Aravind Bommera
Last Activity: 12 Years ago
Are you strong in Maths but hate Organic Chemistry? Or Physics is what excites but Chemistry and Maths do not. This might be because you are approaching all the 3 subjects in a similar fashion according to your strengths. To know how to ace all the 3 subjects, read on...
Maths
Maths is the study of quantity, structure, space and change. It is a tool we use to solve real-life problems. So, proficiency in maths is measured by our ability to use it to solve difficult problems.
Mathematics requires us to practice solving problems with pen and paper. Students who are weak in maths typically spend a lot of time in reading, remembering or trying to understand the problems but are not writing and practicing the problems.
One needs to remember that only by attempting problems in various ways do we become proficient in applying the quickest method in the shortest time. So, practising problems is the easiest way to excel in this subject.
Physics
Physics is the study of matter and its motion through space and time and all that derives from these, such as energy and force. Unlike Maths, Physics requires a thorough understanding of concepts. Proficiency in physics is measured by our ability to reconstruct or model the physical world through the application of various laws it follows, and predict the outcome of a given situation. Application of formulae to solve problems in Physics requires modeling of the problem into solvable mathematical equations.
Typically, the mathematics involved in solving the problems is very simple, but where most students get stuck is in the modeling of the problem. They are generally not aware of the method of applying the formula to arrive at a mathematical model to solve the equation.
Physics requires reading, thinking, visualizing, integrating and understanding. If one does not understand the problem and application of the formulae in this subject, no amount of practice can help. Just knowing and remembering the concepts as written in the books may not be enough.
Students who are weak in Physics generally do not spend time in reading and understanding the concepts. They may be spending a lot of time in reading, remembering and practicing the problems instead, which is not the right way.
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science concerned with the composition, behaviour, structure and properties of matter, as well as the changes it undergoes during chemical reactions. It is the study of various atoms, molecules, crystals and other aggregates of matter whether in isolation or combination, which incorporates the concepts of energy and entropy.
Chemistry requires reading, integrating, learning and revising. Students who spend time in reading and learning naturally do well in chemistry. On the other hand, students who are weak in chemistry do not read and remember, and might be spending time in trying to understand the system or practicing the problems instead.
Now, if we break down various sections of this subject and how to deal with them, we see that:
Physical chemistry requires a thorough understanding of concepts to solve problems.
Inorganic chemistry requires knowledge of properties and reactions.
Organic chemistry requires understanding as well as knowledge of the compounds and their reactions. It is in essence, more vast than the other two.<
All in all, we find that there is a lot more to learn in chemistry than physics and maths combined.
Life (and style) at IIT!
Take a pinch of academic load. Add a dash of surprise tests and quizzes to it. Add late night coffees and inter-hostel rivalry and mix it thoroughly. For flavor, introduce multitudes of workshops by experts, visits by scientists and award winning professors, artists and authors. Add an internship at a world class lab/university in India or abroad as seasoning. Add liberally a number of national level contests and festivals. This is when you begin to get a taste of the life at IIT.
IITians are not only equipped with their degree and knowledge, but also a huge network comprising the best minds from across the globe. Moreover, students at IITs come from different backgrounds and value systems. Interacting and engaging in learning pursuits in such diverse groups of individuals is an invaluable asset for developing one''''s personality.
IIT is not just about academic learning. Other major highlights of the year are the cultural, science and technology, and sports festivals, attracting colleges from all over India. Be it making treks to picturesque mountains or aeromodelling or playing football or making a movie - you can do it all while studying at IIT!
Sounds fun, doesn''''t it? It''''s no wonder that IITians look back to their years in IIT as the best time of their lives. Students pass out with fond memories of their vibrant life at the campus. Most alumni go on to say that they have never come across such a charged atmosphere after passing out from the place and life since then has inevitably been much less exciting.
3 Key Skills- Remembering, Understanding and Practice
All of us have different styles of studying. Some like to read and memorize, some like to read and understand the concepts, still others like to practice by writing and solving. To do well in competitive examinations, one should concentrate on developing on all these three areas, i.e.
• Reading and memorizing • Conceptual understanding • Practice
Let us now delve into what functions do each of these skills serve in preparing you better for the entrance exams and how you should be developing these skills for optimal results.
Reading and memorizing
Whatever we read gets retained in our head and can be recalled as and when required. However, it has been observed that we tend to remember better if we have written something ourselves and it is easier to reproduce these things at will while solving problems.
When we come to learning the formulae, one can understand their source by going through the derivations. However, eventually what matters is that we know the formula. While solving problems, one does not have the luxury of time to derive it. So, it must be pulled out of our memory instantaneously.
For this purpose, it helps to have a compendium of all the formulae that you need to know and keep revising it frequently.
Conceptual understanding
It is critical to understand the conceptual framework of a subject and to understand the flow of the logic in the argument being put in a question. For example, we observe various phenomena around us in everyday life. Physics and chemistry attempt to explain the reason behind these phenomena through various concepts, laws, deductions etc. So, for these subjects we should gain a thorough understanding of the system / concept being explained, before attempting to learn any formulae or solve any problems.
This can be done with the help of examples. You can apply a concept to different real life situations and predict the outcome. If the understanding is correct, the outcomes predicted will be right.
Practice
After writing down the formulae required and applying the concepts, we still have to solve the mathematical equations. Solving problems is a skill. If there is no limit to the time available, a lot of students may end up solving all the problems in a test. However, the key is to solve maximum number of problems in a given amount of time within the duration of the test. This needs practice.
In a competition, we don’t want to lose time in experimenting, deriving etc. If we have practised enough, we would know the exact manner in which a problem is to be solved, which saves a lot of time. Therefore, practice is must to score high in a competition.
All d Best !!!!!!
