TSR Physics Society
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yo-less
But surely you figured out you needed them when you realised the other kids could see the board but you couldn't
Anyway, so you're in uni then? How's physics at that level?
Anyway, so you're in uni then? How's physics at that level?
Hard
neh it's fun. Much better than silly A-level. It makes sense, for a start! It's basically maths though, lots and lots and lots of pure maths, applied to physics.
Princess Ana
What does a discipline teacher do?
At GCSE, I did:
Biology
Chemistry
English Lang & Lit
French
History
Latin
Maths
Physics
Spanish
and got 4 A*s, 5 As and a B (yes, I'm sorry, I'm one of THOSE
). I liked the languages, maths and physics, was OK at bio, and hated the others with a passion. My A in history was almost as much of a miracle as chemistry - I got a C in the mock that we did 
I only got it by memorising the entire syllabus, and regurgitating it onto the exam paper 
At GCSE, I did:
Biology
Chemistry
English Lang & Lit
French
History
Latin
Maths
Physics
Spanish
and got 4 A*s, 5 As and a B (yes, I'm sorry, I'm one of THOSE
). I liked the languages, maths and physics, was OK at bio, and hated the others with a passion. My A in history was almost as much of a miracle as chemistry - I got a C in the mock that we did I only got it by memorising the entire syllabus, and regurgitating it onto the exam paper A discipline teacher disciplines us
Mostly she just yells at us and is in a foul temper and basically controls the whole school. Somehow, everything that goes on in school is revealed to her. And we have a strict culture so she gets annoyed about really trivial things "Why did you give that boy a ride home yersterday? Girls and boys together?! What will people think of our school?" Sometimes I think she misses the point of co-ed.How was literature?
Hah hah, no problem, I yearn to be one of THOSE
I highly repect your sort, 'tis my dream to achieve like you I memorize mindlessly for chem too. Damn subject.
F1 fanatic
Hard
neh it's fun. Much better than silly A-level. It makes sense, for a start! It's basically maths though, lots and lots and lots of pure maths, applied to physics.
neh it's fun. Much better than silly A-level. It makes sense, for a start! It's basically maths though, lots and lots and lots of pure maths, applied to physics.
Does that mean you have to do pure maths if you want to do A level physics?
yo-less
How was literature?
Hideous, I don't think I ever got the point. I like to consume and appreciate it - I always went on the trips to see the RSC with the English A-level people (even though I didn't do the subject... slightly cheeky, really
), but I hate analysing it. It was my B yo-less
Does that mean you have to do pure maths if you want to do A level physics?
No, not at all. It helps, but physics A-level is designed to be accessible to people who aren't doing maths as well. The real maths only kicks in at degree level
I sat the A level English Lit exam a few years ago alongside our students to prove the value of transferable skills. I'd studied for one hour a week for two terms. If you know how to learn effectively, you can get an A in any A level subject. And yes, I got an A.
teachercol
I sat the A level English Lit exam a few years ago alongside our students to prove the value of transferable skills. I'd studied for one hour a week for two terms. If you know how to learn effectively, you can get an A in any A level subject. And yes, I got an A.
Crikey. How did you manage to learn all the quotes? That would take me for ever, I can't rote learn
Princess Ana
Hideous, I don't think I ever got the point. I like to consume and appreciate it - I always went on the trips to see the RSC with the English A-level people (even though I didn't do the subject... slightly cheeky, really ), but I hate analysing it. It was my B
No, not at all. It helps, but physics A-level is designed to be accessible to people who aren't doing maths as well. The real maths only kicks in at degree level
), but I hate analysing it. It was my B No, not at all. It helps, but physics A-level is designed to be accessible to people who aren't doing maths as well. The real maths only kicks in at degree level
Literature is so exasperating, you always feel like you've done fairly well after the paper but in the end the results are disastrous
I think it's the most frustrating subject.So, did you do pure maths for A/levels?
teachercol
I sat the A level English Lit exam a few years ago alongside our students to prove the value of transferable skills. I'd studied for one hour a week for two terms. If you know how to learn effectively, you can get an A in any A level subject. And yes, I got an A.
