Walter Lewin a  former professor of physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) says  “ Teachers who make Physics boring are criminals”. I agree with him. Physics is a wonderful subject to learn, what makes it difficult is its  mathematical part.  Learning Physics can be a challenging task, but it is also rewarding and exciting.  In competitive exams like NEET, JEE, EAPCET, etc the marks a student scores in Physics make a lot of difference in the final ranks.

Before you get started you should know the purpose of learning Physics.
 Why you should learn Physics?
 
Here are some steps you can follow to learn physics easily 
 Build a strong foundation in Math
Mathematics is the language of Physics.  Physics relies heavily on math, so having a strong foundation in math is essential. You will need to be proficient in algebra, geometry, calculus, and trigonometry.  A student having a good knowledge of basic mathematics will not only enjoy learning Physics he will also score the best marks in the exams.
 
Start with the Basics
Begin by learning the basic concepts and principles of Physics. This will include such as mechanics, thermodynamics, electromagnetism, and quantum mechanics.  In every chapter identify the key concepts and principles, once you understand them properly it will help you a lot while solving problems.
 
Read Textbooks
Textbooks are a great resource for learning physics. They provide a structured and comprehensive approach to the subject and help you understand the concepts more deeply. In exams like JEE Mains and NEET, a good number of questions are asked on the concepts. Reading the textbook helps you to answer conceptual questions. While reading the textbook make sure that you underline all the key points or you are documenting all the key points. These notes prepared by you will help you a lot in the last minutes of your preparation.
 
Reference Books for high school Physics

• Conceptual Physics by Paul G. Hewitt
• University Physics with Modern Physics by Young and Freedman
• Fundamentals of Physics by Halliday, Resnick, and Walker
• The Feynman Lectures on Physics by Richard P. Feynman
• Physics for Scientists and Engineers by Giancoli
• College Physics  by Serway and Vuille
• Concepts of Physics  by H.C. Verma 

Practice, Practice, Practice: 
Physics requires a lot of practice, so make sure you work through plenty of examples and problems. This will help you to reinforce your understanding of the concepts and principles. In every chapter identify your weak areas and practice problems on that concept until you get confidence. Practicing problems make you confident and your chances of getting better marks in the exams increase.  Follow the 6P formula " Proper Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance". 
 
Watch Videos
Videos are another great resource for learning physics. There are many online resources available that offer video lectures, tutorials, and demonstrations. Some of the difficult topics can be understood easily with a video. Remember that watching videos helps you only when you document what you understood from the videos, mere watching will not help you.
 Physics has wonderful real-world applications, watch videos on the real-world applications of Physics this will help you to understand why you should learn Physics. You should know why you are learning a particular chapter in Physics, without a purpose doesn’t learn anything. 

Watch the following videos to enjoy the joy of learning Physics

• Why do people float more easily on the Dead sea?
• Why crushed stones are placed under Railway tracks? 
• Lava Lamp: How does it Work? 
• The story of HorsePower
• What is an "Evacuation Slide"? How does it work? 
• Why water is not suitable for Frying?
• Why school buses are painted Yellow? 

To learn more about  real-world applications of Physics you can watch these youtube channels

• Lectures by Walter Lewin
• Veritasium
• SmarterEveryDay 
• Julius Sumner Miller
• The Action Lab

Attend Lectures and Seminars 
If you have the opportunity, attend lectures and seminars on Physics. This will allow you to learn from experts in the field and ask questions. The experts will inspire you to learn Physics, and if possible participate in discussions that will enhance your knowledge. 

Participate in Labs 
Physics labs are an important part of learning Physics. They allow you to apply what you have learned and to see the concepts in action. In exams like JEE Mains and JEE, advanced questions will be asked on experimental Physics.  Practical knowledge is very important to understand the concepts easily.  

Join Study Groups
Joining a study group can be a great way to learn Physics. Working with others can help you to understand difficult concepts and to stay motivated. Collaborative work yields better results if all the group members are motivated to learn. 

Remember, learning physics takes time and effort, but you can develop a deep understanding of the subject with perseverance and dedication. Most of the branches of Engineering need the basics of  Physics. The basics you learn in high school make a lot of difference in higher studies.  If you are good at Physics opportunities are plenty. 

Note to Teachers
Dear Teachers, please include the real-world applications of  Physics in the topics that you are teaching. These examples motivate the students to learn Physics. Before you start any topic ask them questions about why they should learn a particular concept or a chapter. By the time you finish the chapter, they should be in a position to know the answers to the questions that you asked them before you started the lesson. If possible ask them to do a small activity on a topic, through these activities they will learn a lot. At the end of the day how you teach matters over what you teach. These activities make them fall in love with Physics.

• My student's Hands-on Activities
• My student's hands-on Activities: Conduction &Convection

Happy Physics Learning
Venkatesh Panyam
Lecturer in Physics, Co-founder of Edgroom
 
Note: Opinions expressed by authors are their own.
Pic credits: Pixabay