Physics at durham - applicants and discussion

I've never seen this inflatable planetarium and I rambled through first year astronomy, so I wouldn't bet on it . There isn't really any 'official' practical astronomy until third year, though astrosoc is great for doing all sorts before then (if you want to, of course).

The number of girls is variable, but it's in the tens of percents, probably closing on 50% some years.

Don't worry about AES, it's only really there because all the cool unis do them nowadays . Track is almost always more up to date and reliable, just keep an eye on that.

For the first year, you have 1*3 hour practical per week. They're not too much of a drag, can even be enjoyable. You'll mostly go through experiments designed to get you used to the equipment and to get used to proper experimental technique (error propagation etc.) that doesn't appear much in A-levels. It can be a bit boring at times, but it has to be done, and it's far from diffiicult!

In later years you'll spend more and more time in the labs, though (from my second year experience) the experiments are more interesting. There's also more choice, and to some extent the opportunity to choose things other than labwork.

that's odd... Checked the AES track and it says my application has not yet been received by the college, but UCAS says I got an offer?!

Well, may be seeing you in October, then. :-)

And don't worry - I think it's just HM Kangaroo around these parts who thinks Durham Physics is awful, and I'm getting the impression that's because he thinks he should be able to do a degree course without any work.

Yeah, Durham AES is just to give you an idea of what's going on.

Well, may be seeing you in October, then. :-)

And don't worry - I think it's just HM Kangaroo around these parts who thinks Durham Physics is awful, and I'm getting the impression that's because he thinks he should be able to do a degree course without any work.

Yeah, Durham AES is just to give you an idea of what's going on.

I may not exactly know what I'm talking about, but for one thing I've seen very few who agree with him on TSR compared to those who don't. I also have to say that's exactly the impression I've been getting too.
Things like 'I should be able to do a degree course without turning up to lectures' do rather give that image.

Be that as it may, your comments on Durham in general, which do run completely contrary to most of what is said here, do not fill me with confidence in your opinions on other matters.

Be that as it may, your comments on Durham in general, which do run completely contrary to most of what is said here, do not fill me with confidence in your opinions on other matters.

I may not exactly know what I'm talking about, but for one thing I've seen very few who agree with him on TSR compared to those who don't. I also have to say that's exactly the impression I've been getting too.
Things like 'I should be able to do a degree course without turning up to lectures' do rather give that image.

You might notice there is an obvious divide between those who got in on merit and those who bought their way in.

Plus you might want to note that I am actually on a committee for something meaningful, where as no-one else on here who posts often is.

Eat the rich! Hahahahahaha! death to middle class fascists

What committee? And I'm pretty sure I can think of two or three other people on here involved in student government.

HMK is very odd. Although he makes some interesting points sometimes, his raving socialism is essentially the same as the raving fundamentalism that he doesn't seem to like much.

Although I'm doubtless stupid, rich, blind or blinkered for my opinions (don't worry HMK, I've got you covered ), I disagree with just about everything he says about the physics department. It's an excellent department with an interesting course. Yes, the course is difficult at times. Yes, you may have to memorise some equations (omg!), but is that *really* difficult? Or do you faint at the difficulty of remembering the quadratic formula?

Don't be blinkered yourselves by what HMK and some others here have to say. It's always the disgruntled that shout the loudest! Most of the people enjoying the course are too busy having a good time to care what a single lazy complainerer says on some student forum

I will be happy to put a more positive but probably more helpful light on anything people have questions about. For the record, I *am* doing phyics!

I had the list at around 400 equations (yes some can be derived from others, but do you want to do that in an exam?). Shall I attach the equations lists as well for the whole year? Or can you agree that the Optics is indeed the easiest part of the degree and you are expected to learn it first.

Again the link, for those coming here, you should be happy to learn all the material in the zip file in the space of a week, whilst doing 4 other modules.
http://www.2shared.com/file/4709401/cfa4fc4c/Optics.html

PS, if you want to try the "I am doing Physics" lark, RobbieC has been around for 4 years of it.

3 hours, no formula sheet, go...

It's not too bad really is it? I'd say I could get a fairly decent grade on that paper (probably 2.1), as would most of the physicists I've spoken to. Even Signer's problem is doable, it's a godsend! I just hope tomorrow's paper isn't much worse...

As for HMK saying Signer's question on the collections required something called 'contour integration', as far as I'm aware that's rubbish. Admittedly I have no idea what contour integration is but I'm fairly sure what I used was called integration and is hardly difficult. It's amongst the simplest questions on the damn paper!

Also this rubbish about Optics is just that. Behind the scary looking proofs and woffle there is very, VERY little to this topic. I'm looking at my notes right now and at most I can fish out 3 formulae, some rubbish on ray tracing diagrams (stuff you could teach a GCSE student in 2 minutes), and some stuff on polarisation of light. If you actually look in the notes all of the difficult stuff is completely unnecessary.

Anyway I really should go revise...