How Do You Solve Any Physics Problem?
• Calm down. It is just a problem, not the end of the world! • Read through the problem once. • Draw a diagram. It cannot be emphasized enough how much easier a problem will be once it is drawn out. Ideally, a free body diagram is what you will draw, but even drawing how you imagine the wording of the problem inside your head will make solving this problem easier. There are often marks awarded for drawing a correct diagram. • List down anything that is given to you to the side under a category labeled “known”. e.g. you are given two velocities. Label the first V1 and set it equal to the value given. Label the other value V2 and set it equal to the value provided for it. • Look for the unknown variables. Ask yourself, ‘What am I solving for?’ and ‘What are the unknown variables in this problem?’ List these to the side as well under a category labeled “unknown”. • List formula that you think might be applicable to this problem. If you are able to look up equations you do not remember exa
