I'm tired of regurgitating my physics-based thoughts between the space chat thread and the philosophy thread (but I love you mathematician chat xoxo) so I'm making this thread for discussion by physicists and physics students and people with only a vague interest in physics and people who hate physics but need to understand it better to pass a class and anyone else who want to talk about physics for any reason whatsoever. I know some of us here are physics students. Turnip5 is one, aVoN is one (though I rarely see him anymore), and I think sltungle is one. Let us know if you're studying or plan to study physics!
In short, physics is the study of matter, energy, and forces, and the application of mathematics in an attempt to discover the most fundamental equations which govern how these things behave. It comes in several varieties: theoretical, experimental, and applied, all of which depend on each other. Furthermore, there are many different fields of physics (Not the kind that permeate space, but there are those too) like quantum theory, cosmology, thermodynamics, condensed matter physics, astrophysics, mathematical physics, and many more.
Not to mention the awesome physicists throughout history, alive and dead. I mean, we have probably the most famous and recognizable scientist of all time, whose name has become synonymous with "genius." I speak, of course, of Max Born. Just kidding, it's Albert Motherfuckin' Einstein. (He had his middle name legally changed to Motherfuckin' in an attempt to hide his Jewish heritage from the Nazis) And of course the bad boy of physics, Richard Feynman:
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjHJ7FmV0M4[/media]
So, discuss physics. What are your favorite areas of physics? What are your favorite topics? Favorite equations? Favorite physicist? What do you still want to understand?
I really am only interested in theoretical physics, and more specifically mathematical physics. I am quite interested in black holes and general relativity in... general, quantum field theory, and quantum gravity. (though I can't claim to be very knowledgeable about those last two yet) Maybe it's not ~physics hipster~ enough but my favorite physicist is Albert Einstein and my favorite equation is his field equations for gravity.
[IMG]http://i47.tinypic.com/wk0io7.png[/IMG]
Sexy.
[editline]4th February 2013[/editline]
Let me know of any valuable physics resources you think should be added to the OP.
V=ir
that has something to do with currents, that's it folks that's all i've got
I read a physics book recently called "Why does E=mc^2 and it was a p cool book.
[QUOTE=Sobotnik;39478161]I read a physics book recently called "Why does E=mc^2 and it was a p cool book.[/QUOTE]
Pop sci books are great for getting into the subject. I think my love of physics began with reading Michio Kaku's [I]Hyperspace[/I] and [I]Parallel Worlds[/I], though I loved science in general since I was very young.
[editline]4th February 2013[/editline]
I still read some now, even though most are too untechnical for my liking. Leonard Susskind's [I]The Black Hole War[/I] is one I read in the past year, and it was very enjoyable.
I took biology and chemistry instead.
Fuck the police.
[QUOTE=polarbear.;39478417]I took biology and chemistry instead.
Fuck the police.[/QUOTE]
>:O
[editline]4th February 2013[/editline]
[IMG]http://i48.tinypic.com/23lfmgi.gif[/IMG]
thanks for making this thread, now I can whine about my second year physics labs without feeling like I'm off topic (in the maths/space chat). I'll definitely be contributing on a continuous basis
hhhehehe
heheh it's funny because you said continuous and basis and those are both mathy things heheheh
[editline]4th February 2013[/editline]
And good to see you'll be contributing regularly. Also are you a physics student? I feel like you are and I know that but I forgot.
for physics class we watched shrek
I took biology and my teacher was pretty dimbis and talked way too much about plants. I didn't enjoy the class at all, started my second class of chemistry today and I believe I'm already fucked because the teacher spent half the class talking about how we use math in the class. I suck at math, and for that reason I didn't take physics.
I sorta regret it, even if I did shit in the class I was hoping to learn something or two because I'm actually pretty interested in physics, ever since I was a kid I always wondered about stuff like why if I drop an object inside a moving car, it doesn't go flying backwards.
Considering taking it next year, I asked my friends if they thought I should take it and 3 of them simultaneously yelled "NO" :v: a lot of work ..
