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Is Memorising Essential To Score In Physics Exams?

By June 26, 2021October 13th, 2021Physics Exam

One can only agree that being good at memorising will no doubt help in one’s Physics exams as some questions do rely on pure regurgitation of Physics concepts to get the marks. Such questions will include definitions and basic formulas that do not require much understanding of the subject itself.

Is having a good memory really important to do well in Physics exams though?

Some may find that memory work plays little significance in Physics as there are many concepts in Physics that go beyond definitions and require deep understanding and logical deduction of the various topics in order to answer the various kinds of questions found in exams. There are also certain questions that tap on several topics at one go. Therefore, Physics is a subject that do not come off as easy due to the multiple skillsets required of students in order to get full marks for individual questions.

What sections of a Physics exam paper require intensive memory work?

The sections where memory work plays an important aspect in Physics exams are usually found in calculation questions. These questions usually involve the use of formulas which students need to know at the tip of their fingers as only the basic formulas are provided in the formulae list. These include kinematic formulas such as work done and pressure to electricity formulas such as power as a measure of current and voltage. This will definitely help to save some time in Physics exams since there are quite a number of calculation questions being asked of students.

Sometimes, there may even be application questions where you will be asked to design an experiment using the given parameters. You may need to have a rough idea of the process of setting up the experiment and that usually requires you to recall either actual experiments done during your Physics lab work or from textbook references.

At other times, there may be questions that require some regurgitation of basic concepts before providing the necessary explanation or description that will award you the full marks.

Tips on becoming good at memorising of Physics concepts

Just like other forms of mastery, becoming good at memorisation does entail time and effort to be put into getting better at it. This is the reason why Physics teachers or tutors alike will assign homework assignments so that students can have ample practice in order to score in Physics exams. Physics tuition does provide additional benefits like a more comprehensive lesson plan that can be customised based on the students’ areas of weaknesses so that they can see faster growth in their aptitude for the subject.