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Chemistry or Physics?

I'm trying to choose a fourth AS-level to go along with A-levels in biology, geography and maths; if you have taken both of these subjects, which do you find more fun/interesting? If you've taken only one, what's your opinion of the course?
Chemistry, coming from someone who does both. Mainly because you have also chosen to do biology.
Original post by blooptop
I'm trying to choose a fourth AS-level to go along with A-levels in biology, geography and maths; if you have taken both of these subjects, which do you find more fun/interesting? If you've taken only one, what's your opinion of the course?


Chemistry. Absolutely Chemistry. Chemistry is so fun, learning about bonding, nomenclature and organic chemistry.

Physics may just be the most boring subject in the universe.

Geography is great, biology is the best A - Level. Be careful about taking maths. Only do it if you are easy A* at GCSE.
Reply 3
chemistry complements biology fairly well. think about your future further study choices, which one is more useful for you? If you like maths as well as things that challenge your idea of logic (ie. things that dont make sense XD) i would go for physics, theres some wierd stuff in there about sub-atomic particles.
Chemistry is also hard but fairly logical. In both cases you have to apply knowledge a lot and have a good level of comprehension
. hope that helps
Reply 4
btw ive realised it also depends MASSIVELY on the teacher whether u like a subject or not. you could think about that as a last resort
Reply 5
Original post by richpanda
Chemistry, coming from someone who does both. Mainly because you have also chosen to do biology.


Thanks for the advice - I lean less towards the biochem aspects of biology,but it'd probably still be useful :smile:
Reply 6
Currently doing just Physics as a science at A level and I absolutely hate it.
Found it okay to begin with but it just got more and more boring to the point where I could barely get through lessons. Hardest A-level in my opinion.

Maths on the other hand, I found much more easier - Mainly due to the fact that they didn't give wordy questions like they did in GCSE and I really enjoined learning the stuff.
Reply 7
Original post by FutureDietitian
Chemistry. Absolutely Chemistry. Chemistry is so fun, learning about bonding, nomenclature and organic chemistry.

Physics may just be the most boring subject in the universe.

Geography is great, biology is the best A - Level. Be careful about taking maths. Only do it if you are easy A* at GCSE.



Thanks for the answer. I like bio and geog too, or at least I did at GCSE. I only got a maths A (though without much revision to speak of), and another in applications of maths which we did in year 10, so I might have to work for those maths grades :/
Original post by blooptop
Thanks for the advice - I lean less towards the biochem aspects of biology,but it'd probably still be useful :smile:


As someone else has mentioned, how are the teachers? That can be a real deal breaker. Also, with chemistry a level, you really start to feel like you're understanding the concepts, theories, methods and calculations behind things. With physics you only really get this at degree level.
Reply 9
I would definitely go for chemistry. Both the new exam styles for physics and chemistry have gotten ridiculously difficult in the past year but chemistry's slightly more understandable at least :')
If you found physics easy at gcse, its a whole other story at AS. But in terms of fun, chemistry is also much more fun~
Original post by blooptop
I'm trying to choose a fourth AS-level to go along with A-levels in biology, geography and maths; if you have taken both of these subjects, which do you find more fun/interesting? If you've taken only one, what's your opinion of the course?


Chemistry as a whole would complement your choices better than physics. However I think it would be best to maybe look over the material/specifications of both subjects and see what interests you more. Take in account what you intend to do at university when making your choice. E.g. if you want to take an engineering course at university then Physics would be a necessity, however if you wanted study medicine then Chemistry would be more appropriate. I took both at AS and I thought that Chemistry was much more boring as there is a lot of memorisation involved, however it all varies from person to person.
Reply 11
Original post by Nayzar
chemistry complements biology fairly well. think about your future further study choices, which one is more useful for you? If you like maths as well as things that challenge your idea of logic (ie. things that dont make sense XD) i would go for physics, theres some wierd stuff in there about sub-atomic particles.
Chemistry is also hard but fairly logical. In both cases you have to apply knowledge a lot and have a good level of comprehension
. hope that helps


Thanks for the reply! :smile: Ah yes, good ol' quantum mind-feckery :P
Reply 12
Original post by richpanda
As someone else has mentioned, how are the teachers? That can be a real deal breaker. Also, with chemistry a level, you really start to feel like you're understanding the concepts, theories, methods and calculations behind things. With physics you only really get this at degree level.


I might be going to a different sixth form at which I haven't yet met any of the teachers, but the standard of science teaching is s'posed to be good. At my current the physics teacher was dire @ GCSE (just gave out a lot of paper packets, the only kids who got good grades self-taught from our revision guides before exams) the chemistry teacher was much better
Reply 13
Original post by TheLifelessRobot
Chemistry as a whole would complement your choices better than physics. However I think it would be best to maybe look over the material/specifications of both subjects and see what interests you more. Take in account what you intend to do at university when making your choice. E.g. if you want to take an engineering course at university then Physics would be a necessity, however if you wanted study medicine then Chemistry would be more appropriate. I took both at AS and I thought that Chemistry was much more boring as there is a lot of memorisation involved, however it all varies from person to person.


The astronomy option of physics appeals, and I find some of the concepts a bit more interesting, but others look like they fall pretty flat, same with chem. I'm leaning towards a biological/environmental degree, which could feature bits of either subject eg. in biochem/earth science modules. Thanks for the answer!
Physics is so much more interesting and easier, i do both atm ,

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