/sci/ - Science & Math

[Anonymous No.4609417]

/sci/ I feel really in over my head right now as a math/physics major in college and so I'm going to use this summer to review everything I've done so far. Which of the following topics should I focus on reviewing?

calc 2
calc 3*
ODEs
proof techniques
linear algebra
Abstract Algebra
Analysis**
Mechanics*
E&M*
Relativity
Elementary QM*
Math techniques in physics
Vibrations and Waves*

there's clearly no way I can do all this in a summer, even if it's just reviewing. *=areas I'm particularly weak in
**=I don't know wtf is going on at all

any advice?

[Anonymous No.4609427]

>weak in all of the areas you need to understand shit about physics
>mfw

Is that real GTR, or some dumbed-down babby shit?

[Anonymous No.4609429]

I say this every summer so I can avoid forgetting important concepts.

And every summer comes and goes and I say over winter recess I'll do it.

And winter recess comes and goes and I say in summer I'll do it.

And summer came and went and now I'm in industry and don't need 95% of the stuff I learned.

[Anonymous No.4609436]

>>4609417

Wait, what classes are you headed into that you think you need to review for or is it graduate school? It's sort of tough to know because it depends on what you're heading into, any number of these topics can be pretty important based on that.

[Anonymous No.4609451]

>>4609436
like to pass GREs...maybe grad school idk what I want to do after graduation...just to know the stuff really. I don't really know what I want to do.

>>4609427
GTR? Idk what that is. the physics is calculus based though

[Anonymous No.4609462]

>>4609451
GTR = General Theory of Relativity

You should really go over EM and Analysis

[Anonymous No.4609473]

>>4609451

In that case, I think some good topics to cover would be to go over Series and Sequences as it applies to physics problems since it pops up all the time. The question would next be if you're going into theoretical physics or experimental physics - It's always good to have a good foundation in Differential Equations and Calc 3 would be a good jumping point if your weak in some points in that area - you've really got to think about systems in higher coordinates and different coordinates constantly.

When you say GREs though - do you mean taking specialty GRE in physics? or just the general one? None of these math or physics topics will be on the general one. I think though, that ultimately the problem is not knowing exactly what to do with your degree - I would suggest reading some Physics and Physical Chemistry papers over the summer and see what you make of them. If you find that you like plasma mechanics, astrophysics, nuclear physics/chemistry, fluid mechanics, or any type of engineering, I can easily tell you what you should go after.

[Anonymous No.4609477]

>>4609462
oh it's not GTR it's special relativity

[Anonymous No.4609483]

If you think you are likely to go into math, then analysis
if physics is more likely, then E&M
and either way, you should make sure you should know calc and linear algebra well.

[Anonymous No.4609494]

>>4609473
that sounds like a good idea. Do you know where would be a good place to find papers I could understand? I think my college has access to JSTOR but I've never really used it.


Also, I have yet to take physics lab classes yet which will be coming next year. My uni requires a lab class in Electronics (circuits and shit) and a general more advanced class on lab techniques, which I'm gonna have in the fall and spring of next year. Also gonna be taking Classical Mechanics and E&M at the advanced level as well next year.

forgot to mention Thermo. I'm taking that at the advanced level right now and am doing well in it. but still, it's something else to consider reviewing anyway if there's time.

[Anonymous No.4609524]

>>4609494

Most colleges have some massive libraries on this stuff, and even online - hell I was doing a presentation of a group in chemistry and they had all their papers online when you go to their group website. The only thing I have to say really, is that you shouldn't get discouraged when you start reading some of these papers - looking at the graphs, diagrams, and schemes are okay if you don't completely comprehend, and many professors (or their graduate students) will send responses to you if you email them about it.

Just a comment about Thermodynamics - it's really another specialized field of physics/chemistry that can help out chemical engineers, chemists, etc. in their understanding of systems under varying conditions and how to optimize them. For instance - hydrogen storage in chemical compounds (which is a pretty hot topic) forces one to have a good background in knowing how to optimize pressure and temperature in order to get the correct conditions for the system.