Struggling with Understanding Complex Concepts

Right now, I'm really struggling with understanding wave-particle duality. The idea that something can behave as both a wave and a particle is incredibly counter-intuitive. I can memorize the equations for the photoelectric effect or electron diffraction, but I don't have a solid mental model for *how* that's possible. It feels like magic rather than physics, and I can't connect it to anything I experience in the macroscopic world.

I'd say it's a mix, but leaning towards passive reading. I'll read a section, try to understand the definitions and the logic presented. I'll look at the worked examples, but I often just follow along without actively trying to predict the next step or understand *why* a particular approach is being used. I don't always try to solve the examples myself before looking at the solution, which I suspect is a problem.

My approach is usually to re-read the relevant textbook chapters and my lecture notes multiple times. I'll highlight key definitions and formulas. Then, I'll try to work through the examples provided in the lecture and textbook again. If I still feel shaky, I might try to find a YouTube video explaining the same concept. I usually leave exam studying until a few days before, which I'm starting to realize is a mistake.

Definitely. I find myself getting stuck on problems that involve multiple steps or require applying several different concepts simultaneously. Derivations are also a major hurdle. I can follow along when the professor or textbook shows them, but if I have to do one myself, I often forget a crucial step or don't know how to manipulate the equations correctly. Things like deriving the equations of motion from Newton's laws, or understanding the implications of Maxwell's equations, are particularly challenging.

Yes, I have. I've tried working through the end-of-chapter problems in the textbook, and I've also looked for supplementary practice problems online from other universities or physics forums. Sometimes I can get through them, but often I get stuck on the first few steps or realize I don't understand the underlying principle well enough to even start.