Let’s start with a fundamental question, what physics is?
Look around you , everything that you can see , hear and feel can be explained by physics. Physics is the language of nature. It is the combination of logic and mathematics. We need to understand nature by first using logic and then solve it using mathematics. By simply trying to solve we never understand the situation fully in the first place.
Physics is also considered to be the most dreaded subject amongst students. There are usually two types of complaints heard. Some say that they understand the concepts really well but aren’t able to solve problems. Others say that they don’t understand the subject itself. Only an experienced and talented teacher knows that both these problems are one and the same. Because numercials are just an extension of concepts with a slight amount of basic mathematics. So what is it that is going wrong and stressing students?
When learning any new language grammar is crucial. It can make or break the understanding. Same is the case with physics and vectors is the grammar of this subject. Learning and understanding vectors plays a crucial role in the entire subject. Examination point of view this topic directly doesn’t have much weightage , but indirectly it creeps into every topic. It is also very important to not rush through these topics .
The major difference between Mathematics and Physics for undergraduate level is that problems in mathematics are very direct. Just by looking at the question you know what is being asked or what you need to solve for. Physics problems aren’t that direct. You need to understand the situation , find your own equation , figure out the unknown and go for the solution. Physics sometimes also needs translation into known technical knowledge which may not be provided in the question.
Imagine if learning Physics was so difficult how much effort does it take to teach Physics to another person. All the above said factors are to be taken into consideration and each class has to be planned for maximum impact with students. Teachers can make the student absolutely love the subject or make him/her runway from it. A student of JMR’s can easily be spotted in the crowd as they are very enthusiastic about Physics unlike their peers. It is this enthusiasm that creates eagerness to tackle any problem thrown at them which eventually results in success.
Physics is not only a subject to score marks in entrance examinations , but it is required to become a successful, fruitful and a happy engineer. Engineering is mainly solving practical problems and which subject can be more useful than the language of nature! Irrespective of the branch , physics in omnipresent in engineering.
Lastly one factor that helps understanding Physics is maturity. This is the main reason why physics is introduced after middle school while Mathematics is taught throughout.