flinquinnster Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 So, this is possibly a random topic that I've just created because I'm bored. Actually, no, I'm procrastinating and avoiding writing a thermal physics CE and studying for a topic quiz both for tomorrow. Everyone seems to think that physics students are crazy for taking such a hard and meaningless subject. Why bother? Why not do bio, which is just memorising stuff? To be honest, this is the question I ask myself, and I never seem to find an answer. Why, oh why? But deep down, I know I love physics It's the mystery, it's the power that physics has over fundamental concepts like space and time, and that other sciences can never really reveal. It's almost like magic. So I guess this is part desperate plea for help, part curiosity as to why people love physics. Why do we do this venerable science? As I return to do my CE, does anyone also happen to know where I can get a reliable value for the specific latent heat of vaporisation of water? My textbooks contradict each other, and I am considering using a website called "The Engineering ToolBox", which seems to be a tad unreliable. I can't find it in the CODATA figures, which I was planning to use. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiggsHunter Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 As I return to do my CE, does anyone also happen to know where I can get a reliable value for the specific latent heat of vaporisation of water? My textbooks contradict each other, and I am considering using a website called "The Engineering ToolBox", which seems to be a tad unreliable. I can't find it in the CODATA figures, which I was planning to use.Textbooks often use a value of 2260 kJ/kg, which is accurate enough for many purposes. Why do you think that the value of 2257.92 kJ/kg at 1 bar given in the Engineering ToolBox may be unreliable? Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Award Winning Boss Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 No. physics is the best science of the three. Physics isn't meaningless, it's the best science for discovering how the world works - especially astrophysics. Biology - chemical biology - chemistry - physical chemistry - physics - mathsYea, physics is bloody interesting. Apart from electricity. That sucks. Also, it links to philosophy and theology too especially with the start of the universe and everything. Physics > all other sciences. 6 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiggsHunter Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 Yea, physics is bloody interesting. Apart from electricity. That sucks.What's the issue with electricity? It's the basis of key technologies with virtually unlimited applications in the modern world. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Award Winning Boss Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 Yea, physics is bloody interesting. Apart from electricity. That sucks.What's the issue with electricity? It's the basis of key technologies with virtually unlimited applications in the modern world.I don't find it too difficult, it's just not that interesting. 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiggsHunter Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 Yea, physics is bloody interesting. Apart from electricity. That sucks.What's the issue with electricity? It's the basis of key technologies with virtually unlimited applications in the modern world.I don't find it too difficult, it's just not that interesting.It could be that you don't find the elementary theory very exciting. But it's at the basis of extraordinary achievements in power generation and transmission, electronics, computers, radar, telecommunications…Another approach that might work for you is to look at the subject from a historical point of view. Reading about the human drama of the discoveries, the conflicts, the triumphs and the failures could add some spice to your study of the subject. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
flinquinnster Posted June 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2012 I just ended up using the value of 2257, and quoted the "Engineering Toolbox", which should be good enough for an IA that is highly, highly unlikely to be sent to IB on account of its pretty appalling quality Our 'quiz' today wasn't so bad, but that obviously is no reason for me to stop complaining about physics and how it drives me crazy. I think that I sort of do lose sight of what physics actually means (surprise surprise) when I end up doing problems or reading endless theory notes. I can't imagine writing syllabus notes on physics (but I'm informed that other people do, so maybe I should pick that up), because that to me drains the subject of any interest. I guess the reason I like physics is because of the 'understanding the universe' aspect regarding astrophysics, rather than how heat flows work! Oh well, one understanding comes with the other... I'm now going to attempt our teacher to teach astrophysics or relativity for our option! Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiggsHunter Posted June 7, 2012 Report Share Posted June 7, 2012 I think that I sort of do lose sight of what physics actually means (surprise surprise) when I end up doing problems or reading endless theory notes. I can't imagine writing syllabus notes on physics (but I'm informed that other people do, so maybe I should pick that up), because that to me drains the subject of any interest. I guess the reason I like physics is because of the 'understanding the universe' aspect regarding astrophysics, rather than how heat flows work! Oh well, one understanding comes with the other... I'm now going to attempt our teacher to teach astrophysics or relativity for our option!I hope that you manage to persuade your teacher to teach a Physics option that interests you.Of course it can be awesome to just gaze at the starlit sky on a clear night, or to watch the transit of Venus or look at our moon through a powerful telescope. But even the SL Astrophysics syllabus does require some quantitative study of the physics of phenomena such as stellar radiation!Since you like the 'understanding the universe' aspect, I think that you should have no real problem finding the motivation to learn about the basic physics mechanisms that you can study in the lab. Knowing that many of the same simple laws also apply on a vast scale will only increase your appreciation of the wonders of the cosmos. 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eizhowa Posted July 6, 2012 Report Share Posted July 6, 2012 I didn't like physics until "I got it" and soon realized that once you understand something in physics you really don't have to study much to do well in class. History was an entirely different matter... Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kuc Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Of course we are crazy! But only crazy people are genius, and only those can understand the magic of phisycs ) I'm now going to attempt our teacher to teach astrophysics or relativity for our option!Astrophysics seems to be a good choice for an option, but I wouldn't recommend you choosing relativity. Probably it's the most difficult option ever, based only on calculations. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drake Glau Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 Difficulty in physics just makes it more fun. I always liked physics because it was something I had to sit and think about, sometimes for rather long periods of time, and eventually you see the wonderful mural that has been waiting for you to see it Random thought: Game called "SpaceChem" does this too. It's kind of based around engineering and efficiency but everyone that likes physics will probably like it as well, assuming you enjoy puzzle games 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dniviE Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 I didn't like physics until "I got it" and soon realized that once you understand something in physics you really don't have to study much to do well in class. History was an entirely different matter... THIS! I used to not like it much before but now, in my second year, when I have realised the value of knowing all these concepts I start to understand what is going on! It is really interesting! Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marazm Posted December 3, 2012 Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 My university requires 2 experimental sciences HL so I had to choose. Chemistry was a must - I love it, because it is really logical science for me. Then I had to distinguish Bio or PhysX, both on HL (I am not a masochist to take all three experimentals). I know I am able to learn Bio well, but it would take a looot of effort to get good grade. And PhysX is a description of the world by mathematical equations (take a look at my Math level, it corresponds to my love towards it). So the verdict was easy to predict. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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