<p>I'm going to be a freshmen civil engineering major at the University of Maryland in the fall... however, i'm kind of worried about taking physics as a freshmen, due to the fact that i didn't take any physics courses while i was in high school.</p>
<p>Am i really in trouble for freshmen engineering physics?</p>
<p>What concepts should i try to familiarize myself with before i leave for school?</p>
<p>What are some resources for learning these concepts? ^^</p>
<p>Thanks guys!</p>
<p>If you have free time go ahead and watch the MIT OCW physics lectures, doing so you will be prepared for fall, but its not necessary. You will learn as you go.</p>
<p>I found this website very helpful for going over basic concepts: [url=<a href=“http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/hframe.html]HyperPhysics[/url”>HyperPhysics]HyperPhysics[/url</a>]</p>
<p>MIT lectures are good, but can be very bad if you have bad internet connection.
Rather, I would advice go and check out this
[Physics</a> Study Guides](<a href=“http://iweb.tntech.edu/murdock/books.html]Physics”>http://iweb.tntech.edu/murdock/books.html)</p>
<p>I use this as a study-aid while learning calculus-based physics 1
I will also strongly advice you to bookmark this, and print them out in school, and use it along the way when you are in class. It has a lot of examples and go through the concept very well.</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>just remember that physics is just math hidden in big words. its not hard and if you find yourself struggling, go to [HippoCampus</a> - Homework and Study Help - Free help with your algebra, biology, environmental science, American government, US history, physics and religion homework](<a href=“http://www.hippocampus.org%5DHippoCampus”>http://www.hippocampus.org) for help. And try to get a good teacher, sometimes that can make the differenece</p>
<p>Calculus based physics isn’t that hard. For me Physics was way easier than chemistry. So if you found chemistry easy then physics will be even easier!</p>
<p>Physics is really logical and interesting and awesome!</p>
<p>For me chemistry has always been annoying. I do not like the way chemistry is taught.</p>
<p>Although I am sure I would enjoy chemistry from a Physics perspective.</p>
<p>khanacademy.org</p>
<p>
You can download the videos.</p>
<p>I highly recommend MIT open courseware lectures, and definitely don’t just look at the videos but also check out some of the homeworks and especially read the notes as they’re very useful. MIT does it right, so you should be okay using it to study with as well during the year.</p>
<p>Wow, I usually preferred my class lectures to MIT’s. MIT’s is plagued with the same amount of foreign teachers speaking a fractured english as my school. It isn’t bad, but you can’t ask questions either. In addition, I find learning with textbooks best because they are so comprehensive. Personal preference I guess.</p>
<p>How were your SAT physics/AP physics scores?</p>
<p>Since the OP didn’t mention that he took any physics classes in high school, I’ll assume you’re talking to me. AP scores in physics are a joke more than anything. You can get 35% correct and get a 3. However the material is not too easy, actually learning physics that is. AP questions are a bit too simple, but I suppose they do accurately test your physics knowledge.</p>
<p>I do agree that learning with the textbook is best, I learned so much from mine. I used Physics for Scientists and Engineers (with Modern Physics) by Knight. It is a great textbook, and coupled with the lectures from MIT (my real teacher just showed us powerpoints and more than half the class failed at learning any physics…) I learned a lot. Certainly not as much as I could’ve with a proper teacher, and perhaps I should’ve taken calculus before the class (it was physics C, calculus-based).</p>
<p>Suggestion to the OP: if you know what textbook you’re going to use, why not buy it now and just start reading up? That is, only do it if you’re interested in it. I used to carry mine around all the time and I enjoyed reading it a lot, but a crappy textbook will never teach you anything.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t agree that if you found chemistry easy then you’ll find physics easy. Chemistry, although I hated it, was easy. Physics on the other hand has proved to be a thorn in my side. I’m doing well in the class but it’s taking way more study time than chemistry ever did.
If you never took physics in highschool then you are in the same boat that I was at the beginning of this semester. I don’t have a specific resource to recommend to you but I would highly advise some kind of primer before taking Phys 1. There really isn’t that much to basic mechanics, but if you don’t know the basics, then you may struggle. Good luck.</p>
<p>I didn’t take physics in high school and Calc level physics was not hard at all. Just make sure you stay on top of your work, focus and study smart. It’s all about understanding the concepts. Concepts in mechanics are very starightforward and logical to understand.</p>
<p>But I guess it depends on the person.</p>
<p>Khanacademy.org. Is an excellent site to help you with physics.</p>
<p>Where you may have problems will be physics II. In Physics II you study phenomonon at a quantum level such as electromagnetism so it is difficult to conceptualize and you have to kinda trust what your learning is actually that way.</p>
<p>ahh P2 isnt that bad. it requires a positive attitude and not listening to the “just get through this class since you wont need it in engineering” Its actually pretty fun if you have the right teacher</p>
<p>I’m a rising senior civil engineering major at Maryland. The freshman physics you’re going to take is PHYS161. Freshman year is all about weeding out people. The classes you will be taking are designed for a high failure rate because the Clark school wants to separate students who are doing engineering for a passion versus those who don’t. I got an A in PHYS161 but didn’t study much. That’s because I already took physics in high school and the professor had a huge curve because many people did terribly. </p>
<p>Assuming you are in engineering because you have a passion for this (I don’t), you should do fine. Go to lecture, study every day, do your homework, go to office hours, get help from your TA, etc. Do this for every class. </p>
<p>Be glad that civil people only have to take PHYS161 and PHYS260/261. When I was an EE major, I had to take PHYS 270/271, which was brutal.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Nope, sorry I was talking to the OP.
Edit: on second thought he probably never took either of them.</p>
<p>
I thought that was a rumor designed to make us continue into second and third year.
Them: “Oh yeah, third year is just for weeding people out”, “fourth year will be a breeze”
Me: " T_T "</p>
<p>If the weeding theory is true, they’re also discouraging a lot of students from doing engineering at their school specifically. People may transfer to an easier school and do the same major.</p>
<p>From what I’ve been told, weeding out is most likely to take place at big state universities.</p>
<p>Well UMaryland’s retention rate for full time students is 93%, I don’t think it’s that bad. [University</a> of Maryland-College Park: Admissions & Retention](<a href=“http://www.globalscholar.com/collegefinder/1888-university-of-maryland-college-park/admission-retention.aspx]University”>http://www.globalscholar.com/collegefinder/1888-university-of-maryland-college-park/admission-retention.aspx)</p>
<p>Don’t think of courses as weed out courses, because they’re not supposed to get easier as you progress into your upper years.</p>
<p>Tagged. Sorry for bumping an old thread, some of the links in this thread might be useful to me :P</p>
<p>You can’t just bump a thread for your own convenience…</p>
<p>You can’t just bump a thread for your own convenience…</p>
<p>I didn’t take any physics courses in high school. I didn’t care about physics in high school. I took Calc-based physics I last semester. I worked hard. I had to study more than my friends who passed the AP Physics exam. I got an A- in the class. They also got an A- in the class. The class average was a 72. I found out I love physics.</p>
<p>Haha, sorry for the short choppy sentences, but seriously it’s nothing to worry about. The first day when the professor talked about all of the rules of vectors, I thought I was going to be lost and slightly considered waiting until the next semester to take the class (When we’re supposed to schedule wise). You’ll be fine.</p>