/sci/ - Science & Math

>Anything I could start learning right now?

Dirac field quantization m9.

>>5735543
>Is university physics completely different from highschool?

If it wasn't, why would you pay to learn it?

>>5735549
These spurdo pics look like a great idea, but the math just looks terrible. I mean the equations are rendered shittily, as though someone used office or some stupid shit.

If someone'd tex these, they'd be very readable, and undoubtedly incite chuckles.

>>5735561
>>5735556
>>5735552
>>5735549

>>5735601
forgot pic

>>5735629
>>5735626
>tfw taking physics 1 and calculus 2 in the fall
>tfw my body is not ready

>>5735626
>>5735629
>>5735631
>>5735635
>>5735637

Are these your physics notes from uni?

>>5735640

It's more than just Physics 1.

You'll probably cover Kinematics, Friction, Angular momentum, Conservation of Energy/Momentum, Torque, and things that like in Phy1.

>>5735640
Most of them are second year courses. First year physics isn't anything new new.

>>5735644
ok sweet. So far I've covered electromagnetic fields, light waves (with some other EMR as well), momentum, and some basic atomic physics during high school. Some of the coulombs law I can understand and a few of the others, but it just seems like a more in depth understanding of what I'm currently taking in high school. Is that generally what physics 1 is?

I was thinking of studying some math over the summer so that I can get better. I've taken calc 1 already at a high school level, should I just start working on Stewart's single variable calc textbook?

>>5735634
Have faith. A semester is like 5 months, and you'll be lead through the course as well. I'm taking Calculus 4 in a condensed 1 month course this summer. I hope my anus is ready.

>>5735652

Typically you'll just need to know some Basic Derivatives, with a splash of Integration mathematics wise depending on how fast your class moves or how hard your prof is

>>5735644

Is what you're likely to expect.

Freshmen physics is just classical mechanics with some calculus. Depending on what level of physics you took in high school (regents, AP B or C) it will be most likely very similar to what you're used to. There's a greater emphasis on problem solving then memorization or multiple choice responses though.

>>5735587
feggod :DDDD

Physics is a skill, not fact-memorizing. Solving problems is how you get better. Here's how I would rank different study habits based on their importance:

1) doing the homework without any help from anyone
2) reading the book very carefully, re-reading sections you don't understand, and doing the algebra in skipped steps if you can't follow
3) helping other students with their homework
4) talking with fellow students, graduate students, or the professor if you are having trouble understanding concepts
5) going to class
6) taking notes in class

Also, you are majoring in a science. Therefore I assume your motives are to become a great scientist one day. Nobody will carry you there (this here I think is the defining difference between college and high school). You must make your own education, keep in mind the core curriculum is only the bare minimum. That is why you should read physics outside of class, and do the extra-hard book problems on your own.

Also try and get involved with research as early as possible. First semester might be a little hard while adjusting to college, but I know people who started as early as second semester.

>>5735774
I have no experience at university so I'm not sure how to get involved in research. Should I just talk to professors or is there an application somewhere? Whats the best way to make connections with professors?

What type of physics should I be reading if I don't understand the most ground breaking research? Should I just try and read through it or just try and read research papers that I would be able to understand?

>>5735794

>I have no experience at university so I'm not sure how to get involved in research. Should I just talk to professors or is there an application somewhere? Whats the best way to make connections with professors?

This really depends on the school. I'm currently an undergrad at Maryland (4th year), which is ranked 10-20 range for physics, but the department is enormous. I found research by cold-emailing professors and setting up meetings in person. There's usually no formal applications for getting involved with research, except for special programs (such as summer REUs). You can even knock on doors if you prefer, though I was too nervous as a first-year to do something like that.

I should mention that in physics there is a large divide between theory and experiment. It's generally easier to find work in experiment, since you can immediately start on hands-on projects like soldering or machining without any physics background. There's also generally more funding for experiment. Don't let that turn you away from theory though. It just might take more years of experience to find a project (though it doesn't hurt to ask!).

