Menu ☰

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Conceptual Physics?

The study of physics is concerned with understanding "the way the world works." By organizing our knowledge into a few fundamental concepts and equations, we can better understand the universe we live in.

Conceptual Physics is the name given to curricula designed to emphasize a strong understanding of the principles underlying physics. Physics is a quantitative science, of course, so there is math that supports the topics covered in this curriculum, and for most of those topics, no more than simple algebra is required to understand them. For this reason, most the material on this website does include slightly more math than a classic Conceptual Physics curriculum might. In my opinion, using simple algebra in a physics context both allows for a deeper understanding of the physics, and gives students a chance to practice and reinforce their mathematical skills.

Where do the materials on this site come from?

The multiple-choice problems on this site were written by Richard White. The curricular materials available on this site are based on materials used in my own teaching of the course.

Permission is given for Conceptual Physics teachers and students to use these materials as described in the Terms of Service.

How does the whole Problem-a-Day thing work?

Each weekday, Monday through Friday, a conceptual physics problem is posted on the website as a Problem of the Day. An announcement of that problem is also sent out via Twitter. You can received those tweets by following @learnconcphyx. The tweets include a link to the solution for the problem.

Where can I find previously delivered problems from this site?

A large number of problems, organized by subject area, are available in the Other Problems & Topics section of the website.

What happened to the email delivery service?

From 2010-2017, LearnConceptualPhysics.com subscribers received a daily email with a copy of the problem and a link to the solution. While this was an effective and convenient delivery strategy for many users, it also posed problems for some. There were also administrative challenges around the logistics and costs associated with sending thousands of emails on a daily basis.

As of Fall, 2017, LearnConceptualPhysics daily problems are no longer emailed. Instead the problems are announced via

RSS feed or @learnconcphyx.

Who operates this site?

Please see the About page.