How heavy is physics in engineering?

<p>I LOVE math but I find physics to be quite annoying and the whole "gmh kinetic energy potential etc etc" thing really frustrating. Since I like math, chemistry, and biology, can I still major in chemical engineering even though I dislike physics?</p>

<p>mmm, check the curriculum of the programs you are intending to apply. But I think that for chemEng, you will have to take introduction to modern physics, and it is harder than kinectic energy potential or stuff like that.</p>

<p>Engineering is all about working with the laws of physics to create things, so I’d imagine you need to know physics pretty well. I haven’t taken any engineering courses just yet, but I’m expecting them to be steeped in formulas and concepts we learned in physics. It’s actually a very interesting subject, though. Try going through your text on your own free time and you might find you like it more. It’ll also help prepare you for your classes.</p>

<p>Regardless of the Engineering major you will more than likely have to take more physics related classes like statics & dynamics, or some EE stuff. After that, its up to your major. I’m not sure about ChemE, but im in IE and we are definitely lite on the physics, but heavier on the Statistics.</p>

<p>Some ChemE programs have more quantum physics than the rest of the engineering majors, actually, as a result of things like physical chemistry that have to be taken.</p>

<p>The bottom line is that if you hate physics, you probably won’t like engineering.</p>

<p>What do you think about someone who never did physics in high school, will only take 3 months of basic intro physics, and wants to do engineering?</p>

<p>“I LOVE math” - What kinds of math do you like? Than may help us advise. Typically engineering students do tend to like some of physics… at least the problem solving aspects. </p>

<p>“What do you think about someone who never did physics in high school, will only take 3 months of basic intro physics, and wants to do engineering?” - I’d say it sounds risky. What aspects of engineering make it appealing?</p>

<p>I think that it is mostly a question of definitions. It sounds like what you consider physics is mechanics and maybe electricity and magnetism. In fact, physics is much more than that and includes all of physical chemistry and more. For Chemical Engineering, Physical Chemistry is a requirement but the actual number of physics courses you have to take is limited. Probably just a mechanics and and electricity and magnetism course in your first two or three semesters. If what you consider physics is what you learn in your High School AP classes, then you just have to take those two courses and tough it out.</p>

<p>I like biomedical engineering because it is like a type of applied biology. I like biology and feel very comfortable with it, as I did college biology during high school. But I am not 100% sure about pursuing it as I haven’t taken any physics classes during school.</p>

<p>Wiiplay: I have classmates who didn’t learn physics in school. Just prepared to work hard for you intro to physics course. Think about it this way, high schoolers can understand the concepts, you should be able to figure out a way to understand it with enough effort. xD
You can try borrowing a decent textbook from a local library or see if your high school’s physics teacher will let you browse his/her textbook and see if you can understand the basics/ find it mildly interesting.</p>

<p>Pretty sure all engineering majors will have physics in their requirements, but I’m pretty sure that Geomatic Engineers (Surveyors) don’t do a lot of physics in their job. Or Construction Management Engineers. But yeah, whoooole lot of physics in school.</p>

<p>Well physics isn’t hard for me…it’s just that I don’t find it very appealing. It might just be because so far in my physics class, we do really basic concepts such as “the force of a strong on a 4 kg ball blah blah blah”. I signed up for AP physics next year so hopefully it’s a lot more intriguing. </p>

<p>Also, I’m taking AP physics and AP calc senior year…does taking these classes so late hinder my chances of going to an engineering school at UCLA?</p>

<p>HA, no. Doubt it. People usually take AP Physics and AP calc senior year. Nothing too special about that.</p>

<p>Pretty much everything you do throughout the entire curriculum is deeply rooted in physics. If you don’t like physics, you really won’t get anywhere because the laws of physics govern just about everything you do in engineering.
Physics is pretty nasty, but you might come to appreciate it. Just give it a try.</p>

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<p>There, fixed it for you.</p>

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Naturally. But you don’t directly address them in non-technical majors.</p>

<p>At D’s school, I looked at Chem. engineering and computer engineering. Both required basic physics for engineering/science (calc based) for 2 semester plus lab. After that neither required a physics class, which is not to say that the courses listed as engineering classes don’t include that type of stuff. Check with specific schools.</p>