[QUOTE=shrektheturd2;39478524]for physics class we watched shrek[/QUOTE]
"since there are more equations than variables, this system is ogredetermined"
only have university science courses in my school too, no college/easier ones
yeah, certainly am. pure general physics course (not maths + phys, like some people I know). half way through my second year now, trying to get my head round quantum and statistical mechanics at the moment. I hope to stick around for an MSci (4 year course) and eventually go into research (perhaps. I don't know if I'm hardcore enough yet).
so far, it's going okay. I'm also living in a house with 3 other physics students, which is a massive advantage when doing coursework and things.
I only just realised how apt the "continuous basis" thing was as I was hovering over the "post reply" button. I saw it and was like hhhehehe
[QUOTE=polarbear.;39478529]I took biology and my teacher was pretty dimbis and talked way too much about plants. I didn't enjoy the class at all, started my second class of chemistry today and I believe I'm already fucked because the teacher spent half the class talking about how we use math in the class. I suck at math, and for that reason I didn't take physics.
I sorta regret it, even if I did shit in the class I was hoping to learn something or two because I'm actually pretty interested in physics, ever since I was a kid I always wondered about stuff like why if I drop an object inside a moving car, it doesn't go flying backwards.
Considering taking it next year, I asked my friends if they thought I should take it and 3 of them simultaneously yelled "NO" :v: a lot of work ..[/QUOTE]
My junior year of high school I failed advanced algebra w/ trig, but when I took physics the next year I got an A in it as well as an A in math, and then As in both of my first two semester of calculus and both of my first two semesters in physics.
A passionate interest in a subject can turn shit around pretty quick
I can't wait to take Physics next year, I've literally been waiting the past 5 years to do it. I'm absolutely excelling in Chemistry as it stands, so I might go on and take AP Chem if they don't cover the same exact subjects.
I fucking love Science.
[QUOTE=JohnnyMo1;39478400]Pop sci books are great for getting into the subject. I think my love of physics began with reading Michio Kaku's [I]Hyperspace[/I] and [I]Parallel Worlds[/I], though I loved science in general since I was very young.
[editline]4th February 2013[/editline]
I still read some now, even though most are too untechnical for my liking. Leonard Susskind's [I]The Black Hole War[/I] is one I read in the past year, and it was very enjoyable.[/QUOTE]
The book was a lovely one for me, since it managed to fill in the gaps from high school.
We had the best teacher, although I wish I could have advanced further to do Advanced higher physics (its the highest level you can study in school, and is counted as the first year of University in Scotland). My maths skills weren't up to par tho, since I needed a higher maths (and only managed to get just below that with an A in Int 2).
Still a fascinating subject for me though (I come from a family whose history has been that of physics dropouts in university who swapped to chemistry).
.
If you're at all interested in becoming an engineer, you better take and pay attention in all of the physics and calculus classes at your high school
[QUOTE=PollytheParrot;39478699]If you're at all interested in becoming an engineer, you better take and pay attention in all of the physics and calculus classes at your high school[/QUOTE]
Math hasn't been a strong point of mine up until now, for some reason I always fell behind and could never really get a grasp on it. For some reason that's changed though and I'm doing great with that too, but I'm only in Algebra 2 and it sucks shit. Considering doubling up but I don't know if that'd be possible. Maybe a summer course; if I can save up the money for it.
And if none of the above, I have plans for going into the Airforce, and there I can utilize the Technical School and on-base campus to their full extent and get caught up in all the stuff I need to get caught up in. woo maaaath
Found the paper I sat for physics: [url]http://www.sqa.org.uk/pastpapers/papers/papers/2012/H_Physics_All_2012.pdf[/url]
About the furthest I reached in physics. (And got a B, which is ok I guess)
[QUOTE=Sobotnik;39478660]Still a fascinating subject for me though (I come from a family whose history has been that of physics dropouts in university who swapped to chemistry).[/QUOTE]
my dad swapped courses to philosophy after his first year of physics, at the same uni as me, so I'm already technically beating him by half a year :v:
though it was much, much harder in those days and I don't blame him because he didn't have the equivalent of further maths at A-level, which I did - incredibly, some of it is still harder than what I've had to do at degree level so far.
christ, I don't know what I'd have done without further maths. thank fuck I didn't let my english teacher talk me into doing A2 english instead
I fucking love the sciences too! Just finished my AP Chem exam this semester with a whopping 100% final grade mark. Feels great. Next semester though, I have Bio and Anatomy, and then programming and Physics, cant wait to start Physics.