I just can't believe that
You must have amazing analytical skills
Princess Ana
No, not at all. It helps, but physics A-level is designed to be accessible to people who aren't doing maths as well. The real maths only kicks in at degree level
Heh. I think the real physics also only kicks in at degree level. Physics AS Level seemed so mundane. I'm hoping A2 will be better.
Princess Ana
Yup. But that's because I wanted to do the degree. Sadly I could only do single maths, but it's not been much of a disadvantage.
All you mathamatical people are beginning to scare me
*hides*
Definitely no A/level maths for me
Bio, physics, human bio and something else perhaps...Although doing bio and human bio might be viewed as un-diverse by universities, I fear.suneilr
Heh. I think the real physics also only kicks in at degree level. Physics AS Level seemed so mundane. I'm hoping A2 will be better.
You guys are discouraging potential physics students
Shhhhh! 
yo-less
All you mathamatical people are beginning to scare me *hides*
Definitely no A/level maths for me Bio, physics, human bio and something else perhaps...Although doing bio and human bio might be viewed as un-diverse by universities, I fear.
You guys are discouraging potential physics students Shhhhh!
*hides*Definitely no A/level maths for me
Bio, physics, human bio and something else perhaps...Although doing bio and human bio might be viewed as un-diverse by universities, I fear.You guys are discouraging potential physics students
Shhhhh! If you want to study physics at uni you're going to need A Level maths. A Level maths isn't that hard.
Princess Ana how much maths do you cover in uni? On this website under the maths needed to be a good theoretical physicist there's loads of maths stuff that I haven't even heard of
Compared to that list further maths a level doesnt seem so furthersuneilr
Princess Ana how much maths do you cover in uni? On this website under the maths needed to be a good theoretical physicist there's loads of maths stuff that I haven't heard of Compared to that list further maths a level doesnt seem so further
Compared to that list further maths a level doesnt seem so furtherI scanned it , and it seems fairly typical stuff - but you have to remember that it would be taught in the context of a 4 year degree (and beyond). And after the first year, maths is taught in context, rather than in seperate lectures.
If you want to be a theoretical physicist you have to do a lot of maths. Infact, the people who started doing Physics at Cambridge but who want to go into a PhD in theoretical physics end up swapping into maths for the 4th year.
Almost all the theories popular science books are written on are just maths with a vague context. There's plenty of 'advanced physics' which can be done without doing huge quantities of maths, solid state physics or condensed matter, but if you plan to be a string theoriest or do research into supersymmetry or black holes, you'll need to do a LOT of maths.
The list 't Hooft gives in that link seems to be more the route a physics student who bends their study towards maths would cover. I've not done courses in electronics or optics as such and only touched on solid state physics or 'atoms and molecules', they are not sufficently mathsy to be done by the maths department (that's not to say they're bereft of maths).
The amount of material in each of those items in 't Hooft's list is probably 1~5 times a whole A Level and you'd cover that in a term, maybe two (along side other courses). Sounds scary, but think about how much time you spend in lessons doing example after example after example, a teacher might spend 10 minutes explaining a new method and the next lesson and a half you'd do examples. None of that in uni, it's "Here's a result. And another. And another" with the occasional single example thrown in.
Almost all the theories popular science books are written on are just maths with a vague context. There's plenty of 'advanced physics' which can be done without doing huge quantities of maths, solid state physics or condensed matter, but if you plan to be a string theoriest or do research into supersymmetry or black holes, you'll need to do a LOT of maths.
The list 't Hooft gives in that link seems to be more the route a physics student who bends their study towards maths would cover. I've not done courses in electronics or optics as such and only touched on solid state physics or 'atoms and molecules', they are not sufficently mathsy to be done by the maths department (that's not to say they're bereft of maths).
The amount of material in each of those items in 't Hooft's list is probably 1~5 times a whole A Level and you'd cover that in a term, maybe two (along side other courses). Sounds scary, but think about how much time you spend in lessons doing example after example after example, a teacher might spend 10 minutes explaining a new method and the next lesson and a half you'd do examples. None of that in uni, it's "Here's a result. And another. And another" with the occasional single example thrown in.
A fair bit of mechanics and differential equations, but nowhere near that of a physics degree. So long as you're comfortable with A Level maths (inc mechanics) and don't mind maths you'll have no problems. For a physics degree you've got to enjoy maths, for maths degree, well that's obvious, you've got to have a screw loose
Baaa!
