I don't know if I should drop Physics... (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter ben
- Start date
InfiniteQ
Solitary
Im having the same dilemma.. and same reasons for dropping too... although I think the interest would be there if the teacher was good. I'm in y11 though so I still have a chance. I think I'll have to get a tutor for it if I'm gonna stick with it.. it's the only way or I'm headed for the gutter.
Good luck to you though
Good luck to you though
...
One of my mum friends is a Physics tutor - she's even at our house as I type.
But I'm not motivated - whilst it's childish - I do blame it on my school teacher. In my report he said I had no potential for physics (i'm not doing thaattt badly - i was in the top 30% at our school for Physics sem 1)
One of my mum friends is a Physics tutor - she's even at our house as I type.
But I'm not motivated - whilst it's childish - I do blame it on my school teacher. In my report he said I had no potential for physics (i'm not doing thaattt badly - i was in the top 30% at our school for Physics sem 1)
i say stick with it
set aside some time for it during your study, jus make sure u understand the key concepts
then grab yourself the Success One sample HSC questions book and do EVERY question up untill the HSC, then in those 4 days b4 the exam, jus cram watever else u can, and u mite jus surprise yourself
thats exactly wat im gonna do...!
im like u except i cant drop it - only 11 units
set aside some time for it during your study, jus make sure u understand the key concepts
then grab yourself the Success One sample HSC questions book and do EVERY question up untill the HSC, then in those 4 days b4 the exam, jus cram watever else u can, and u mite jus surprise yourself
thats exactly wat im gonna do...!
im like u except i cant drop it - only 11 units
T
timbk2
Guest
physics hmmm... it was my worse subject, but it was kinda interesting.
remember: calculations, and how... theres no better way to study than go through as many questions as you can. Or.. make your own questions. I remember when i was studying last year, i was at the library drawing pictures..... what velocity would a tank need to fire its shell, if the shell had to clear a mountain to hit Osama Bin Laden. (i actually drew this so i'd stay awake). but it helps.
also
the theory part.. make sure u completly understand everything. they are very picky. They look for different parts to the question, so make sure u get all the parts covered when writing short answers and crap like that. and GRAPHS.... do them properly... easiest way to lose 1-2 marks for not drawing them properly.
anyway.. Good luck
remember: calculations, and how... theres no better way to study than go through as many questions as you can. Or.. make your own questions. I remember when i was studying last year, i was at the library drawing pictures..... what velocity would a tank need to fire its shell, if the shell had to clear a mountain to hit Osama Bin Laden. (i actually drew this so i'd stay awake). but it helps.
also
the theory part.. make sure u completly understand everything. they are very picky. They look for different parts to the question, so make sure u get all the parts covered when writing short answers and crap like that. and GRAPHS.... do them properly... easiest way to lose 1-2 marks for not drawing them properly.
anyway.. Good luck
Just make sure you learn everything in the Excel book which doesn't take long at all and any specific concepts that the excel book doesnt give enough information on either research it on the net or read up on it in one of the thick physics text books
Then as somebody else suggested do the questions in the Success One book and read the explanations and you will be all set for the test
Perhaps our school is setting simple assesment taks but they have mainly been definition, calculation where you basically just substitute into a formula as well as fairly straight forward scenarios
However the bad thing is the marking guidelines are very strict and you gotta constantly use key words to get the marks because even if you are on the right track yet dont use one or two specific words you can get very few marks for that question
Then as somebody else suggested do the questions in the Success One book and read the explanations and you will be all set for the test
Perhaps our school is setting simple assesment taks but they have mainly been definition, calculation where you basically just substitute into a formula as well as fairly straight forward scenarios
However the bad thing is the marking guidelines are very strict and you gotta constantly use key words to get the marks because even if you are on the right track yet dont use one or two specific words you can get very few marks for that question
sunny
meh.
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2002
- Messages
- 5,350
- Gender
- Male
- HSC
- 2002
If you don't think its easy, then believe that its the easiest way there is!
The Excel physics book has to be the bare minimum of bare minimums. There's parts that the book doesn't even cover, and theres parts that it does in a page that others cover in detail over five.
Comparing Excel to other books for the new course like Macmillan and Marsden notes, its a real summary!
But because it just covers the bare minimums, sometimes it makes things easier to understand (or vice versa, cause you can get confused if it doesn't tell you enough).
The Excel physics book has to be the bare minimum of bare minimums. There's parts that the book doesn't even cover, and theres parts that it does in a page that others cover in detail over five.
Comparing Excel to other books for the new course like Macmillan and Marsden notes, its a real summary!
