Top 3 O Level Physics Concepts that Students Struggle With
O-level physics is a very broad subject that encompasses a lot of different concepts and theories. However, of those, there are three that students have admitted that they generally struggle with.
1. Kinematics
Kinematics is the branch of mechanics that is concerned with and describes the motion of objects, either via numbers, diagrams, words, and or words. It is one of the first concepts taught in O Level Physics tuition in Singapore and all over the world.
The main thing about kinematics that most students struggle with is that they have a hard time interpreting the question or problem. As a result, they do not know what equation to apply and how to go about solving the given problem.
With kinetics, nothing helps more than practice. The more of the same type of questions you answer, the easier it is for you to understand the concepts when applied to different problems.
Kinetics can also be a problem for students who struggle with math. If that is the case, it may be necessary to improve your math as it will be difficult to progress in kinetics if your math skills are lacking.
2. General Wave Properties
It is also not uncommon for students to struggle with wave mechanics. Mainly, students have a tendency to forget how to derive a formula for the speed of waves in a string, or how much energy each of them is carrying. Also very confusing is the fact that deriving longitudinal and transverse waves are different. As you pursue a career in physics, however, you’ll learn that wave mechanics and the general wave properties have very little importance. This is especially true once you start learning Lagrangian mechanics.
3. Thermal Physics
Considering that thermal physics is concerned with all three of the core heat-related subjects: thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, and kinetic theory, it’s not that much of a surprise then that students struggle with it.
In between the number of equations for the many different laws that need memorising and the terms used that sound like they mean one thing only to mean another; thermal physics will be a handful for any physics students.
The Main Problem With O-level Physics
Physics, regardless of the level, is hard to understand. However, the subject itself isn’t always the problem. Though admittedly difficult, perhaps the biggest problem with physics is that the teachers themselves do not know the subject well enough. This is especially true in non-speciality schools where even the instructors themselves struggle to understand even the most basic concepts. So, how then can they effectively teach their students if they themselves do not know what they’re teaching by heart? Fortunately, with O Level Physics tuition, you don’t have to worry about that.
Such institutions dedicate themselves to teaching the subject and as such, make sure that they have the necessary facilities. They are topped off with fully qualified professors who are well equipped and trained to understand the different concepts and use the best possible approaches for the most effective physics tuition.