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physics anyone?

Adarah

hehehe, no, I'd prefer not further stupid arguments.

I was thinking about theoretical physics too... but then I saw how many maths courses i would have to take instead of those other really cool sounding courses... hehehe, so I changed my mind and just went for the basic one. I can still change to theoretical if I want to, I'm sure - but I doubt I'll want to :wink:

.

Where have you applied to Adarah?

I am thinking about Theoretical Physics too, as I love Maths and dislike the more practical bits...I'm not sure though...I'm sure it'd be quite easy to change part way through though as the majority of the modules are the same.

Reply 21

Comp_Genius

4

morals_officer

I'm a 3rd year physicist, and frankly, I'm crapping meself with the amount of work I've got in the runup to exams.

Exams are horrible!

Also, physics is great. And such.

And Biologists aren't scientists, by and large. they're people who prod leaves. real scientists know more maths than the poisson distribution.

what about statistical mechanics? lol :rolleyes:

although I love physics, some physics theories are so mathematical and theoretical that they may not describe anything "real".

Reply 22

Comp_Genius

4

NikNak

hehe I thought that might provoke a response!! :p:

You may change your opinions if you tried to read a few publications I have to hand. I suspect any non-biologists wouldn't be able to understand a single sentence in them! :p:

Anyone who says Biology contains little mathematics doesn't know anything at all about the subject. Progress in Biology is made through hypothesis > experiment > statistical and mathematical analysis of results > theory > further experiment and statistics > theory either further validated or shown to be flawed in some way. Without mathematics, Biology is not possible.

Biologists use chemistry, physics and maths extensively to further our understanding of life. It is because it is the most all encompassing science that draws on all our scientific understanding that it is such an amazing subject!

lol, I guess I am getting quite defensive now! *takes chill pills* :p:

biology is certain quite mathematical, I agree. Differential equations are used, equations are used to describe population dynamics, and equations are used to describe hormonal change in Menstrual cycle etc. although physics, except for mathematics, is by far the most mathematical subject.

Reply 23

Comp_Genius

4

NikNak

So you are saying that to study biology, you must also understand chemistry and physics? Surely that makes biologists far superior to people that only understand physics?! :p:

only true to a certain extent. Pure biology itself is unable to explain phenomona properly without the application of chemistry, and so ultimately, physics.

Reply 24

idiopathic

15

Physicists (or theoretical ones in particular) seem to fudge things around like constants or chuck in a new dimension, just to fit their theories.

I do like classical physics mostly.

Reply 25

Comp_Genius

4

but I do hope that they can prove the new dimension true :smile:

Reply 26

Adarah

OP

16

*starbuck*

Where have you applied to Adarah?

I am thinking about Theoretical Physics too, as I love Maths and dislike the more practical bits...I'm not sure though...I'm sure it'd be quite easy to change part way through though as the majority of the modules are the same.

I applied to imperial and just got my offera and I've already replied to it - no conditions really (it was a conditional offer, but I already meet their requirments)

Reply 27

Adarah

OP

16

endeavour

Physicists (or theoretical ones in particular) seem to fudge things around like constants or chuck in a new dimension, just to fit their theories.

I do like classical physics mostly.

I'm interested in quantum optics right now, but that might change when I start uni (just something I'm interested in most I suppose and something to tell the admissions tutors at interview! lol!) :wink:

Reply 28

riccardo

geophysics is waaay better because you get to go on trips to measure stuff, in physics you sit in the lab and measure stuff. Same thing with more travel potential.

Reply 29

Ricci

riccardo

geophysics is waaay better because you get to go on trips to measure stuff

Sure you get to go to really exotic places and measure the circumference of rocks :rolleyes:

I guess someones got to do it! :p:

Reply 30

Alcohol5%

2

You must remember that the work by nuclear and particle physicists to find new way of making cleaner and more efficient fuels that will help reduce pollution, to keep us, the plants and the planet alive is basically gonna save biology.

Sorry, lol

Reply 31

nikk

15

Alcohol5%

You must remember that the work by nuclear and particle physicists to find new way of making cleaner and more efficient fuels that will help reduce pollution, to keep us, the plants and the planet alive is basically gonna save biology.

Sorry, lol

Or destroy it! :wink:

Reply 32

Comp_Genius

4

Ricci

Sure you get to go to really exotic places and measure the circumference of rocks :rolleyes:

I guess someones got to do it! :p:

yes, and they pay you to do rock digging too :rolleyes:

Reply 33

Bennus

5

Physics is the study of nature at the most fundamental level. And thats just fact, no debating about that one.

As it happens at my school we're going to be having a Cafe Scientifique soon entitled "Are Biology and Chemistry just a branch of Physics" which should at least turn out all the a-level science students.

Btw, me doing physics at Durham if the universe has any justice left in it.

Reply 34

ChemistBoy

16

Bennus

Physics is the study of nature at the most fundamental level. And thats just fact, no debating about that one.

As it happens at my school we're going to be having a Cafe Scientifique soon entitled "Are Biology and Chemistry just a branch of Physics" which should at least turn out all the a-level science students.

Btw, me doing physics at Durham if the universe has any justice left in it.

Well if you first statement is correct then the debate isn't really a debate because the answer is "no". Biology, Chemistry and Physics are branches of natural science or philosophy, one is not above the others. At the taught level all three subjects do have cross-over, but there are areas a biologist knows way more about that a physicist - in fact most physicists I know blanche when they see a cell (infact they blanche when they see an amino acid!).

Reply 35

Bennus

5

Maybe I should have put the 'fundamental level' in italics. I'm talking about quarks and gluons, fields (not the grassy kind) and forces, which are more fundamental then a cell, however tiny that cell is, although fundamental entites don't necassarily have to be small.

Reply 36

Comp_Genius

4

all other sciences branch from physics.

however physics fails to explain what a force is, what an electron, a quark or a gluon is. You may argue, however, that it is philosophy.

Reply 37

riccardo

Physics fails to explain what a magnetic field is too

Reply 38

Comp_Genius

4

physics can't explain anything, they develop a model to explain what is happening, not why, and often not very accurately either.

Reply 39

diracdelta

Adarah

Lol, don't seem to be many physics threads here really. So, anyone here studying/planning to study physics ? :smile:

I'm currently aiming to get my degree in theoretical physics and applied maths, although obviously that all depends on whether or not i revise the material well enough to do what is required of me in the imminent exams.

And for anyone doing physics, you may understand what i mean when i say that any books by Landau and Lifshitz are not the best books to revise from, least of all the "mechanics" edition...

physics anyone?

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