Organic Chemistry Vs Physics !!!!!!!!!

[Miss155]

Hi

I would like to know whether Organic Chemistry is harder or easier than Physics? Please also give me some tips on getting an A in intro to Physics. Your help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[coldchemist]

You absolutely must understand that different people will do well in different classes!!! Some people might be math whizzes, but can't seem to grasp chemistry. Other people might understand biology really well, but can't write or edit essays at all. In short, your question is not answerable in its current form.

Ask yourself the following questions:

1. Can I grasp abstract concepts?

2. Do I have excellent spatial awareness?

3. Can I easily recall large amounts of information?

If you can honestly answer yes, then you might be good with organic chemistry concepts.

Now ask yourself these questions:

1. Am I good with mathematics (especially algebra and trigonometry)?

2. Am I good at plugging numbers into formulas?

3. Can I solve problems given extremely limited information?

If yes, then you might be good at physics.

As for getting an A in the class, make sure you start out with a strong gasp of the concept of VECTORS. If you don't know what they are, you will likely find out about them in your first week of class. Make sure you don't get behind, go to office hours, etc., etc., etc.

 

[h2cooper]

In physics, it helped me a lot to always draw diagrams and label everything, because then sometimes I could figure out what the question was asking.

 

[CD]

Well....I have extensive experience in both!!! My undergrad was in Civil Engineering....heavy in the physics department! ...and I'm currently working on a graduate degree in Organic Chemistry!

Physics is a much broader subject...it ranges from statics, electricity, magnetics, to optics and thermodynamics. I found the diversity difficult simply because I would just master a concept and we would change subjects entirely (at least so it seemed at first). This does have it's good points in that if you are struggling with one section, the next section may be easier! I hated physics...at first. After struggling with the subject, I later ended up tutoring the subject...go figure.

Now organic on the other hand, really has very few concepts....they are just repeated over and over and over in different situations. The secret to organic is to understand WHY a reaction takes place...not to memorize it. If you understand why a reaction does what it does, then you can apply the principles to any reaction and come out with a fair guess what the product may be.

 

[flyingillini]

Originally posted by CD
Well....I have extensive experience in both!!! My undergrad was in Civil Engineering....heavy in the physics department! ...and I'm currently working on a graduate degree in Organic Chemistry!

Physics is a much broader subject...it ranges from statics, electricity, magnetics, to optics and thermodynamics. I found the diversity difficult simply because I would just master a concept and we would change subjects entirely (at least so it seemed at first). This does have it's good points in that if you are struggling with one section, the next section may be easier! I hated physics...at first. After struggling with the subject, I later ended up tutoring the subject...go figure.

Now organic on the other hand, really has very few concepts....they are just repeated over and over and over in different situations. The secret to organic is to understand WHY a reaction takes place...not to memorize it. If you understand why a reaction does what it does, then you can apply the principles to any reaction and come out with a fair guess what the product may be.

Yes, I agree totally. It's funny to hear people say that Organic is so hard because you have to memorize. If you memorize the reactions, you will forget them. If you learn why the reactions occur, you will retain the information much longer. Good response!

 

[UCLAstudent]

It really depends on how you best learn. I, personally, thought organic chemistry was very fun and easy. However, I am not as good at math-y things, so I had to work much harder to do well in physics.

 

[Dr. Xavier]

O-chem just memorize w/ some understanding easy for me at least. Physics alot of understanding harder for me. Both classes do a lot of problems over and over again, do more problems then what is assigned and you should be able to ace them both.

 

[argonauta]

Well,

Biology is chemistry, chemistry is physics, and physics is math.

So there. Just take math classes.

 

[AniSci]

Hi

I would like to know whether Organic Chemistry is harder or easier than Physics? Please also give me some tips on getting an A in intro to Physics. Your help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Physics, by far. At least for me. I HATED physics, and only mildly loathed organic because it was a lot of work. It made sense to me, though, and I actually found it really cool. Physics, on the other hand, was a ton of math garbage (which I hate in general), a TON of work (no pun intended), and for some reason the questions are the type that expect you to pull things out of your butt and already know without being taught. If that makes sense.

Plus my physics courses were the "teach yourself" type. *gag*. -_- I'd literally rather retake the organic sequence, lab included.

 

[Ophthoseidon]

Physics, by far. At least for me. I HATED physics, and only mildly loathed organic because it was a lot of work. It made sense to me, though, and I actually found it really cool. Physics, on the other hand, was a ton of math garbage (which I hate in general), a TON of work (no pun intended), and for some reason the questions are the type that expect you to pull things out of your butt and already know without being taught. If that makes sense.

Plus my physics courses were the "teach yourself" type. *gag*. -_- I'd literally rather retake the organic sequence, lab included.

Why did you bump an ochem vs. physics thread from 2003? lol this guy is probably an attending by now