How to Study Physics

Physics has a reputation for being formula-heavy, but the formulas are rarely the hard part. The hard part is figuring out which principle applies to a problem you haven’t seen phrased exactly that way before, which is a reasoning skill, not a memorization one.

Understand the concept before you touch the math

For every topic, before working problems, make sure you can explain in plain language what’s physically happening: why an object accelerates, why energy is conserved, why a circuit behaves the way it does. Students who jump straight to plugging numbers into a formula often get a correct answer without understanding why, and that gap shows up the moment an exam question is phrased differently than the textbook example. The Feynman technique, explaining a concept simply enough that a beginner could follow it, is a fast way to test whether you actually understand a topic or just recognize its formula.

Practice deriving, not just applying, key equations

You don’t need to re-derive everything from scratch on an exam, but working through a derivation once, by hand, cements why a formula looks the way it does. This matters because physics problems frequently combine two formulas in a way that isn’t obvious unless you understand where each one comes from. Treat derivations as comprehension checks, not busywork to skip.

Draw a diagram for every problem, every time

Before writing any equation, sketch what’s happening: forces on an object, a circuit layout, a wave pattern. This single habit catches a huge share of physics mistakes before they happen, because a clear diagram usually makes the relevant principle obvious, while jumping straight to equations often means guessing which formula to use. This habit costs thirty seconds and saves far more time than it takes.

Practice with unfamiliar problems, not just worked examples

If your practice consists mostly of re-solving textbook examples you’ve already seen worked out, you’re pattern-matching, not problem-solving, and it will fall apart on an exam with unfamiliar phrasing. Seek out or generate problems you haven’t seen before and solve them cold, checking your work only after you’ve committed to an answer. A quiz generator built from your course notes is a fast way to produce a steady stream of these unfamiliar problems instead of only recycling the ones in your textbook.

Build a compact formula and concept sheet, then use it sparingly

Condense each unit’s core relationships onto one page as you go, not as a last-minute cram tool. The act of building the sheet, deciding what’s essential and how concepts connect, is itself valuable review. Once built, use it as a reference during practice, but wean yourself off it before the exam so you’re not relying on a lookup you won’t have available for the real thing.

FAQ

Is physics really just memorizing F = ma and a few other formulas?

No, and treating it that way is why a lot of students plateau. F = ma and similar formulas are starting points, not the whole answer; most exam problems require combining two or three principles and reasoning through what applies, not plugging numbers into one memorized equation.

What's the easiest way to actually study physics?

Work problems from first principles instead of pattern-matching to examples you've seen. Draw a diagram, identify what's known and unknown, and reason from the relevant law rather than searching your memory for a similar-looking problem.

How many formulas do I actually need to memorize?

Fewer than it feels like. A solid grasp of a handful of core relationships (Newton's laws, energy conservation, basic kinematics equations) covers most introductory problems if you understand how to derive or combine them, rather than a long formula sheet memorized without context.

How do I get an A in physics if I keep missing problems on the exam?

Almost always the fix is practicing under exam conditions with problems you haven't seen before, not re-reading the textbook. If you only practice with problems that match worked examples exactly, you'll be caught off guard the moment a question is phrased differently.

Should I focus more on math or on concepts in physics?

Both, but in sequence. Understand the concept first (what's physically happening), then apply the math. Students who skip straight to the math often get a number without understanding what it means, which falls apart the moment a problem is phrased in an unfamiliar way.