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Hardest Science A level - Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Maths or (Geography)?

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Which is harder?

Hey guys,

What is the hardest Science A level? I personally think Physics is the hardest! I can't get my head around quantum phenomena.

I hear Chemistry is hard, but is it harder than Physics?
(edited 13 years ago)

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Reply 1
All of them aint hard if learnt properly.....chem probz is the hardest due to the various ways of questioning and outside factors which are implied in exam questions
I'd say Further Maths - it's like maths, but harder (although more than 30% taking it got A*s last year)
I would say physics as well but they are all difficult tbh just in different ways.
Reply 4
At AS level, i found physics the hardest, at A2 im finding biology the hardest,because of all of the how science works rubbish.
I'm doing Biology, Chemistry and Maths A-levels (in addition to Psychology) and so many of my classmates complain about Chemistry being too hard. I think this is because a lot of Chemistry is invisible and you can't really relate it to real life as much as you can with Biology and Physics. As long as you work at it and get your head around the theories you'll get there in the end.
Biology. Which is why I didn't take it.
I think the hardest conceptually is chemistry, however, I think the hardest exam is biology because of the structure of the questions (need to mention specific keywords).
Reply 8
Chemistry is probably the hardest for the sheer volume of equations and mechanisms you need to know.
Physics is probably the hardest for the concepts
Biology is the hardest exam because of all the specific terminology needed
Maths is only hard if you find dealing with numbers difficult, otherwise it is just practice practice and more practice.
(edited 13 years ago)
Reply 9
Well if my former biology teachers were right then biology is the most impossible Alevel in existence and we might as well not even bother trying as were all going to fail anyway from the sound of things :smile:
(edited 13 years ago)
Zorg
Chemistry is probably the hardest for the sheer volume of equations and mechanisms you need to know.
Physics is probably the hardest for the concepts
Biology is the hardest exam because of all the specific terminology needed
Maths is only hard if you find dealing with numbers difficult, otherwise it is just practice practice and more practice.


Spot on, except I find the concepts of chemistry the hardest aspect of it.
Reply 11
At A-level probably further maths. At degree level I'd say physics because you need the same awesome maths skills but also need to be incredibly amazing at understanding concepts and applying them in a variety of situations.

Chemistry is the biggest pile of bull ever. They treat it like physics in that you have formula's and concepts but they keep throwing all these 'exceptions to the rule at you'. **** me when doing organic chemistry it felt like I was doing biology. All I was doing was remembering reactions in certain conditions similar to the rote learning you get in biology. Got an A in it nonetheless.
(edited 13 years ago)
I'd say Physics, since I avoided that like the plague.

Chemistry and Maths are hard until they suddenly just click. I loved maths since once it clicks it becomes second nature, so you hardly need to revise at all.

Biology I found came naturally to me, so I'm not sure if that's because it plays on my strengths or because it's just easy. I love processes with one step leading to another in a logical fashion, so biology was perfect for that.

Physics... I found that cold and heartless. Electric currents, particles and waves hold no interest for me at all. Astro-physics always sounded cool though.
(edited 13 years ago)
Original post by Svenjamin
I'd say Physics, since I avoided that like the plague.

Chemistry and Maths are hard until they suddenly just click. I loved maths since once it clicks it becomes second nature, so you hardly need to revise at all.

Biology I found came naturally to me, so I'm not sure if that's because it plays on my strengths or because it's just easy. I love processes with one step leading to another in a logical fashion, so biology was perfect for that.

Physics... I found that cold and heartless. Electric currents, particles and waves hold no interest for me at all. Astro-physics always sounded cool though.

This is me! Although I haven't started A Levels I can see me being like this, I love maths biology and chemistry but only a little bit of physics - like astrophysics 🙈 I don't know what to do lol
Can I have some advice/tips for A-Level maths, chemistry, biology and physics as I'm starting them this september. Thanks :smile:
biology, without much competition, not the subject itself but because of the question structures and demand for key words.
Reply 16
Chemistry

It's got the hard mathematics and abstract concepts like physics, but also the bulk info like biology in organic.

Blugh

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If you're going to include maths in the list you should have further maths too. Maths A level is very watered down in comparison to some of the further pure modules.

Physics isn't that bad and the maths is just plugging into equations. All you have to do in physics is recognize and use equations.

Biology is very qualitative and so the difficulty may be partly subjective. I am aware chemistry is the hardest of the science A levels by a long way.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by Tom2k10
Hey guys,

What is the hardest Science A level? I personally think Physics is the hardest! I can't get my head around quantum phenomena.

I hear Chemistry is hard, but is it harder than Physics?


Quantum phenomena? When I did AS physics, you just had to remember the charges on three quarks, and I know there was nothing else that got anywhere near quantum in the A2.

Chemistry can be hard to understand. Physics AS certainly was not.


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Original post by Sade_101
Can I have some advice/tips for A-Level maths, chemistry, biology and physics as I'm starting them this september. Thanks :smile:


Do past papers. Go through your answers, marking harshly. Note down words and phrases that the mark scheme asks for, and write mini-drafts for questions you did badly on.

Of course, you've gotta learn most of the content before past papers. Do that however you like to revise.

Using that technique, you have a good chance at full marks.

Ohh, also, do not neglect ISAs. My school (certainly in biology) didn't bother with ISA past papers or anything, so no one got more that 50/60. Doing a few past papers could get you 5 extra marks, which could be crucial.


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