Physics 1 vs 2

<p>What is the difference between them and which is easier? I know 2 series is for engineering but would it count toward dental?</p>

<p>1 series is definitely easier, from what I have heard. I believe the 2 series is for BOTH science and engineering majors, so that includes dental too.</p>

<p>Yeah. The 2 series is like the 1 series but with more stuff. So anything the 1 series counts for, the 2 series counts for as well but not vice versa.</p>

<p>I know for science, bio kids don’t have to take the 2 series, but biochem/chem and chem majors do. I’m in the 1 series right now and I would definitely recommend the 2 series instead no matter what science major you are .__. I borrowed my roommate’s 2 series textbook and asked my 2 series friends to teach me the physics the way they learned it.</p>

<p>I feel that the 1 series is made for people that absolutely suck at math because they try to take the calculus out of the physics, which is ridiculous and pretty impossible. If you have a decent grasp of calc or math it helps you better understand the physics. One example I have is for Gauss law, my 1 series prof never mentioned or explained the integral part. We were basically told to just memorize the answer for certain geometric shapes (sphere, concentric spheres, line, etc) instead of solving any integral, which I thought was rather silly.</p>

<p>i thought physics 1 was still calc based just not as in depth as the 2 series???</p>

<p>It is calc based, but from my experience and from my TA’s rants, the 1 series rarely touched calculus. I thought it was strange too since the prereq for phys1a is calc10a…every once in a while they bust out the partial derivatives and some really basic calc stuff and it’s just so surprising because we can go weeks without any explanations using calculus. xD Last quarter when I was taking phys1b my TA rebelled and taught some concepts two ways: with multivariable (2 series-esque) and without, just to show some of us how much the 1 series were lacking in helping us understand.</p>

<p>so would you venture out and say the 1 series is completely pointless or is it just that the 2 series is that much more superior in teaching style?
it is kind of wierd that calculus is a prereq but teach it like its algebra based, kind of stupid lol</p>

<p>I honestly thought the 2 series was much better structured and I started sitting in on phys2 lectures to learn better. It might be just me though…I had zero choice with profs because I started the series in the middle of the year. My first prof was terrible, he taught nothing and has a 20% approval on CAPE. The second prof taught using a MWF schedule for a TuTh class, which left us 2 weeks behind the lab material .__. I’m just having an all-around bad experience with the phys1 series. I don’t know if my endorsement of phys2 is cause any other class is better than what I’ve had so far xD I did like how the 2 series was more calc-involved, having been to both 1 and 2 lectures to compare. That’s probably my best objective statement.</p>

<p>I didn’t think the 1 series was pointless. I learned a lot in those classes. There was virtually no calculus in them though which I thought was strange.</p>

<p>so you would recommend the 2 series to understand the concept? i sat in for physics 1 at a local CC and i’m not sure if it was the teacher being bad or not, but a lot of the content was difficult to grasp. like with torque and such.</p>

<p>I get the impression that while 2A is better to take than 1A in terms of learning more and giving you a better foundation, 2B and 2C are probably way harder than their 1 series equivalents. I’ve never taken any Phys 2 class but I don’t doubt it teaches (or challenges you to self-teach) a lot more. It is probably more interesting, more difficult/stressful, and more rewarding. Only thing stopping me from taking it is concern over the grade i make… eh. but if you are most interested in learning physics with calculus (best way, imo) then maybe you should take the 2 series. a lot of 2 series profs are good, so i’ve heard & read.</p>

<p>I had great professors for the 1 series. I think 92faim said it best. You inevitably learn a lot more in the 2 series because you’re using calculus, but it’s therefore harder. I totally agree though, I was surprised that we didn’t use calculus in the 1 series because everybody in the class had to have taken calculus before to be in the class. But don’t blow off the 1 series and make it seem like you don’t learn anything in the class because that’s not true.</p>

<p>I would agree with 92faim. If u can, take 2a, then 1b and 1c. thats what i did (im bio major). The reason i took 2a instead of 1a was cuz the 1a prof sucked as$ (and plus i didnt really want to do lab), so i chose the 2a prof., and it was the best decision i made. My 2a prof was REALLY helpful and clear in explaining the concepts. There was a bit of calculus used in my 2a class, and i liked it, because instead of memorizing formulas, u can actually derive it and understand it. Then when i took 1b, i had an easier time than my friends who took 1a because my 2a prof did a much better job of preparing us for the rest of the series.</p>

<p>I took 2A, 2B, and 2D. While you <em>could</em> use calculus here and there (I occasionally gave it a try on homeworks), the exams didn’t require anything more than algebra.</p>

<p>^ that’s reassuring. thanks</p>