17 Best Free Online Physics Classes in 2024 | Beginners & Experts

Physics is an interesting science course that studies how matter behaves in space and time. As a course, physics is studied in many schools, but that experience of learning cannot be compared to what the best free online physics classes offer to you.

According to Tech Jury, in 2017, approximately 77% of US corporations used online learning, but 98% planned to incorporate it in their program by 2020. The US e-learning market will grow by $12.81 billion between 2020 and 2024. E-learning increases retention rates by 25% to 60%.

In this article, you will discover the best free online physics classes for beginners and experts. Furthermore, you will learn why you should take up learning physics online instead of looking for an institution to register.

Why Take Free Online Physics Classes?

Physics is a natural science hinged on experiments, measurements, and mathematical analysis with the sole goal of discovering quantitative physical laws for every issue from the nano-world of the microcosmos to the planets, solar systems, and galaxies that are accommodated by the macro-cosmos.

Physics plays a key role in many vital parts of the liberal arts disciplines and contributes to society’s knowledge of such areas as energy, weather, medical science, and space exploration. A rigorous major in this subject area provides students with the preparation required for graduate study in physics.

Physics graduates have skills that are in high demand in diverse sectors. Their skills are closely related to numeracy, problem-solving, data analysis, and the communication of complex ideas, as well as a wider understanding of how the world works on a scientific and human level.

Can Physics Be Taught Online?

People feel because of the complexity of Physics, it’ll be tasking to put the complete course together as an online program. This has been disproved with the high and ever-increasing number of physics courses you can find online today.

You can get many physics courses currently available online for free. All courses have professional instructors with amazing credits like Nobel Prizes and field-defining work. Different topics are included from introductory to Einstein’s theory of relativity, particle physics, dark energy, quantum mechanics, and more.

17 Best Free Online Physics Classes in 2024 | Beginners & Experts

1. Frontier Physics, Future Technologies

This online physics class expands your knowledge of modern physics offering you a plethora of ways you can solve problems in society by harnessing future technologies.

You’ll begin this course by probing plasmas and prospecting their many applications in subjects such as astrophysics, wound healing, fusion energy, and propulsion for spacecraft.

Then, you’ll gain deeper knowledge about designing advanced materials, for solar cells, lasers, and pharmaceuticals, giving you a highlight into how physics is transforming different industries.

2. Astronomy and Space Physics: Teaching Secondary Science

In this online class, you will improve your secondary science lessons, increase your knowledge of space physics, and aid students build key career skills.

This course is vital for you as an educator because you will gain insight into how students view science and how that influences their engagement in the subject.

Leveraging space physics and astronomy for context, you’ll improve your science subject knowledge and start lecturing in a manner that helps your students build a deeper interest in science.

3. The Discovery of the Higgs Boson

This free online course pulls into perspective the theoretical tools vital to appreciate the discovery and introduces the elementary particles that have been discovered at the tiniest scales ever explored.
Starting with basic concepts in classical mechanics, the course moves through relativity and quantum mechanics, describing forces, matter, and the unification of theories with an understanding driven by the tools of mathematics.

Because of the simplicity of the lessons and the open approach, this is one of the best free online physics classes you can enrol in.

4. Ultrasound Imaging: What Is Inside?

In this ultrasound imaging course, you’ll investigate some of the main pillars behind this fascinating technology. Starting with an ultrasound definition and finding your way through the science behind the process, you’ll master the clinical applications of an ultrasound scan.

It doesn’t matter if you’re simply curious about how the process works, thinking about sonographer training or desiring to improve your existing clinical knowledge, this is the best among other online physics classes.

5. Teaching Practical Science: Physics

This course, specifically crafted for teachers, will give you room to investigate the relationship between theoretical physics concepts and practical work, propelling you to process your thoughts about the classroom and what your students are learning to use practical work.

Additionally, you will discover creative ways of teaching practical physics with approaches that apply to a unique range of situations including GCSE required practicals.

At the end of this course, you will develop effective learning outcomes for practical work in physics.

Furthermore, you will have improved confidence in teaching, and this makes this course one of the best online physics classes.

6. How Things Work: An Introduction to Physics

This course is an introduction to physics in everyday objects. Using simplified and relatable everyday examples, the instructor relatively distils the context and importance of physics, considering the role physics plays in our everyday lives.

Although some concepts discussed can be strange for someone with no knowledge of physics, they still play a vital part in ensuring there’s a smooth transition from one lesson to another.

7. Understanding Einstein: The Special Theory of Relativity

In this course, the goal is to “understand Einstein,” giving special attention to the special theory of relativity that Albert Einstein, as a twenty-six-year-old 81 hours patent clerk, brought about in his “miracle year” of 1905.

The course will make you go behind the myth-making and beyond the popularized presentations of relativity to adopt a deeper understanding of both Einstein the human and the concepts, predictions, and strange paradoxes of his theory.

As a student of this course, you will discover some of the mental processes that lead to the theories in physics today. This is one of the best online physics classes for those looking to build foundational knowledge.

8. Introduction to Mechanics Specialization

This subject area is for learners with a keen interest in first-year, university-level physics. Through three courses, you will build a foundation in mechanics including motion, forces, energy, momentum, rotational motion, and gravitation.

