Physics 1 covers mechanics: kinematics, forces, energy, momentum, rotation, oscillations, gravity. Physics 2 covers electricity, magnetism, optics, and modern physics. The volume of equations is intimidating until you realize most equations are derivable from a small core set.
Step 1 — build the formula sheet
Even if your exam allows a formula sheet, build your own from scratch. The act of compressing a chapter onto half a page forces you to identify the irreducible equations. The students who use the textbook's pre-built sheet without ever building their own consistently underperform.
Physics 1 core equations to internalize
- Kinematic equations (5 of them — derivable from constant acceleration)
- Newton's second law: F = ma (and its rotational analogue τ = Iα)
- Work-energy theorem: W = ∆KE
- Conservation of energy: KEi + PEi = KEf + PEf + W_nonconservative
- Conservation of momentum: pi = pf
- Centripetal force: F = mv²/r
- Hooke's law: F = -kx
- Period of oscillation: T = 2π√(m/k) for spring, 2π√(L/g) for pendulum
Physics 2 core equations
- Coulomb's law and electric field of point charge
- Gauss's law (in integral form) and its symmetric applications
- V = kq/r and W = qV for electric potential
- Capacitance: C = Q/V; energy stored in capacitor
- Ohm's law: V = IR, plus power: P = VI = I²R
- Kirchhoff's voltage and current laws
- Biot-Savart and Ampere's law for magnetic fields
- F = qv × B for magnetic force on a moving charge
- Faraday's law: EMF = -dΦ/dt
- Snell's law and thin-lens equation for optics
Step 2 — classify every problem
Most physics problems fall into recognizable categories. When you see a problem, label the category in the margin first. 'Two carts, one moving, sticky collision' = inelastic conservation of momentum. 'Block on incline with friction' = forces + Newton's second. 'Capacitors in series and parallel' = capacitance combination. The label tells you which equations to deploy.
Step 3 — the universal solution template
- 1Draw the picture. Always. Even for problems you 'don't need to draw.'
- 2Define your coordinate system explicitly. Pick the direction of motion as positive when possible.
- 3List knowns and unknowns. Identify the equation(s) that connect them.
- 4Solve symbolically before substituting numbers. Catch unit mistakes early.
- 5Substitute numbers, compute, check units of the answer.
- 6Sanity-check the answer (sign, magnitude, limiting cases).
What to drill weekly
| Problem type | Frequency on exams | Drill priority |
|---|---|---|
| Kinematics (1D & 2D) | Very high | 20 problems/week in weeks 1–4 |
| Newton's second law (forces) | Very high | Daily during weeks 4–7 |
| Energy and momentum conservation | Very high | Pair with one another every problem set |
| Rotational dynamics | High | Don't underweight — many students do |
| Circuits | Very high (P2) | Practice Kirchhoff systematically |
| Magnetism | High (P2) | Hardest topic conceptually for most students |
| EM induction (Faraday) | Moderate (P2) | Visualize flux; sketch direction of induced current |
Math prerequisites you cannot skip
- Trigonometry — sin, cos, vector components, unit circle
- Vectors — addition, subtraction, dot and cross products
- Algebra — solving systems of equations under exam pressure
- Calculus (for calculus-based physics) — derivatives, integrals, plus comfort with line integrals for E&M
Tools
- AceNotes — Physics 1/2 study sets organized by problem type, AI tutor that walks through any problem step-by-step.
- Walter Lewin's MIT lectures (8.01, 8.02) — the best free physics videos that exist.
- FlippingPhysics on YouTube — short topic-specific clips.
- OpenStax Physics — free open-source textbook with end-of-chapter problems.
Exam-day execution
- 1Skim every problem first. Identify the easy 30% and do those first.
- 2On hard problems, draw the picture even if you don't see the path. The picture often suggests the equation.
- 3Show every step on partial-credit problems. Most professors give 30–50% credit for setup even if the algebra fails.
- 4If you finish with 10 minutes left, re-check units on every numerical answer. This catches more mistakes than re-deriving from scratch.
Free Physics 1 and 2 study sets on AceNotes — drill by problem type.
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