But because it just covers the bare minimums, sometimes it makes things easier to understand (or vice versa, cause you can get confused if it doesn't tell you enough).
is it better to do as many questions as possible
and look at sample answers with explanation
or to read through textbooks
and then make notes
memorise them
and then go through questions (but less amount of questions)
what does everyone think?
the second option seems to take soo long
and i don't have much time until trials
i am hoping that
if i do enough trial papers and questions
that the quesitons in my paper will be similar if not taken from a paper i have already done...
and look at sample answers with explanation
or to read through textbooks
and then make notes
memorise them
and then go through questions (but less amount of questions)
what does everyone think?
the second option seems to take soo long
and i don't have much time until trials
i am hoping that
if i do enough trial papers and questions
that the quesitons in my paper will be similar if not taken from a paper i have already done...
Do people actually go in detail through everything in the thick text books like Macmillan and Jacaranda?
Although it gives good understanding its the exact opposite of Excel in that a lot of the information is so indepth its just about useless so it could be a waste of time a bit
Although it gives good understanding its the exact opposite of Excel in that a lot of the information is so indepth its just about useless so it could be a waste of time a bit
sunny
meh.
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2002
- Messages
- 5,350
- Gender
- Male
- HSC
- 2002
I find that most of the time Excel doesn't go indepth enough for me to fully understand what its going on about or I ask myself 'why?' but the book doesn't answer it. So I tend to start off with some of the other books first, and if I don't understand I look in Excel for a simpler explanation then I go back or read Excel anyway just to be thorough.
Maybe sometimes it might not be essential to know every detail like you say, but if something is not clear its better to look in the other books.
Plus, that extra bit of detail or example you give in your response might make the difference between a band 5 and band 6.
Maybe sometimes it might not be essential to know every detail like you say, but if something is not clear its better to look in the other books.
Plus, that extra bit of detail or example you give in your response might make the difference between a band 5 and band 6.
from what I can gather, it is undoubtedly better to have an indepth understanding of as much as humanly possible. Questions in past HSCs have often been tricks, in which the slightest mistake could mean the loss of several marks. Our class primarily uses the Jacaranda texts, and Macmillan as a supplementary reference. I read both thoroughly for each topic, and generally don't get caught in these loophopes. Knowing a topic in depth would also allow you to easily DISCUSS and ASSESS (god I hate the board conventions ) it and its ramifications on society. For example, our last assessment task included this question:
Assess the need for transformers in the transfer of electrical energy from a power station to the point of use.
An ideal response would compare energy losses between high and low voltage lines (I actually did a mathematical proof for this) and identify the need for high voltage energy transmission. They would also have to consider the significant amount of energy lost to eddy currents in the iron core, and how this results in a gradual 'step down' of voltage at substations (a mention of the cost of high order transformers wouldn't go astray either).
I'm not sure what the excel book says about this issue, but the Jacaranda book was excellent.
With regard to note-taking; I HEAR YA! Our physics professor (Doctor actually) insists that we make thorough notes of EVERYTHING. Over the past 6 months, we have essentially re-written 70% of the textbook :/
) it and its ramifications on society. For example, our last assessment task included this question:Assess the need for transformers in the transfer of electrical energy from a power station to the point of use.
An ideal response would compare energy losses between high and low voltage lines (I actually did a mathematical proof for this
) and identify the need for high voltage energy transmission. They would also have to consider the significant amount of energy lost to eddy currents in the iron core, and how this results in a gradual 'step down' of voltage at substations (a mention of the cost of high order transformers wouldn't go astray either).I'm not sure what the excel book says about this issue, but the Jacaranda book was excellent.
With regard to note-taking; I HEAR YA! Our physics professor (Doctor actually) insists that we make thorough notes of EVERYTHING. Over the past 6 months, we have essentially re-written 70% of the textbook :/
yeh it is quite interesting
but i just generally havent done much study in any subjects...
soooo....
why is do objects experience length contraction when travelling near the speed of light
logically
the faster something moves
the longer it looks
because there is a line behind it?
but i just generally havent done much study in any subjects...
soooo....
why is do objects experience length contraction when travelling near the speed of light
logically
the faster something moves
the longer it looks
because there is a line behind it?
The logic behind an object contracting in length when travelling at significant fractions of c has more to do with the derived expression than anything else. True, something *may* look longer when travelling fast, but this is subjective to the observable degree. This is not how length contraction was derived. You will notice that there is no 'logical' rule for an object 'slowing down' when travelling fast.
It is logical because mathematics taught it to be. It is just as logical as time dilation, and the creation of magnetic fields, which are a direct product of relativity.
It is logical because mathematics taught it to be. It is just as logical as time dilation, and the creation of magnetic fields, which are a direct product of relativity.