Just came out of my lecture just now, prof. trolls the class by going into a discussion about universal relativity (dark matter, anti-gravitation, etc.) while our midterm on ideal engines and buoyancy is in two days..
geology bitch
while you nerds work hard over boring numbers we look at rocks under a microscope and say "yep its a rock"
and then we get an A on the exam
[QUOTE=Vash_023;39478823]Just came out of my lecture just now, prof. trolls the class by going into a discussion about universal relativity (dark matter, anti-gravitation, etc.) while our midterm on ideal engines and buoyancy is in two days..[/QUOTE]
good that sounds way less boring
Hah I wish I was a physics student. I'm a computer science and engineering student. But we and the engineering physics students have some courses together.
I was thinking about applying for physics. But I literally lacked [B]one[/B] A, so I didn't bother (still might have gotten though). A good friend was going to apply for CS&E, which has quite a bright future in terms of job and development so I went with that too.
But hey, I don't mind being listed as a physics student ;) Physics is awesome, I love it.
I'm not taking any physics related course at the moment, and I probably won't be able to since our school limited each section to their own set of course, which sucks dick. Earlier anyone could take thermodynamics or mechanics and so on as long as you fulfilled the mathematical requirements. But not anymore...
I'm taking this Probability Theory and Statistics course atm, probably most related to physics among the courses I'm currently reading.
[QUOTE=meppers;39478826]geology bitch
while you nerds work hard over boring numbers we look at rocks under a microscope and say "yep its a rock"
and then we get an A on the exam[/QUOTE]
I have a geologist friend and she is bad at math and also I laugh at her while she stands in the cold and rain and sleet staring at rocks while I am in a warm toasty well lit lab letting a detector detect muons or whatever marvelous physics adventure I am up to from week to week
[QUOTE=meppers;39478826]geology bitch
while you nerds work hard over boring numbers we look at rocks under a microscope and say "yep its a rock"
and then we get an A on the exam[/QUOTE]
Haha same here!
[QUOTE=Swebonny;39478835]Hah I wish I was a physics student. I'm a computer science and engineering student. But we and the engineering physics students have some courses together.
I was thinking about applying for physics. But I literally lacked [B]one[/B] A, so I didn't bother (still might have gotten though). A good friend was going to apply for CS&E, which has quite a bright future in terms of job and development so I went with that too.
But hey, I don't mind being listed as a physics student ;) Physics is awesome, I love it.
I'm not taking any physics related course at the moment, and I probably won't be able to since our school limited each section to their own set of course, which sucks dick. Earlier anyone could take thermodynamics or mechanics and so on as long as you fulfilled the mathematical requirements. But not anymore...
I'm taking this Probability Theory and Statistics course atm, probably most related to physics among the courses I'm currently reading.[/QUOTE]
I am hurt that you have misled me by making me have a poor memory
[QUOTE=JohnnyMo1;39478844]I have a geologist friend and she is bad at math and also I laugh at her while she stands in the cold and rain and sleet staring at rocks while I am in a warm toasty well lit lab letting a detector detect muons or whatever marvelous physics adventure I am up to from week to week[/QUOTE]
Well, it depends, geochemists pretty much do the same thing as you do (eg. staying in a warm toasty lab, crushing carbon at extreme conditions to create diamond, etc.). She's probably doing field work and I really can't blame her, all that mapping probably shat out any distant memory she had of taking calc.
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