The second chapter I teach in my physics class is Vectors, and it happens to be my least favorite chapter to teach. Personally, I’m not a fan of Vectors because it feels more like a math class than anything else. I’m aware that many teachers choose to skip this chapter, believing it’s unnecessary and that students should have already covered the material in their math classes. While I’d love to skip it as well and reassure myself that “they should have learned all this math already,” I’ve come to realize the importance of this chapter.
The significance of this chapter lies in the fact that it marks the transition from 1-D problems to 2-D problems. In my experience, this shift doesn’t just double the difficulty; it often makes the material exponentially more challenging for students. Therefore, I’ve found it crucial to take the time to thoroughly cover the math and ensure that as many students as possible become comfortable with it. When students begin tackling 2-D example problems, they should feel confident in their mathematical foundations.
For those who struggle with the math, I highly recommend providing them with my extensive formula sheet, at least for this chapter. With time, they’ll become accustomed to it and may no longer need it.
Fortunately, this chapter that usually bores me comes with my absolute favorite topic: “Relative Velocity.” In my next email, I’ll share why I love this topic so much and how I make it a lot of fun.
Wishing you all the very best!
Ray Burns (Physics Burns Store)
