quite difficult. However, from now on, I’d like to study extremely intensely and try to better understand the material.
I got a 72 on my first test (1D motion), which isn’t too bad, but I failed miserably on my second test (2D motion) and got a 44. Tests only count for 20% of the grade though and we should have a couple more. We’ve also only had 2 quizzes, which I’ve gotten an 80 and a 60 on and those count for 15%, Also, my teacher is extremely tough and grades homework very anal retentively and I’m averaging about 70 on the assignments, which count for 20%. Luckily, my homework grades have been going up. The easiest way to raise the grade might be the labs, which are worth 25%. We’ve had 3 so far and I’ve gotten 100 on 2 of them and messed 1 up and got a 50. We should have a couple more so that might help. There will also be a notebook check and a final each worth 10%.
Since I’m applying to top universities in a year, it is absolutely imperative that I raise my grade to a B, which you need at least a 78 for. And the semester ends in roughly 2 and a half months. What is the best way to raise my grade 9% fast and more effectively understand the concepts?
I’m taking AP Physics 1 right now which isn’t so bad. The best way to get good grades on tests/quizzes is to do problems from the AP tests because most teachers recycle AP question on their tests to make you well prepared. Just do a search on google maybe like “AP Physics C (whichever unit) test” and print some of those out and do them. This is what works best for me
My husband coached both my kids on AP Physics. I only listened, but here is his advice about how to approach a physics problem.
Follow the steps in order. Don’t skip steps.
Write down all the things you know. Like d=2 km, v sub 0=0 … Include units!
Draw a picture. Use lots of paper. Don’t try to conserve space. Write large and clearly.
Write down the formulas that are relevant.
Mark which parts of the formulas you have in the problem.
Solve using formulas. For example if something goes from having all potential energy to all kinetic energy, set the formula for kinetic energy equal to potential energy. So, 1/2mv^2 = mgh. Notice things like the m cancels out. Notice that you aren’t using numbers yet. Solve the formula for the thing you need in the answer. For example, you might solve the above for h.
Plug the numbers into the equation you came up with but include the units. Notice you didn’t use numbers until step 6.
When solving the equation with the numbers, also make sure the units cancel out so you get the right units for the answer. In the problem above, you need to end up with the units being meters if you are solving for height.
Also, there are some pretty good instructional videos on YouTube these days. If your teacher’s explanation style isn’t working for you, try finding some Kahn Academy-style videos that make things more clear.
Then, the main thing is to do problems and read problems that have been done well.
I’m getting the math pretty well, but I’m still struggling conceptually. I only have 3 weeks left in the semester after winter break to get my grade from a 71 to a 78, which probably is possible. We still have at least 25% of our grade coming up, probably more like 35% to possibly even 40%. We have another test worth 5%, a final worth 10%, a notebook check worth 10%, and many more homeworks, labs, projects, and maybe another quiz. The problem is that I got a 66 on my last test and a 69 on my last quiz. I keep making some silly mistakes and some of the problems I just can’t seem to get on the tests. I need to get at least 90% on the next assessments and want to do whatever I can to make it happen. Any tips on how to understand a problem conceptually and find out how to set it up and get it to the point where it’s just plug and chug, the easy part, under pressure?