<p>I am considering taking the new AP Physics 1 class(replaces AP Physics B I think and is algebra based), along with College chem next year. Do you think physics is really difficult or hard to understand? I am pretty good at math and am also taking Calc BC next year as well. What kind of things do you learn? </p>
<p>Or should I take Biology II? Physics vs Biology?
Thanks</p>
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Yes, and I want to be a math major. In my case it’s hard because of the concepts rather than the math (unless we’re talking about silly arithmetic mistakes, because I still believe that 7+3 is 11 and no one can talk me out of it, dammit).<br>
I still think you should take it, though. Whether it’s difficult or not sort of depends on the person.</p>
<p>Algebra-based physics isn’t too hard. My school offers algebra-based physics as an honors class and I have had high A’s all year. </p>
<p>Physics is mostly memorizing formulas and word problems. Two things make it hard: it’s not always obvious which formula to use; and many of the concepts seem to defy intuition.</p>
<p>If the lab is well-equipped, experiments and demonstrations can be pretty awesome.</p>
<p>I would like to disagree that physics is mostly memorization. It is mostly application through plenty of practice. Memorization will kill your grade.</p>
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Notice the “and word problems” part. That would correspond to your “application” part. I also wrote that it’s not always easy to know which formula to use. In other words, I’m saying it’s hard to apply what you’ve memorized. We’re saying the same stuff.</p>
<p>It really depends. I absolutely love physics and don’t find it incredibly difficult, but I hate math and struggle with it a lot more. But someone that posted above is the complete opposite. </p>
<p>If you were the kid in math class always asking “When will I use this in life?!” You will probably enjoy physics since it focuses on applications and word problems. </p>
<p>Technically all classes involve memorization. I would not, however, call physics “mostly memorizing” since there isn’t much to remember. Biology and history are much more memory intensive. Physics is not even close in the amount of memorization required in those subjects. And a good student should not even have to memorize the formulas. The student could simply rederive the formulas. </p>
<p>AP Physics 1 should not be hard at all. It is basically high school physics.</p>
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Not as a subject, but it’s often taught that way in high school just like everything else. </p>
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In theory this is true, but a lot of formulas aren’t obvious or easy to derive. Some may require more advanced knowledge (I can’t think of any examples right now, but it’s certainly possible for a “result” in a lower-level class to have its origins at a higher level that a beginning student hasn’t learned about) and some are just time-consuming. You don’t want to have to reinvent the wheel every time you take a test, especially if you’re nervous.
I don’t think rote memorization is all bad either, as long as it’s not used to the exclusion of everything else…you have to see something a lot in order to memorize it, and if you see something a lot you become familiar with it. </p>
<p>I think AP Physics is pretty hard, haha. I found AP Chem and Bio to be way easier. But then again, my physics teacher spent three months on basic kinematics and three weeks on E&M and modern physics, so I feel like the curriculum was a little unbalanced. </p>
<p>Since you’ll be taking Physics 1 next year, it should be a lot easier. Especially if you’re a math-y kind of person (I’m not). I think it only covers the first semester of Physics B stuff, just a lot more in depth. Kind of wish they had that option this year too.</p>
<p>Best of luck! </p>