With 100 brief lectures and over 100 problems, this comprehensive specialization follows the same detail and rigour as what is taught in on-campus courses. It will prepare learners for their upcoming introductory physics courses, or more advanced studies.

9. Mechanics: Motion, Forces, Energy and Gravity, from Particles to Planets

This on-demand course is perfect for senior high school, freshmen, and anyone with a curiosity about basic physics.

The course introduces rich multimedia tutorials to present the material: film clips of key experiments, animations, and worked example problems, all with a friendly narrator. You’ll perform a range of interesting practice problems, and in an optional component, you will use your ingenuity to complete at-home experiments using simple, everyday materials.

To get into this program, you will need little arithmetic knowledge. This is one of the best free online physics classes.

10. Exploring Quantum Physics

This is an introduction to quantum physics focusing deep on topics at the forefront of research and developing understanding through different exercise routines.

From the beginning of this course, you will get to know the true role of quantum physics and techniques that can be employed to improve its deployment.

The course will end with a highlight on quantum gas and time dependence. It’s a great course for anyone interested in quantum physics.

11. Astronomy: Exploring Time and Space

This course is programmed for anyone who is deeply invested in learning more about modern astronomy. You will move up to date on the most recent astronomical discoveries while also providing support at an introductory level for those who have no background in science.

You will learn about the solar system, matter and radiation, tools of astronomy, and cosmology. It is one of the best free online physics classes for those interested in astronomical physics.

12. Particle Physics: An Introduction

This course offers a subtle introduction to subatomic physics that highlights the physics of nuclei and particles.

The course has about eight modules, with two of the modules possessing an ability to be taught as self-contained subjects.

The final modules in the course dig deeper into the matter, and the forces responsible for matter behaviour considering the standard model of particle physics. It is one of the best free online physics classes you can find.

13. Pre-University Physics

This course will get you ready for your technical studies by reviewing the fundamentals of physics. Through this program, you become highly familiar with the way physics and physics-related topics are taught at the university level.

The course desires to bridge the readiness gap between high school and university. It was structured for potential future students as it covers physics topics that are a prerequisite for many engineering programs but will also show you how these topics are applied in the various follow-up studies.

14. Introductory Mechanics

In this course, you would learn physics as an MIT freshman would. This set of modules will ensure you completely cover the full set of topics covered in the first semester of physics at MIT.

In the first module, you’ll discover some of the basic kinematic descriptions of motion and the causes of motion—forces—and discuss more dire situations, like a rocket whose mass depends on time, or the tension in a massive rope. Then you’ll learn to draw the energy (kinetic, potential) instead of forces to describe the same physics.

Finally, you’ll loop into more complicated topics such as angular momentum, torque, and rotational dynamics and end the course with a mathematical description of simple harmonic motion and use that to approximate the simple pendulum and other cases where we can approximate the potential function as a quadratic.

15. Vibrations and Waves

This course allows you to explore the many aspects of Vibrations and Waves and how they appear in physics, ranging from simple mechanical systems to the light that we see, and even to the quantum realm.

As a student of this course, you will learn to analyze problems that involve mechanical vibrations and waves with such topics as simple harmonic motion, superposition, damping, forced vibrations and resonance, coupled oscillations, normal modes, continuous systems, reflection and refraction, and phase and group velocities.

The course also does a proper check of the electromagnetic waves and various associated properties like polarization, Snell’s law, Huygens’s principle, interference, and diffraction. The course ends by giving learners a taste of Quantum Mechanics making it one of the best free online physics classes.

16. AP® Physics 2: Challenging Concepts

This course covers a series of interesting concepts and challenging topics in AP® Physics 2. Well-respected AP instructors from around the world will lead you through video, assessment questions, and interactive activities.

Each module turns these tricky topics into bite-sized pieces—with short instructional videos, on-screen simulations, interactive graphs, and practice problems written by many of the same people who write and grade your AP® Physics 2 exam.

17. Introductory Electricity and Magnetism

This course explores the concepts of electricity and magnetism in this series of courses, taking a sneak on the second semester of introductory physics at MIT.

This series of modules put into perspective the idea of fields, specifically the electric and magnetic fields. In the class’s course, you will learn several ways to calculate both the electric and magnetic fields and also look at dipoles, forces, and simple circuits.

You conclude the course by adding all of Maxwell’s Equations to see how the speed of light and electromagnetic radiation comes about.

This series requires the use of multivariable calculus, although most of the math that is used will be reviewed. It remains one of the best online physics classes.

FAQ

You can find a lot of online platforms like Udemy, Coursera, and edX where you can learn Physics. While you pay for some of them, others are free.

Physics is not a difficult subject especially when you put your interest.

Yes, physics can be self-taught using online courses and by reading materials.

If you fail Physics, you probably didn’t study hard or you’re not purely interested in the subject.

Conclusion

Physics is an interesting subject area with lots of opportunities. You can decide to become a research scientist, nanotechnologist, teacher, sound engineer, and radiation protection practitioner. You will enjoy an opportunity to explore the different fundamental building blocks of the universe.

Physics as a course of study is offered in a lot of universities at different degree levels. But to get into any of these institutions, you will need to fulfil many requirements that will mean you take a series of other examinations.

This is strenuous! And you can avoid this by enlisting in any of the best free online physics classes. This way, you evade not only a stereotyped learning system, but you avoid paying huge tuition fees accompanied by accommodation costs.

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