Baaa!
then what the difference between engineering and physics ? is engineering course covers everything learned in physics ?
AlphaNumeric
If you want to be a theoretical physicist you have to do a lot of maths. Infact, the people who started doing Physics at Cambridge but who want to go into a PhD in theoretical physics end up swapping into maths for the 4th year.
The amount of material in each of those items in 't Hooft's list is probably 1~5 times a whole A Level and you'd cover that in a term, maybe two (along side other courses). Sounds scary, but think about how much time you spend in lessons doing example after example after example, a teacher might spend 10 minutes explaining a new method and the next lesson and a half you'd do examples. None of that in uni, it's "Here's a result. And another. And another" with the occasional single example thrown in.
The amount of material in each of those items in 't Hooft's list is probably 1~5 times a whole A Level and you'd cover that in a term, maybe two (along side other courses). Sounds scary, but think about how much time you spend in lessons doing example after example after example, a teacher might spend 10 minutes explaining a new method and the next lesson and a half you'd do examples. None of that in uni, it's "Here's a result. And another. And another" with the occasional single example thrown in.
I guess i'll end up swapping into maths then eventually
Do you know what the pphysics at cambridge covers each year? In the prospectuse it has the choices for NatSci but not the modules covered within physics. I just hope i'll be able to survive that much maths How long do you spend practising new maths techniques? If you're just given method after method in each lecture that doesn't sound like there's enough time to practise them.psycho
then what the difference between engineering and physics ? is engineering course covers everything learned in physics ?
Engineering is more practical based. Certain topics such as differential equations, mechanics, thermodynamics and so on will be exactly the same. You won't though do any of the quantum mechanics and less of the pure electromagnetism that a physicist would do. However, you do extra things that a physicist does not - more electronics, materials, aerodynamics (covered a little in physics but not to the same level), finite element analysis.. and there is obviously a more practical part of the course... building and so on. Many universities though have specific engineering degrees - ie electronics engineering, automotive engineering, civil engineering etc. These will obviously be even more specialised to the specific areas.
In general the main difference is the mindset. It goes back to the engineer/ physicist/ mathematician jokes. You are taught to think and approach a problem differently.
Princess Ana
I scanned it , and it seems fairly typical stuff - but you have to remember that it would be taught in the context of a 4 year degree (and beyond). And after the first year, maths is taught in context, rather than in seperate lectures.
Not always true. I had maths lectures in year 2 for all the Vector spaces and Operator methods necessary for Quantum Mechanics and various other general techniques useful in all areas of the course (Fourier Transforms, Differential Eqns, Dirac delta functions etc.)
The point is that people at Uni know what they are doing. They have been teaching it for decades in more or less the same form so they have generally perfected the best way to teach it by now. Physics is a stepped subject, looking at it now it appears hard and impossible, but when you actually get to these mathematical techniques you realise that actually they are fine. As an example, A2 students look at something like a multi-integral on a syllabus and think "that sounds impossible hard".. Ana having done that in her first year realised it wasn't that bad after all, though maybe not totally comfortable with it. I, being a year older can do multi ints in my sleep pretty much. That is how maths works! Don't worry if things appear hard, when you actually get there they won't be!
As Ana says, suneilr, you have to fill your time with something at degree! remember you are spending all of four years doing it! No-one said it would be a doddle. 4 years is the equivalent of about 8 or 10 full A-levels so expect to be covering a lot of stuff!
suneilr I just hope i'll be able to survive that much maths How long do you spend practising new maths techniques? If you're just given method after method in each lecture that doesn't sound like there's enough time to practise them.
I just hope i'll be able to survive that much maths How long do you spend practising new maths techniques? If you're just given method after method in each lecture that doesn't sound like there's enough time to practise them.The thing to realise is that it is fully integrated into the course. It's not that these are just some mathematical devices that you have to learn (like in Maths A-level). At degree you do them because you need them for the course. So take Differential equations... you will probably study them as a mathematical entity first, do some lecturer problems on them. Then you get to do a load of other things in physics which use differential equations (in truth nearly everything) starting off with things like electronic circuits and normal modes. Don't worry... you get a LOT of practice, and it becomes almost second nature!
suneilr
If you're just given method after method in each lecture that doesn't sound like there's enough time to practise them.
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