Chemistry Versus Physics (1 Viewer)

[JohnMaximus]

'Discuss the impact of the development of transformers on society'
'Identify data sources, gather, analyse and present information on the contribution of one of the following to the development of space exploration: Tsiolkovsky, Oberth, Goddard, Esnault-Pelterie, O‘Neill or von Braun'
'Identify data sources, gather, process, analyse information and use available evidence to assess the impact of the invention of transistors on society with particular reference to their use in microchips and microprocessors'

It's safe to say both courses have rote-learning, but Chemistry seems to have more.

Yeah, but you can answer almost every impact on society question in physics with computers.
The only stupid question that shows up is the differing views of planck and Einstein.

On the other hand, almost every mark in the chemistry hsc is rote learnt info.

 

[jenslekman]

We have students who are trying to understand relativity yet they cannot even for the life of them calculate rate of motion in resisted medium due to the limitations of this course
I'm not saying Chemistry is great, but rather they are on similar levels of rote learning and such.
The syllabus is full of 'societal impacts', and so is the Chemistry course, there are 'understanding' elements to both courses at a relatively same rate.

Both courses contain repetitive calculations with little to any maths, only arithmetic, one can easily rote learn the 'type' of questions they ask and just go on from there.

I should probably fix my statement and say that HSC Physics and HSC Chemistry are both horrible courses.

Maybe its the fact that I know less of 'real Chemistry', is the reason I'm less frustrated over it.

yeah I get what you mean but i think the syllabus change in 2000 was good in expanding the scope of the syllabus to include modern ideas - it gets students who were originally not interested in tertiary science interested

anyways, what is it you know about 'real physics' that makes you frustrated over HSC physics?

 

[nifkeh]

Yeah, but you can answer almost every impact on society question in physics with computers.
The only stupid question that shows up is the differing views of planck and Einstein.

On the other hand, almost every mark in the chemistry hsc is rote learnt info.

um no impact on society does correlate to social & ethical issues, not just 'computers'. like the war of the currents aren't about computers.

I would agree chemistry is more rote learnt than physics. Just look at trying to remember cation & anion testing, solubility rules, the solvay and contact processes and so on. Whereas it would be hard trying to rote learn superconductors and BCS theory.

Sy123, the most rote learning in physics occurs in the option Astrophysics, which is the one I'm doing. that doesn't compare to previous content such as Planck vs Einstein or stuff like that

 

[someth1ng]

If you think HSC physics teaches you physics, you're in for a huge surprise at university.

In terms of which I liked more, I'd say chemistry because I enjoyed the study of how everything around me is built and how intricate my surroundings are - from the structure of cellulose which makes the cell walls of little things that make trees to how fuels release energy for me to type this today. Chemistry is everywhere and that's what I love about it.

In the end, physics can do very much the same but in a somewhat different context. They are both physical sciences and work together to make the great things that are around you and studying both of them is very rewarding.

In my humble opinion, a scientist without any understanding of physics or chemistry is not a scientist.

 

[v1]

chemistry>physics
barely rote learnt chemistry understood and derived equations out of nowhere, enjoyed most of it.
while physics i rote learnt Q2Q and 2nd half of ideas to implementation, boring in general.

 

[Menomaths]

Woah, Chemistry just shot up.

 

[obliviousninja]

How about Biology!
Everyone else *shudders*

 

[kalstar]

I do both, but i like chem better.

 

[iBibah]

Meanwhile in Biology....

 

[Menomaths]

I'm counting 20 people voted for each course, why does it display different numbers?