Physics S1

Physics is not a list of hard formulas to fear. It is the science of the everyday world you already know: why a bicycle stays up, why the saucepan handle gets hot, why a mango falls down and not up. You have been doing Physics since you were small, every time you threw a ball, poured water or watched lightning. Now you will learn to ask "why?" more carefully, and to answer by measuring.

Physics is a doing subject. Each lesson has a "Try this" box that uses things from home: a ruler, a bottle, a stone, a piece of string, some water. Do them. You will remember what your own hands did much longer than what you only read. When there is a worked example, cover the answer, try it yourself, then check every step, including the units. A number without a unit is only half an answer.

Mistakes are part of science. Scientists repeat experiments, compare results and correct themselves all the time, so do not be discouraged if a reading or a sum comes out wrong; find out why. Study a little and often (one lesson of about 25 minutes a day is better than many lessons in one night), keep a Physics notebook for new words, formulas and your results, answer the quick checks honestly before looking, and finish each topic with the Activity of Integration, where you use what you learnt to help someone solve a real problem.

• 💧 A glass of water before you start
• 📵 Phone on silent, one subject at a time
• ⏱️ About 25 minutes, then a 5-minute break
• ✍️ Keep an exercise book for the “Try this” tasks