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Is Physics harder than Ext 2 Maths? (1 Viewer)

Alkanes

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Nah physics is pretty much content based and calculations nothing compared to 4u.
 

sakatahahaha

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I don't to maths i am currently on 84% in physics. I honestly don't know why people ask these question the calculation part is more a challenge for finding the right formula rather than actually calculating! BASIC BASIC calculations with the slightest of ease.
 

foodmaniac

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It really depends on how you think. The maths in maths is different to the maths in physics. In maths, we use things like calculus and trigonometry to prove identities which can be applied to physics or engineering. While you do do that to a certain extent in physics, the maths in physics focuses more on a mathematical equation being a relationship between two concepts.

For example, if we take Newton's Second Law of Motion, Force = Mass x Acceleration (F = ma), we can deduce that for a force to exist, there must be both acceleration and mass - because if any of those are 0, then the force would be 0. However, we know that all objects have mass (generally speaking, don't get into the technical stuff like quantum particles or anti-matter), so in this equation, the only thing that really affects the force is the acceleration of an object. From this, we can deduce that an accerleration causes a force, and vice versa; a forces causes an acceleration. Or even to simplify it a little bit more; a force and an acceleration are the same concept, but only differ by the mass of said object.

You don't really do this stuff in maths in general. I'm doing Extension 2 Maths, and nothing comes into my head that is similar to the example I just gave. According to my physics teacher, they have dumbed down the course a lot from being 80% maths and 20% literacy to about 50-50 (40-60 if I daresay so). As long as you know how to solve an equation, then it should be fine. The hardest thing you'll ever have to do is the quadratic formula, and maybe if the question is being VERY specific (which doesn't happen), the sine/cosine rule when it comes to vector operations.
 

clementc

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Maybe in other countries/states but definitely not NSW...in other countries you have line integrals and all these crazy calculations.
But here we essay write...what true true physics is totally about T__T
It used to still have all this great stuff in it but now we end up learning about assessing advantages/disadvantages to society of transistors, the Manhattan Project to build the first atomic bomb, the fight between Edison and Westinghouse for the contract to power homes, etc.
It makes me want to cry when I see a 7 marker on them ='(
Basically it's all pure memorising and regurgitating. What people do is learn model answers for all the dot points and end up doing really well.
 
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the hsc physics course is based on the assumption that students only know up to year 10 maffs

because some ppl don't do maffs in year 11/12

4u mechanics is kinda physics
 

JamieP

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In NSW HSC, it's only as hard as general maths.
If you want to know how Physics should be done, the mechanics topic in Maths ExII points to the right direction, as some earlier posts pointed out. Our HSC physics can only be classified as year 10 science at best, by world standards - i quite agree with clementc's post.
 

kr73114

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ofcourse 4 unit is harder....saying that there are way more band 6's in 4u than physics at my school
 

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