boo physics- yay beer!

[nycanimal]

so i acutally have a serious question about physics II. i took physics I undergrad about 4 years ago and did quite poorly (c+ if i remember correctly). I am about to take physics II next semester.

what should i be studying now? basically do i need to reteach myself all of physics I? is physics II (electricity, optics, atomic and nuclear stuff) totally dependent on physics I (motion, work, rotation, fluids, gas, thermodynamics)?

thanks everyone, good luck and enjoy your break!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[DescentFan]

Electromagnetism is very much so based on the concepts of Physics I (force, energy, momentum, etc.) but w/ more vector calculus (line integrals, surface integrals, etc.).

Quantum mechanics is based on Physics I to an extent (mainly on energy and momentum); it also crosses over w/ many topics in General Chemistry.

Optics is almost completely independent.

 

[nycanimal]

thanks for the advice descentfan. anyone else have anything to add?

 

[Funky]

thanks for the advice descentfan. anyone else have anything to add?

i dont quite remember using much of physics I in physics II. But then again, Physics for me was 2 years ago.

 

[AustinBum]

It depends on what kind of class you're taking. If it's calculus based, refresh your understanding of vectors, dot products, and cross products. I doubt a pre-med oriented Physics II is actually going to require you to know how to perform line integrals or surface integrals. The key to doing well in the class is being comfortable with algebraic manipulation. From my experience there was not a single thing in the class that required having had Physics I the prior semester. At the level pre-meds study them, the two classes can be treated as if they are unrelated.

 

[smeagol]

The following important concepts from physics 1 were required for me to do physics 2 problems:

Conservation of energy (this is useful IRL too ...like for miniature golf).

Kinematics (for calculating speeds/distances of moving electrons/protons in magnetic & electric fields)

Applying Newton's 2nd law (F = ma), and how it relates to centripetal force/acceleration. You'll have to know this since electrons move in circular motion in magnetic fields

Vectors, how to add and subtract them.

Waves - most importantly, constructive/destructive interference, superposition principle.

That's all I can remember.

 

[shaggybill]

When I was taking Physics II, I had a hard time understanding why exactly Physics I was a prereq. I took the Algebra-based course, but I think I could have done just as well without having had Physics I before II. If it helped me at all, it was only because it got me into the Physics frame of mind.

 

[olemissbabydoc]

I hate physics. that is all. lol

 

[centersharpie]

I just finished physics II this semester with a pretty decent grade... I don't know though... My professor always found a way to relate the material from physics I to physics II. I have to agree though, optics is completely independent of physics I. For electromagnetic waves, my professor went over briefly the difference between a tranverse and a longitudinal wave. It is also good to know the difference between constructive and destructive interference. Newton's laws are obviously important. F=ma, for moving in straight lines, F=mv^2/r for circular motion. This will be important when you go over charged particles moving in magnetic fields. VECTORS VECTORS VECTORS! This is very important when you go over the force of charged particles, so please go over adding and subtracting vectors. Knowing the momentum equation p=mv is important for relativity, well all the old formulas is important in relativity, because the old laws aren't really forgotten, they are still valid with relativity. Oh... relative velocity, you might want to go over again, but it was a pain in physics I, but I thought it was more understandable in physics II. The conversation laws I think is the most consistent theme throughout both physics I and II. This will be important when you go over potential energy and mass energy equivalency. What else... I think that's about it.

I found Physics II easier than Physics I, but that is just me. This will be apparent when you do get to optics, light wave interference, and nuclear reactions. I just reccommend that you really get the concepts down when you do electric fields, electric force, potential energy, potential, circuits, magnets and magnetic fields. A lot of bright people in my class got tripped up by this stuff.

Good luck, and I hope you do well.

 

[gx255]

my premed advisor told me to take university physics, which ruined my gpa. when all i really needed was college physics w/o the calculus.