>What type of physics should I be reading if I don't understand the most ground breaking research? Should I just try and read through it or just try and read research papers that I would be able to understand?

Depends on the field. Understanding particle physics (i.e. what is the Higgs boson) requires years of graduate-level quantum field theory. How exoplanets are detected can be explained to a ten-year-old. You can just browse arxiv and read what you can. You can also go to a library for general interest. I generally read whatever interests me at the time.

>>5735857
10/10 advice, thanks so much man. Are there any courses I should take that would broaden my job availability once I graduate as a physicist? I was thinking of some eng courses, but I'm not sure.

>>5736085

Well actually I'm a double major with computer science, and I hope to take on a computational project in graduate school. So if physics doesn't work out I can always get a job programming somewhere. Most disciplines within physics will allow you to get a job somewhere. If you work on heavy data analysis, it's likely you would be well-versed in statistics and could land a job on wall street. If you work in experimental physics you could probably get a job in industry. Theory you need to be careful, string theory doesn't have much of a job market but a lot of theory might be useful on wall street. You should probably do more of your own research here.

>>5735543
mit ocw has physics 1-3 with full video lectures etc. get busy

>>5735626
i love you

>>5736187
this. I'm a physics major and honestly think watching those lectures have been more instructive than my classes

>>5735626
>>5735629
>>5735631
>>5735635
>>5735637
University Physics by Young and Freedman

>>5736187
Just going to start watching them now, thanks.

>>5736170
I'm more interested in applied physics anyways, so I guess that's good for finding a readily available job.

>>5735543
>Anything I could start learning right now? Any tips

Option 1 if you want a job after graduation) Read up on how to transfer into the university's engineering department to double major in that.

Option 2 if you want to go to graduate school) Read up on all of Vector Calculus, Linear Algebra, ODEs, and Proofs and either place out of them and register for more advance math courses or take them all in one semester. Major in math and if you can't fit in enough physics courses, then drop the physics major and take more graduate math courses.

Also learn some combination of C++, C, Python, Maple/Mathematica, Labview, and Matlab followed by data structures and algorithms in your free time regardless of which you pick.

>>5736170
>Well actually I'm a double major with computer science, and I hope to take on a computational project in graduate school.
Are you me? That's what I want to do.

>>5735637
>>5735635
>>5735631
>>5735629
>>5735626
How are you supposed to memorize all of this? Holy shit just kill me now.

>>5736323
>memorizing

>>5736430
>implying math and physics are not about memorizing

>>5736306
You will learn all the math you need for physics in a mathematical methods course. Pure math classes are worthless to an engineer/physicist.

>>5735543
I find it rather sickening that the author of that put Guido Van in the same poster as Turing, and that he has a higher place than Linus.
Also Stallman when he's really nothing more than a crazy homeless guy who has done little more than advocate and which nobody takes seriously anymore.

>>5735549
>>5735552
>>5735556
>>5735561
bredi gud ;:DDDD

>>5736438
>Implying they are.

>>5736446
that depends on what kind of physicsit you want to be.

Does someone who wants to do optics or soft matter or solid state physics need to know as much abstract mathematics as someone who wants to learn string theory? Of course not. how can any one mathematical methods course cater to both the latter and the former? Why should all undergrad physics students in a university physics program be made to learn the abstract mathematics required for extremely theoretical topics? Of course they shouldn't. So if you want to go into the most theoretical areas, you should try to make sure you know the required abstract mathematics.

>>5736446
>Pure math classes are worthless to an engineer/physicist

Have you even done physics beyond a first year undergraduate level?

>>5736559
>implying they arent'

>>5736609
you are wrong

>>5735626
>>annular rings

le sigh

>>5736606
he probably the same kid who claimed all you need for physics is algebra last year

>>5735626
>>5735629
>>5735631
>>5735635
>>5735637
Dude you rock!

>>5736609
math tests are about memorizing
physics tests are about memorizing

math and physics are about knowing where to look and how to apply what you find. get off 4chan and go study for your AP tests, underage.