Physics is often seen as a daunting subject, reserved for labs full of complex equations and abstract theories. But what if the laws of physics weren’t confined to a classroom, but were at play in the simple, everyday act of pouring a cup of coffee or riding a bicycle? From the gravity that holds people to the Earth to the electromagnetic forces that power students’ smartphones, physics is the invisible framework governing the entire world. The myth of physics as an elite science, revealing that a curiosity for how things work is all the qualification one needs to understand the fundamentals of the universe.
Teacher Mr. Payne, who has been teaching for 3 years, loves physics. His favorite thing about it is seeing the students light up after they finally understand something that they were struggling with. Payne’s physics class is for everyone. Many students love his class and look forward to it everyday.
Physics is a Shadow Ridge class that is favored by many. Physics has many implications but its concepts are fairly simple.
“First, they see math and they think ‘oh well I am bad at math so I will be bad at physics.’ This isn’t necessarily the case… In physics, we are applying math to real world concepts that most people already have some intuitive understanding of. Also, we spend the first few weeks of school reviewing math concepts that we will see in physics class, so that way you are more comfortable with the math. This should make the transition easier when you see the same math again when learning the physics topics.”
Payne continues, “Second has to do with the way that physics is portrayed in the media. People see movies like Interstellar or shows like The Big Bang Theory and they think you have to be an absolute genius to know physics. Yes, the biggest scientists in the field are typically geniuses, but you don’t have to be someone who graduates college at the age of 12 to understand physics. The media likes to portray the side of physics that is almost incomprehensible to everyone else to understand, black holes, quantum physics, string theory. They don’t tend to show the other side of physics, the side that we deal with on a day to day basis, the type of physics that we all have an understanding of, maybe you just don’t realize it.”
Persistence and hard work make a good student. Apply this to physics and it will be way easier.
Senior Evan Campbell says, “Physics is for anybody! However, how well you do is based on persistence and practice.”
Physics is also fun. Many projects are team based and build teamwork and leadership skills. Instead of feeling daunted by complex equations, students in Mr. Payne’s
class learn to see physics in everyday life. Challenging media portrayals that make physics seem incomprehensible, Payne’s teaching reveals that a curiosity for how things work is all that’s needed to understand the basics. The true success of the class lies not in creating rocket scientists, but in turning every student into a lifelong observer, always curious about the invisible forces that shape their world.
