Quirks

[insane]

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I was just wondering if any of you other science majors have noticed various quirks that different kinds of science majors have.



Physics majors tend to write .05 and say point zero five
Bio/Chem majors tend to write 0.05 and say zero point zero five

I noticed that today, and I figured there has to be more, so post the little quirks you notice.

 

[Contrarian]

I hate physics and I say .05. That's my quirk.

 

[ksmi117]

I was just wondering if any of you other science majors have noticed various quirks that different kinds of science majors have.



Physics majors tend to write .05 and say point zero five
Bio/Chem majors tend to write 0.05 and say zero point zero five

I noticed that today, and I figured there has to be more, so post the little quirks you notice.

I hate when people do this. There's no need for the extra 0.

I also hate when people say -2 as "minus two". It's "negative two", but idk what group says what.

 

[Disinence2]

Physics majors better get used to 0.05 when charting

 

[insane]

I hate when people do this. There's no need for the extra 0.

I also hate when people say -2 as "minus two". It's "negative two", but idk what group says what.

I think most chem/phys say negative and bio says minus, because in chem and physics there are vectors and tons of equations where minus and negative have 2 distinct meanings.

 

[Bacchus]

I say minus two and I was a biochem major. I also write: 0.05 because (if I remember correctly) there is a difference in sig figs? I also notice I say poh-taz-ee-um instead of poh-tass-ee-um.

 

[insane]

I say minus two and I was a biochem major. I also write: 0.05 because (if I remember correctly) there is a difference in sig figs? I also notice I say poh-taz-ee-um instead of poh-tass-ee-um.

Haha I do the same thing with the potassium, but as far as the zeros go, any zero before the decimal has no effect on sig figs, but since we use carbon notebooks I put the zero there so the professor knows its a decimal and not a mark on the paper. But when it comes to minus and negative it depends on what im doing, if im writing out an explanation in physics i write negative but when im talking its minus. I too am a biochem major

 

[ksmi117]

I say minus two and I was a biochem major. I also write: 0.05 because (if I remember correctly) there is a difference in sig figs? I also notice I say poh-taz-ee-um instead of poh-tass-ee-um.

Pretty sure 0's before the decimal and even after (as long as no sig fig comes before it) don't count in sig figs. And who pronounces potassium like that?

 

[ThaliaNox]

I've been beaten out of using .05 by BOTH chemistry and physics professors. They say that the practical reason for the extra 0 is that in handwritten research notes there is a big difference between 0.1 and .1 in that if you're writing quickly the (.) in .1 may be illegible, and when someone else is looking at your research notes to repeat your experiment, they may think it says 1 instead of .1. At least when you can't see the point in 0.1, you look twice because writing 01 would just be weird.

It was actually my physics professor who would take points away for neglecting the leading 0. My chemistry profs just bitched about the state of the world and the way that the laziness of current students was going to ruin research everwhere.

 

[Tots]

I've been beaten out of using .05 by BOTH chemistry and physics professors. They say that the practical reason for the extra 0 is that in handwritten research notes there is a big difference between 0.1 and .1 in that if you're writing quickly the (.) in .1 may be illegible, and when someone else is looking at your research notes to repeat your experiment, they may think it says 1 instead of .1. At least when you can't see the point in 0.1, you look twice because writing 01 would just be weird.

It was actually my physics professor who would take points away for neglecting the leading 0. My chemistry profs just bitched about the state of the world and the way that the laziness of current students was going to ruin research everwhere.

Got this same thing in all my chem labs.

 

[insane]

Got this same thing in all my chem labs.

Same i got ragged on for it in my chem labs, but physics profs. dont really seem to care much about it, so its pretty much second nature now for me to write 0.05 instead of .05

 

[Rogue Synapse]

Better get used to writing the leading zero. You'll get busted for leaving it off in the hospital.

 

[Wheee]

what about the freaks who write 0.05 but say point oh five? I rarely say point zero five. Til now I've had no reason to change, but I understand that it'll probably come eventually.

(I'm chemistry)

 

[dw2158]

i love that this thread is full of chemistry, math, and physics people! REAL science for the win! (jk. in case you were dumb enough to not sense that sarcasm, even over the internet.)

I hate when people do this. There's no need for the extra 0.

yes there is: clarity. i HATE when people leave off that first zero.

Physics majors better get used to 0.05 when charting

fo reals.

I say minus two and I was a biochem major. I also write: 0.05 because (if I remember correctly) there is a difference in sig figs? I also notice I say poh-taz-ee-um instead of poh-tass-ee-um.

ooooh, now we're gettin' freaky all up in herrrrre.

 

[Rogue Synapse]

Philosophy major ftw!

 

[Knitress]

Pure math majors just complain about it not being an integer.

 

[Schemp]

Yeah, adding a zero in front of the decimal is a habit I developed several years ago. Reading people's notes and stuff where they don't use a leading zero is really annoying.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

I was just wondering if any of you other science majors have noticed various quirks that different kinds of science majors have.



Physics majors tend to write .05 and say point zero five
Bio/Chem majors tend to write 0.05 and say zero point zero five

I noticed that today, and I figured there has to be more, so post the little quirks you notice.

eh? i was a chem major and never did 0.05

 

[RogueUnicorn]

Pretty sure 0's before the decimal and even after (as long as no sig fig comes before it) don't count in sig figs. And who pronounces potassium like that?

should be kalium anyway...

 

[brooklynblunder]

i dont write ****, but if i had to write something for myself i write .05, and say point 0 5, if im writing something that others will see im writing 0.05 to make sure its not mistaken. if im teaching i say 0 point 0-5 so its not mistaken either

 

[htg2010]

my chem e roommate had an organic prof who pronounced carbocation car-bo-ca-TIE-on

as a bio major, my organic prof pronounced it car-bo-CAT-ion

 

[Trexate]

CS students don't care, as long as you specify whether it's a float, double, or decimal.

 

[brooklynblunder]

my chem e roommate had an organic prof who pronounced carbocation car-bo-ca-TIE-on

as a bio major, my organic prof pronounced it car-bo-CAT-ion

so your major can influence the way your professor pronounces things now?

 

[Wheee]

my chem e roommate had an organic prof who pronounced carbocation car-bo-ca-TIE-on

as a bio major, my organic prof pronounced it car-bo-CAT-ion

mine said it the first way...could mayyyyybe be because he was from africa. But it could also be because I'm a chem major 😛

 

[schrizto]

I've been writing .05 most of the time but now that I've read this thread it looks like I'll have to adapt to writing 0.05 from now on.