The Mathematical MCAT

[luxhydrus]

I'm planing on taking Physics 2 on my second year to prepare for the MCAT. But i dont want to take any second year math courses.

Can one excel in physics 2 (calc-based) without taking Calculus 2?

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[d1ony5u5]

You could if you were willing to put double time into your physics class... Meaning learn the math while learning the physics.

I'm really confused on why you'd choose to do this, given the risk that you just won't cut it and end up with a ****ed up transcript.

PS. MCAT doesn't test anything other than non-calculus based Physics. The calculus based physics will not give you any substantial advantage.

 

[FluffyRabbit]

I'm planing on taking Physics 2 on my second year to prepare for the MCAT. But i dont want to take any second year math courses.

Can one excel in physics 2 (calc-based) without taking Calculus 2?

Why would you be willing to take calc-based physics without being willing to take calc? I'm really confused...

 

[Omar Gooding]

I don't think you guys are reading the question correctly. He has already taken Calculus I. He is just not taking Calculus II. You don't really need Calc II to do well in Physics II, all you need is Calc I.

 

[CaptainSSO]

If you can take a derivative, you're good.


v=dx/dt, a=dv/dt, f=dp/dt

honestly that's about the extent of the calculus i needed to know in physics

physics 2 i can't even remember using calc at all

 

[ARK013]

If you can take a derivative, you're good.


v=dx/dt, a=dv/dt, f=dp/dt

honestly that's about the extent of the calculus i needed to know in physics

physics 2 i can't even remember using calc at all

I second that. I took calc based physics as well and I don't remember very much calc either. You would be fine!

 

[circulus vitios]

I'm planing on taking Physics 2 on my second year to prepare for the MCAT. But i dont want to take any second year math courses.

Can one excel in physics 2 (calc-based) without taking Calculus 2?

I doubt they'll let you take calculus based physics 2 without calculus 2. E&M is integral heavy from what I've heard?

 

[Fort]

Physics 2 requires a lot more calculus due to the nature of the problems. You should be comfortable doing multiple integrals and visualizing electric and magnetic fields in 3 dimensions. Often times you can simplify things from symmetry and then the integrals become trivial.

 

[laxplayanumba16]

I would strongly recommend that you take calc 2, perhaps even calc 3 before calc based physics 2.

Trust me, I speak from personal experience. I took that class with only calc 1 and my grade definitely suffered. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Cancer p53]

Do yourself a favor and ask someone at your school who has taken physics II w/ calc with the professor you plan to take it with. Some professors, like the one I had, didn't really emphasize using the calculus at all. I'm sure at others schools with certain professors physics II w/ calc is quite a bit more challenging and requires that you have taken Calc II first. No one on SDN is going to be able to give you that kind of insight unless they are at the same university.

Also, consider that physics II is only going to be one of many many courses listed on your transcript and I would seriously doubt if an adcom is going to scan through it and say "hmmm... luxhydrus took physics II without calc, lets not interview them." However, if physics II w/ calc is tough and you tank the course, they will certainly notice.

 

[MedStudentWanna]

Why wouldn't you take non-calc Physics if you don't like Calc? Lots of people take non-calc Physics. Keep in mind the MCAT has no calc on it.

 

[jckut10]

.

 

[Morsetlis]

I took three calculus-based physics classes, for engineers, and I only took up to multivariable calculus.

Besides, why would you need a calculus class when there's www.wolframalpha.com ?

 

[circulus vitios]

Why wouldn't you take non-calc Physics if you don't like Calc? Lots of people take non-calc Physics. Keep in mind the MCAT has no calc on it.

His major might require it. I have to take calculus based physics for a bachelors in chemistry.

 

[ThaliaNox]

Taking Calc 2 certainly will help. I know that in my calc based physics 2 class there were a lot of integrals flying around. I actually felt at a disadvantage because I hadn't taken Calc 3 or matrix theory because of the matrixes and vector integrals flying around as well. Most of the folks in my physics class were physics or math majors who seemed to thrive in the presence of complicated mathematics. There was something disturbing about hearing my physics professor ask "Want to see how to solve this one with a matrix instead of boring algebra? I bet we can do it!" and the whole class cheered him on.

 

[Flapjacks]

Wow, I forgot how bad ass Wolframalpha was.

I am retaking Physics 1 with calculus as a non-degree seeking student and I am 5 years removed from calculus and 6 years removed from physics... I can tell you that I enjoy calc based physics more than when I took physics 2 with algebra. The only thing calculus with physics is integrals and derivatives, other than that there is no calculus.

 

[dmblue]

I'm trying to understand why a school would teach calc based physics that has minimal calculus.....

That would completely undermine the point of the class. It's about understanding electricity and magnetism at the atomic level by deriving the equations via calculus.

You don't really need Calc II. Multivariable calc (calc III) is helpful, but not necessary

 

[Soapcat]

I'm planing on taking Physics 2 on my second year to prepare for the MCAT. But i dont want to take any second year math courses.

Can one excel in physics 2 (calc-based) without taking Calculus 2?

this may be a distraction but here's my 2cents:
I took calc bc and multi variable in high school but decided not to take calc based physics in college bc of the courseload.

i got an A and my physics professor wrote me an excellent letter.
for mcat, you just need to understand the basic concepts very well, which could be accomplished by taking non-calc based physics.
btw i got 14on my PS and got into really good medschool.
hope this helps. good luck

 

[NickNaylor]

Physics 2 uses more calc than physics 1, but even so it's not that complicated. You'd do fine.

