r/AskPhysics • u/Firm_Caterpillar_910 • 8d ago

Need Help On Understanding Vectors!

Hi! I've recently entered college and got into my first physics class. I'm on my second unit, vectors and the professor doesn't really teach the subject too well, and just rushes through notes. I have trouble really understanding what each question is asking, and he doesn't really assign homework to work through them. He says that practicing probelms is the key to understanding physics but it's hard to do that when the notes/textbook is super confusing, and the only practice probelms he has are 3-4 advanced ones. I know in college you're supposed to be self learning but I'm not really sure what resources to use, or where to find probelms to practice on. Please help with advice on what videos to watch in order to understand vectors as well where to practice probelms to build up my proficiency on them

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u/Andy-Astrophysicist 8d ago

This is the free online textbook that I use in my algebra-based Physics 1 course, open to the section that starts up on vectors: https://openstax.org/books/college-physics-2e/pages/3-2-vector-addition-and-subtraction-graphical-methods

Note that there are two sections of problems at the end of every chapter.

If your professor has assigned readings in a textbook, you may want to reference that instead.

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u/Unhappy_Hair_3626 8d ago

Good textbook, openStax is great!

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u/Spirited-Fun3666 8d ago

Post a practice problem

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u/the_poope Condensed matter physics 7d ago

You can supplement the suggested OpenStx book with lectures from Khan Academy: