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A Level Physics of Chemistry?

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Original post by vedderfan94
Tbh, the maths in A-level physics is pretty much GCSE maths so I wouldn't really say they complement each other at A-level. But pick physics because it's awesome! :biggrin:


o.O I took A-level Physics without Maths and the maths was significantly harder than GCSE Maths!
Reply 21
i took both and theyre both ****ing awful, especially if you have **** teachers, so i'd commend you for taking either :biggrin:
Reply 22
Physics is obscenely awesome, and also tenfold easier than Chemistry (provided you have an interest in it. But why wouldn't you?). Only pick Chem if you want to sit and learn off mounds of info, for diminishing returns.
Original post by vedderfan94
Tbh, the maths in A-level physics is pretty much GCSE maths so I wouldn't really say they complement each other at A-level. But pick physics because it's awesome! :biggrin:


You should tell my A-level Physics teacher this. He is being a right fairy and trying to avoid teaching AQA Unit 5C on rotational dynamics, thermodynamics and engines next year. He wants to teach us Unit 5B on medical physics.
Original post by navarre
No. Chemistry is known as the central science, because it is relevant in biology, physics, psychology, geology, medicine, geography...

Read this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_central_science

But you initially mentioned "basic science", and physics is more fundamental than chemistry. Physics could also be applied to that because those sciences (biology, chemistry, geology, medicine, etc) deal with systems that obey the laws of physics.
Original post by britchick
o.O I took A-level Physics without Maths and the maths was significantly harder than GCSE Maths!

What mathematical methods did you find hard?
Reply 26
I got 100% in my GCSE chemistry and i'm struggling to scrape a C at a2, so i'd just suggest taking the one that you have the greatest interest in.

I concur with one of the posters above that a lot of chemistry is just memorising mounts of information. I chose the option of being a lethargic wastrel and not learning it than having it melt my brain
Reply 27
I find Chemistry much easier than Physics. The concepts in Chemistry are pretty easy to grasp whereas Physics take a bit longer for me. Might just be me though, although Physics is definitely more interesting!
Reply 28
Both are useful, but as others have already said, make sure you consider what your proposed course at university will require before you decide.

Make sure you look at the specifications beforehand, too, as some are harder than others. I did OCR Physics A, but apparently Physics B is more straightforward for most people (same for Chemistry).

Most importantly, don't forget to consider your own strengths! As someone who isn't very good at Maths, I just about struggled through some of the concepts in Physics, but I'm sure I would have found it much easier if I were a Mathematician. Likewise, for Chemistry, if you're not logically-minded, it's probably not for you!

At the end of the day, it's your choice, but if I were you I'd speak to a teacher/form tutor/head of year/anyone to get some advice, as they'll know you much better than I do! :smile:
Original post by vedderfan94
What mathematical methods did you find hard?


As a non-Maths student I found it more difficult to do mechanics at AS/further mechanics at A2, logarithms and natural logs and sin/cos functions and graphs (also Maths students learnt differentiation to help with something here but I have no clue what that even is) to name a few. And just the general ability to practice maths. None of my other subjects even require a calculator so it's a miracle I personally even made it through Physics alive - I got a D at AS and had to do a bunch of resits and work really hard to drag that up to a B and will hopefully get a B overall at A-level come results day - it was definitely the maths that pulled me back. It did become easier with practise but it was quite a rough journey.
Original post by cjd2k
Physics is obscenely awesome, and also tenfold easier than Chemistry (provided you have an interest in it. But why wouldn't you?). Only pick Chem if you want to sit and learn off mounds of info, for diminishing returns.


i echo this.
Reply 31
So If I get an A in my GCSE Maths I should do Physics you think?
Reply 32
Original post by swylde
So If I get an A in my GCSE Maths I should do Physics you think?


Did you do additional? Because that would help as well.
And if doing Physics, you might want to strongly consider maths, if only at AS. You don't need horrendously strong maths for Physics (unless you want to do it for the rest of your life (which you will, if you're cool enough)), but golly does it help. Especially when you can use further maths knowledge for the lols in your exams.
I wish you luck either way.
I picked both and enjoyed both equally.
Reply 34
Original post by boromir9111
I picked both and enjoyed both equally.


Did you really? :awesome:

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