Why is Physics so Hard?
It’s not uncommon for people to cringe when they hear the word physics. For some, it resurrects thoughts of memorizing equations and then desperately manipulating them to solve problems. For others, it’s a foreign language only understood by the geekiest lifeforms. But why does physics have such an intimidating reputation? And more importantly: is it justified?
Your First Exposure Mattered
Let’s take a step back in time and think about your first exposure to physics. If you were lucky, you had an enthusiastic teacher who seemed way too excited about Newton’s Second Law. If you weren’t fortunate…well, you probably don’t remember much from physics class. Either way, many students resort to memorizing equations to try to pass the “Motion in Two Dimension” exam. It’s not entirely the students’ fault — many other subjects taught in school are very accommodating to rote memorization.
The “plug and chug” approach to physics will only get students through the first couple homework problems. When quizzes or tests come around, the problems will need something more than the old “plug and chug.” But if this method worked well for other classes and not for physics, all of a sudden physics is hard. Not the best first impression for physics.
Physics Requires Serious Critical Thinking
Physics is typically the first time that students use their math skills (which isn’t easy in the first place) in an applied manner. Anyone can collect all the wrenches and sockets in the world, but the tools alone won’t help you fix your car. Just like a mechanic, a student in physics not only needs to know how to wield their tools but also how to use them on a complex problem.
Developing problem-solving skills is hard. There’s a reason why problems solvers are paid more than jobs only involving mundane labor. Physics is centered around developing problem-solving skills and harnessing them in new environments. Sure, this could be said about many other subjects, but these skills can only be used with some pre-requisites.
It is Built on Hierarchal Pre-Requisites
Imagine taking a chemistry class in a language you don’t speak. Pretty hard, right? Physics is nearly the same thing, except the language is math. To many, math is hard enough, making physics seem really hard. That sure doesn’t help the reputation of physics. We don’t have this problem in other subjects like literature or history (unless you are taking it in another language). We speak English every day, which makes learning the intricacies of the humanities subjects a little less intimidating.
Unlike English, math requires students to build off of previous concepts. Differential equations require knowledge of calculus, which involves algebra and so on. The kicker is that differential equations is just one tool used to solve a physics problem!
Counterintuitive Concepts are Embedded in Many Physics Topics
Even when you take away all the math, physics can still seem hard. The problems that describe our everyday life are reasonably easy to conceptually understand. I don’t have to need to study physics to know that touching a hot iron is a bad idea. However, when we get into the weird stuff like quantum mechanics or general relativity, the math can be easier to understand that then concepts! In fact, despite computers’ ever-increasing performance, they still can’t solve some of the most cutting-edge physical problems today.
The Verdict
Yes — physics is hard, but it doesn’t mean it can’t be enjoyable. Physics is the culmination of learning the endless language of mathematics and combining complicated concepts to solve complex problems. So why would anyone want to learn physics? That’s a question we all have different answers for. The good news is that enjoying physics is much different than practicing physics. Science communicators like Neil Degrasse Tyson and Brian Cox have authored amazing books which allow any reader to learn about the conceptual side of physics. But some people have a desire to pop the hood, roll up their sleeves, and start turning the wrenches to the physics engine.
Originally published at https://www.groundstatecuriosity.com on March 3, 2019.
