AS Physics

Is there more Maths involved in AS Physics than there is at GCSE?

Apparently there's tons - my friend's doing Physics and Maths and applying for Physics at university - apparently there's more and more maths in physics the further up you go, so for instance universities really like you to have further maths if you're applying for Physics. From the little I know from what my friend tells me, it's easier to do physics if you're also doing maths - I think she said the respective mechanics modules meld quite well and there is a lot of maths in it

Reply 2

Les Mcqueen

Glad to hear it. Thanks for your help! :smile:

Reply 3

xelprep

you'll need A-level maths for post A-level physics. maths just helps in almost everything :redface:

Reply 4

-G-a-v-

There's plenty of maths involved in AS Physics, so its a good idea to at least be comfortable with maths if you're intending on doing AS Physics.

Reply 5

iceberg_1

Les Mcqueen

Is there more Maths involved in AS Physics than there is at GCSE?

I disagree the hardest thing in the AS level is the rearrangement and substitution in to and of formula's, in the A2 however there is the need for logs, there is nothing new in the AS just perhaps a bit harder and used in different ways to that done at GCSE

Reply 6

Arminius

i agree with iceberg. Whilst doing a-level maths would be really usefull there is no need for it. As almost all a-level maths has been stripped from physics.

You need to be mathematically minded and maths will help loads but theres not tons of it.

More than gcse, but not loads more.

I expect uni level physics needs alot of maths.

Reply 7

neb_revlis

Yeah you definately need it for post alevel, but you dont need it for Alevel, the only maths I needed for AS physics was simple trigonometry and rearraging equations

Reply 8

chemgod1

i did AS physics without AS maths and yes, there is a lot of maths involved, but its very easy maths. i wouldnt say you must have AS maths to study AS physics. i droped physics at AS though so i dont know about the A2, but a few of my friends have said that it would have been useful if they had done AS maths for A2 physics.

Reply 9

Les Mcqueen

Thanks everyone! This is very reassuring as I am indeed doing AS maths next year. Thanks for all your replies!

Reply 10

KAISER_MOLE

Which exam board are you doing for AS physics...if you are doing AQA B spec, then there is an extraordinarily small amount of maths involved, and an awful lot on data capture and that sort of goop, that's schools wanting to get the less mathematically inclined to get better grades for ya, doesn't help all concerned mind :frown:

A2 Physics looks more mathematical, practically all the A2 I have been taught so far (not much yet!) is exactly the same as what can be found in Mechanics maths books, and the kinematics in AS physics can be found in M1...

I would agree that Physics becomes more mathematical as it advances, showing its true form!

Reply 11

Les Mcqueen

I am doing OCR spec B.

Reply 12

-G-a-v-

I do AQA B too, I'm not a massive fan of it ... but there seems to be quite a bit more maths in A2 so that looks to be a bit better :biggrin:

Reply 13

tis_me_lord

God yeah, the mechanics module might as well be called maths. :mad:

Reply 14

chemgod1

AS physics isnt to hard.. having said that im sure it all depends on the exam board. I did edexcel.. found it hard.. but managed to get an A.. the maths is quite easy.. its just getting all the concepts ryt... i got the lowest A possible mind u and so decided then and there on results day to give it up