Best YouTube channels for learning about Physics

Curating the Right Physics Channels for You

Physics often gets a reputation for being the hardest science. Whether you’re facing a tough high school exam, struggling through a university mechanics course, or simply trying to grasp how the universe works, a textbook isn’t always enough. Sometimes you need a human voice to break down the math or a visual animation to show you what a vector actually looks like.

YouTube has thousands of physics channels, but finding the good ones can be tough. We’ve gathered recommendations from physics students and educators to organize the best channels by what you’re actually looking to learn.

For Structure and Curriculum

If you need something that follows a standard syllabus, start here. These creators structure their videos like actual classes.

• Michel van Biezen: Many college students swear by this channel. He covers everything from basic kinematics to quantum mechanics. His style is straightforward—just a guy with a marker board—but his step-by-step problem-solving explanations are incredibly clear.
• PhysicsHigh: Although it follows the Australian high school curriculum, the physics content applies everywhere. The creator breaks down concepts with clear algebra and practical demonstrations, making it particularly useful for students around the 16-18 year old age range.
• Ramamurti Shankar (Yale Courses): If you want the Ivy League experience for free, Yale posts Professor Shankar’s entire lecture series online. This is best for first-year university students who want a deep, formal understanding of the fundamentals.

For Solving Problems and Passing Exams

Understanding the concept is one thing; solving the equation on the test is another. These channels focus on the “how-to.”

• The Organic Chemistry Tutor: Don’t let the name fool you—this channel is incredibly helpful for physics students. He creates long-form videos that walk through dozens of practice problems, building from easy to difficult. It’s excellent for exam prep when you need to practice a lot.
• Physics Ninja: This channel is great for high school and first-year college physics. The presentation is “no fluff”: he presents a problem, shows the variables, and solves it directly.
• Flipping Physics: If dry lectures put you to sleep, try this. The creator plays multiple characters (Billy, Bobby, and Bo) to ask and answer common student questions. It’s high energy and keeps the math engaging.

For Visualizing the Impossible

Physics often deals with things you can’t see, like spacetime curvature or electron probability clouds. These channels make the abstract visible.

• FloatHeadPhysics: The relativity series on this channel offers excellent explanations of Einstein’s work. The animations help you build an intuition for how time dilation and length contraction actually occur.
• 3Blue1Brown: Though primarily a math channel, its content is indispensable for physics students. His series on linear algebra and calculus are incredibly helpful, using custom software to animate mathematical concepts essential for understanding things like vectors and fields.
• Eugene Khutoryansky: His videos might look a bit strange—often featuring simple 3D avatars—but his visualizations of electromagnetic fields and electronic circuits are remarkably precise. He shows you what equations look like in the real world.

For Deep Dives and Experiments

Sometimes you want to step away from the homework and remember why physics is cool.

• PBS Space Time: This is for the pop-science crowd who wants to go deeper. They tackle black holes, quasars, and quantum field theory without watering it down too much.
• Steve Mould: Steve focuses on “toys” and physical objects to demonstrate weird physics phenomena. He often dissects objects to see how they work, bridging the gap between engineering and theory.
• The Action Lab: This channel focuses on experiments you probably can’t do at home, like putting things in vacuum chambers or playing with hydraulic presses. It’s great for seeing Newton’s laws in action.

A Note for Advanced Learners

If you’re past the basics and into graduate-level territory, check out Tobias Osborne for advanced lectures or EigenChris for a thorough introduction to tensors (the math behind General Relativity).