 

[moxche]

Ever seen Maxwell's equations? They depend heavily on multivariable calculus. At the very least you should do single-variable (integral and differential) calculus.

 

[lorenzomicron]

Ever seen Maxwell's equations? They depend heavily on multivariable calculus. At the very least you should do single-variable (integral and differential) calculus.

You only need the basic integration that is seen in Calculus I (they let you use integral tables for crazy ones), but just review integration by parts, etc....
I think Calc 3 is much more helpful for E&M, just because the concepts of gradient, multidimensions, vector calc are present though usually not rigorously in E&M1, so you might also want to take a look at stuff like that.
I'd recommend taking Calc 3.....(don't need 2 for 3)

 

[Marcus Brody]

just take calc, it's a good class regardless. first one i ever "got"

 

[dru2002]

His major might require it. I have to take calculus based physics for a bachelors in chemistry.

But I'm gonna guess your major also required you to take at least a year of calc. I can't imagine a school requiring calc-based physics without requiring calculus.

 

[Morsetlis]

It's not going to be the pre-reqs that hurt your grade... there are plenty of upper-div classes harder than calc-based physics.

;p

 

[ThaliaNox]

It's not going to be the pre-reqs that hurt your grade... there are plenty of upper-div classes harder than calc-based physics.

;p

This may be your personal experience, but for me and several friends of mine, calc-based physics was by far the hardest of my classes in undergrad. Period, pre-reqs or not. Some of my upper division sciences were the easiest. It probably depends both on the school and the individual professor.

 

[Morsetlis]

I can't recall a situation in which a pre-req was harder than any of my upper-div classes (I was Biochemistry).

Of course, as you say, everybody will have different experiences. Personally, I love math, so anything of that nature would be easier than, say, memorizing all the different subunits and transcription factors involved in transcription.

 

[musafirah]

WTF? why are people comparing second semester first year physics to E&M?? you don't need to know the differential versions of maxwell's equations in physics 2 people! nor do you need calc II or multivariable calculus. calc-based physics 2 is easy peezy. stop misguiding people and deterring them from taking the class if they want to or need it for their major's requirements.. lol. you hardly even touch maxwell's equations in phys 2 (you might have to apply these equations to story problems, but you certainly don't have to realize that they are collectively the equations of maxwell and their significance in regards to the nature of light), what does that have to do with it?? maxwells' eqns in differential form arent even necessary until E&M2!

if you liked calc I, and did fine with the types of derivations in phys 1, you should be ok. but calc II isn't a nightmare like some people scare you to think; so don't shy away from taking it just 'cause taylor expansions suck when the teacher doesnt know how to teach them.

also, a lot of students find calc-based physics is better/easier than pre-med physics, because calculus is the natural way to understand and remember formulas, and pre-calc based physics involves unnecessary memorizing.

 

[Morsetlis]

Calculus is the natural way to view the world...

 

[jtanch2]

ThaliaNox... you really put WoW on your med apps?

"- Group leader in 2 successful groups in an MMORPG for about 3 years. Also coordinated/ran countless raids/trials/task forces in the 5 years I have played. I was told this was legitimate leadership experience. *Thumbs up*."


Ballsy. I wish I was addicted for longer. haha.

 

[musafirah]

Calculus is the natural way to view the world...

yep. i despise how "pre-med physics" is taught. it was a pain in the ass trying to NOT use calculus when tutoring those kids. "wahhh i don't wanna learn where the formula came from or what it means, just teach me how to plug and chug it!"

 

[Morsetlis]

I had 4 characters. Everybody expects me to form/lead groups because they are lazy and I had the most connections on the server. I was also NOT IN A GUILD since my guild (second-best on the server) disbanded in 2008.

This was my basic raid schedule for last year (while taking EMT classes and volunteering):

4 Trial of the Crusader 10
3-4 ToC 10-heroic (hard to find smart people for this)
3-4 ToC 25
1 ToC 25 heroic (main char)
4 Onyxia's Lair 10
4 Ony 25
4 Vault of Archavon 10
4 VoA-25
1 Ulduar 10-HM (eventually I got 3 protodrakes)

I was such a nerd.

 

[luxhydrus]

Thanks alot for all your replies, they are very helpful.

Alot of people are saying that the MCAT physics is not calc based, is that true?

Would a person who learned calc-based physics have an advantage during the MCAT?

 

[dmblue]

Thanks alot for all your replies, they are very helpful.

Alot of people are saying that the MCAT physics is not calc based, is that true?

Would a person who learned calc-based physics have an advantage during the MCAT?

there is no calculus on the MCAT

However, if you took calc based physics you would actually understand what you were doing and be much better prepared

 

[AUD]

I had 4 characters. Everybody expects me to form/lead groups because they are lazy and I had the most connections on the server. I was also NOT IN A GUILD since my guild (second-best on the server) disbanded in 2008.

This was my basic raid schedule for last year (while taking EMT classes and volunteering):

4 Trial of the Crusader 10
3-4 ToC 10-heroic (hard to find smart people for this)
3-4 ToC 25
1 ToC 25 heroic (main char)
4 Onyxia's Lair 10
4 Ony 25
4 Vault of Archavon 10
4 VoA-25
1 Ulduar 10-HM (eventually I got 3 protodrakes)

I was such a nerd.

Holy ****.