Should I have done Physics? (4 Viewers)

[QuantumQueen]

So, I'm in Year 10 and picking my subjects for Yr 11. I have decided to give Physics a go despite really, really, really bad in Science, and only knowing all the basics of Physics; Newtons Law, Simple Math Calculations, simple terms like acceleration, decelerate, gravity, mass, weight, distance, displacement. I want to know if I have made a big mistake. Do you think Physics is an subject I will be able to learn or am I going to struggle with it on a whole?

Please be honest.

 

[powlmao]

So, I'm in Year 10 and picking my subjects for Yr 11. I have decided to give Physics a go despite really, really, really bad in Science, and only knowing all the basics of Physics; Newtons Law, Simple Math Calculations, simple terms like acceleration, decelerate, gravity, mass, weight, distance, displacement. I want to know if I have made a big mistake. Do you think Physics is an subject I will be able to learn or am I going to struggle with it on a whole?

Please be honest.

You don't do much physics in year 10

Yr 11/12 is a whole new ball game. I am pretty sure if you can grasp basic concepts of maths and science you can go well in the subject.

 

[jnney]

Don't worry, you will relearn everything in year 11.

 

[SpreadTheWord]

So, I'm in Year 10 and picking my subjects for Yr 11. I have decided to give Physics a go despite really, really, really bad in Science, and only knowing all the basics of Physics; Newtons Law, Simple Math Calculations, simple terms like acceleration, decelerate, gravity, mass, weight, distance, displacement. I want to know if I have made a big mistake. Do you think Physics is an subject I will be able to learn or am I going to struggle with it on a whole?

Please be honest.

You'll be fine mate, those "basics of Physics" are all what prilim Physics is about. The HSC course is just an extension upon what you have learnt in the previous year (yr 11). They can only cover what's in the book and syllabus, so providing you work and learn from these, past years knowledge doesn't matter.

Everyone says Physics is a really hard subject, but it really isn't.
Hope this helps man.

 

[QuantumQueen]

But I looked at the past HSC papers and it is so hard, I don't think I can do any of them

 

[Shadowdude]

You're not supposed to be able to do any of them. You'll learn the course.

If it gets too hard, you can always drop it. You cannot do the reverse though. You can't not do it and then decide 'Oh yes, I want to do Physics' half way through the year.

 

[Drongoski]

If you have friends or students in school doing Physics talk to them. You should get a better idea this way. Of course you will find past HSC papers hard because you haven't learnt them yet. If you look at the past HSC Maths questions (2U, 3U. 4U) you should also find them hard even if you have been doing maths since yr 1 mainly because you have not learnt them yet.

By right Physics, as I knew it, is supposed to be harder than maths. But I don't know the local HSC Physics. People doing only Gen Maths seem to be able to do well in it. But such people should struggle to do the "real" Physics at uni.

 

[QuantumQueen]

I'm not doing Physics at UNI. But I really want to know if the Physics in Year 11 (for now) is very hard, and they ask such complicated questions like they do on Yahoo Answers on the Physics section, or even here, because I only know the basics of Physics; Newtons 3 laws, those terms that I mentioned, math calculations for speed, acceleration, force, vector measurents and non vector measurements. I don't know anything about Quantum Physics or complicated problems like they ask in HSC papers. I'm really worried I'm going to do bad in Physics. And none of my friends are doing Physics. I have struggled with Science all throughout high school; but Physics interests me for some reason but I am worried the concepts will be to hard for me. Do we just learn the very basics of Physics in Yr 11?

 

[Shadowdude]

And do you think us in Year 10 would've known any Physics before that except what you mentioned? Of course not, for the most part. You learn all the Physics you need in the course.

Don't base the HSC Physics on Yahoo Answers because HSC Physics is special in itself. You will learn the basics. And as we just said, if it's too hard - drop the subject. It's simple.

 

[SpiralFlex]

I'm not doing Physics at UNI. But I really want to know if the Physics in Year 11 (for now) is very hard, and they ask such complicated questions like they do on Yahoo Answers on the Physics section, or even here, because I only know the basics of Physics; Newtons 3 laws, those terms that I mentioned, math calculations for speed, acceleration, force, vector measurents and non vector measurements. I don't know anything about Quantum Physics or complicated problems like they ask in HSC papers. I'm really worried I'm going to do bad in Physics. And none of my friends are doing Physics. I have struggled with Science all throughout high school; but Physics interests me for some reason but I am worried the concepts will be to hard for me. Do we just learn the very basics of Physics in Yr 11?

I would maintain a strong foundation of Year 10 Science, reason - I think it is important to understand a scope of how stuff works before starting Year 11 Physics. Your knowledge will feel limited if you lack some Year 10 knowledge. As long as you can re-arrange equations and possibly derive some equations at least. You are fine. Some schools start from scratch, some don't. So make sure you get your foundations right.

 

[Alkanes]

But prelim physics tbh is very boring. HSC gets much better though

 

[SpiralFlex]

But prelim physics tbh is very boring. HSC gets much better though

Also I think the Preliminary course is very restrictive.

 

[QuantumQueen]

Are you sure?? Everyone at my school is saying it's so hard and what not I hope you are 100% right

 

[Drongoski]

I forgot to remark: you are being sensible to want to find out early. I know of many students making the wrong choice at end of yr 10; often they find this out only in yr 12. In yr 10 you are still very young; you may not know enough to make the right decision. So access to good qualified advice is so important. Don't forget to talk with your parents and siblings - it is possible they can offer good sensible advice.

 

[SpiralFlex]

Are you sure?? Everyone at my school is saying it's so hard and what not I hope you are 100% right

Step 1: Listen in class.

Step 2: Do your homework.

The concepts are actually surprisingly easy to grasp, but the application will require skill that can be developed.

 

[Shadowdude]

Are you sure?? Everyone at my school is saying it's so hard and what not I hope you are 100% right

We're the Bored of Studies forum. We are the experts. We know what we're talking about.

 

[QuantumQueen]

Does deriving equations mean for example, if I say speed = distance/time, so if I want to find distance it will be speed/time

 

[SpiralFlex]

Does deriving equations mean for example, if I say speed = distance/time, so if I want to find distance it will be speed/time

That's not really deriving though, it's more re-arranging. Just understand what you are actually doing when you use it and how it came about. But it should be covered in Year 11 in most schools. Don't worry too much about it at this stage. Know your Year 10 work well.

 

[Shadowdude]

Does deriving equations mean for example, if I say speed = distance/time, so if I want to find distance it will be speed/time

Yes, I would say so.

You may also have to combine equations like for magnetic field strength and kinetic energy to find out something else entirely. As long as you're adept at maths - the mathematical content of HSC Physics will be enough for you.

 

[Drongoski]

Warning

Some people providing advice here are very helpful and well-meaning. But they are smart students. What works for them may not necessarily work for others.