Physics without the math trauma

Physics for Beginners is a learning path on Breni. It runs to 6 courses. It starts at beginner level. You finish able to calculate speed and acceleration using real-world scenarios like driving or cycling. You finish able to identify how friction and inertia affect everyday objects in motion.

  • 6 courses
  • 8 learning objectives
  • Level: beginner
  • Language: English
  • Price: Subscription, free trial

What you will be able to do

  • Calculate speed and acceleration using real-world scenarios like driving or cycling.
  • Identify how friction and inertia affect everyday objects in motion.
  • Explain the invisible pull of gravity using objects falling or orbiting.
  • Trace how energy transforms from one form to another during daily activities.

Full curriculum

Part 1 · Motion and Speed

1. Making Sense of Speed and Stopping

I often misjudge how fast things are moving or stopping — I want to connect speed to actual distance and time in my daily commute.

  • — What Is Speed?
    Connect speed to how much distance you cover in time.
    • Defining speed simply
    • Reading commute speeds
  • — Why Things Move
    See how forces change how objects move or stay still.
    • Pushes and pulls
    • Inertia basics
  • — Why Balls Stop
    Discover how friction brings a rolling ball to a halt.
    • Friction opposition
    • Surface textures
  • — The Commute Stop
    Apply motion concepts to safety on your daily drive.
    • Reaction distance
    • Total stopping distance

2. Accelerating your intuition — understanding change in speed over time

I see sports cars brag about 0 to 60 times, but I want to actually feel what acceleration means in my bones.

Part 2 · Forces and Friction

3. The invisible push — how forces shape every movement

I push things all day like shopping carts and doors, but I want to understand the invisible forces driving that resistance.

4. Sliding and gripping — the hidden power of friction

I want to stop slipping on icy pavements and understand why car tires have tread patterns.

Part 3 · Gravity and Energy

5. What goes up — experiencing gravity beyond the textbook

I drop things and they hit the floor, but I want to grasp why gravity pulls everything with the exact same reliability.

6. Powering your day — the journey of energy transformation

I pay electric bills and eat food for fuel, but I want to see how energy flows seamlessly from motion to heat to light.

Sample: Making Sense of Speed and Stopping

The opening tier, (What Is Speed?). Connect speed to how much distance you cover in time.

Defining speed simply

Explain speed as distance divided by elapsed time.

Reading commute speeds

Translate speed numbers into meters per second.

Questions about Physics for Beginners

What will I be able to do after this Physics for Beginners path?

Calculate speed and acceleration using real-world scenarios like driving or cycling. Identify how friction and inertia affect everyday objects in motion. Explain the invisible pull of gravity using objects falling or orbiting.

What does the Physics for Beginners curriculum cover?

The path is 6 courses, starting with Making Sense of Speed and Stopping and ending with Powering your day — the journey of energy transformation. Each course is graded across 4 tiers, from to .

How long does the Physics for Beginners path take?

About 6 courses at a steady pace, across 6 courses. It is self-paced, so you can go faster or slower.

Do I need experience before starting Physics for Beginners?

The path is pitched at beginner level. The first course opens with: I often misjudge how fast things are moving or stopping — I want to connect speed to actual distance and time in my daily commute.

Is the Physics for Beginners path free?

The Physics for Beginners path is part of a Breni subscription, which starts with a free trial. All 6 courses are in the Breni app on iPhone, Android and the web.

Related learning paths

Start Physics for Beginners

Get Breni on Google Play and start Physics for Beginners Download on the App Store