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/sci/ - Science & Math

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4922064 No.4922064 [Reply] [Original]

Incoming freshman here,

What's a college level physics course like in terms of difficulty? I'm allowed a choice between level one biology or physics. I never took physics in high-school.

Level one - Mechanics
Level two - Fluid + Thermodynamics

I'll be taking this along with four other courses. This one will most likely be the same day as Calculus I.

>> No.4922083

>>4922064

since you didnt take high school physics it could be rather difficult. It will be different than any other science problems you've faced. most similar to wordy-math problems

>> No.4922085

Prepare to work harder than you've ever worked before

>> No.4922088

Its easy.

>> No.4922142

coming from ap high-school physics the transition was ridiculously easy.. as our HS teacher was previously an astrophysicist, i can actually safely say he taught me more uni physics than physics 101 did. (we did all kinds of cool quantum and special relativity stuff we didn't have to cover, but he wanted us to)

that said, if you dont have that kind of benefit, it will honest be the hardest course you have ever taken. If you are a strong calculus and vectors student it will be easier on the math side of things, but if you ca't read a question and actually comprehend whats going on and assign your values properly (sounds easy but believe me its not when a singe question is half a page) you wont even get to the part of the question that involves math.

>> No.4922151

>>4922142
Well shit, I've never taken calculus before either. Calc I is that same semester.

Maybe I'll see where I'm at with Calculus first, then I'll take it next semester. Would Calc I be enough, or should I take Calc II or III before even trying physics?

>> No.4922159
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4922159

>>4922151
Just try and get a handle on vectors. Its pretty straight forward tbh, internet sites can teach you the basics.

pic related, the first page of grade 12 unit 1 test.

>> No.4922166

>>4922159
Hmm, sounds good. What was the hardest thing you came across in mechanics?

>> No.4922167

For physics, you need to think and possess common sense.

For biology, be prepared to memorize tons of stuff.

>> No.4922170

>>4922166
waves... not actually terribly hard math its just weird to conceptualize some things as having both a wave and particle nature at the same time...

>> No.4923589

I'm worried about this too, i'm enrolled for physics 151 at my school, (physics I basically) I never took physics in high school, but I did take calculus, and I'm majoring in CompSci, is this class really hard? I don't want to get fucked over in my first semester.

>> No.4923605

Taught myself through AP Physics B, wasn't too bad, simultaneously with AP Calculus AB. Didn't use a lot of Calculus; vectors were always more of a Geometry thing if you ask me, and bare bones Trigonometry for sin() cos() and tan().

Hardest part for me was getting a hang of mixing and combining the equations. Bulk memorization isn't too bad, but it took a while for the logical leap of, for example, centripetal force being equal to the providing force, so you can find velocity that way.

Got a 5 on the exam, only one in my class of 15 who passed, yeah.