Expanding my horizons or (and?) scaring myself silly

[binR Bishop]

Ok, so somehow, despite 4 years of high school science and a pile of college math courses, I never got around to taking a physics class (long story why). It's something I've regretted for years.

So... the other day I'm poking around on the web, and I discover that UT offers first-year calculus-based physics via web. I talked to the prof and we agreed it was a good fit for me, so I just signed up.

I can't decide if I'm excited or just plain nuts. Maybe both. Need a little blab encouragement, please.

[Raincrow]

Go for it. We would all do well to understand physics. It's the new religion.

[rikki]

How much physics will the course include? Is it mostly classic Newtonian stuff, or will you get into electromagnetism and thermodynamics?

[binR Bishop]

How much physics will the course include? Is it mostly classic Newtonian stuff, or will you get into electromagnetism and thermodynamics?

First semester is basically the former. If I survive that I'll take second semester, which gets into the latter.

[Raincrow]

Did anybody see Tom Hanks on the Daily Show (or Colbert Nation) last week talking about how the tiny bit of antimatter collected at the Large Hadron Collider last year was lost because the scientists operating the containment consoles were given a Christmas break?

[Tess]

First semester is basically the former. If I survive that I'll take second semester, which gets into the latter.

Yes, ten fingers up. You should do it. Congrats!

[bgrassgal]

Yew can dew iiit!
Kudos to you. I'd be terrified.

[binR Bishop]

I'd be terrified.

I am too. But I guess I'm more excited, or I wouldn't have made the leap.

[Tess]

I was at a seminar last week, and the presenter (highly educated, terminal degree) said, it was beyond her understanding that women would not continue their education due to fear that they couldn't "do it".

(q* me sinking into my seat...)

[CAFKIA]

Assuming your calculus isn't as dusty as mine, it should be a piece of cake. Most of the problem with physics in HS and college the early years is that you don't have enough experience doing stuff to understand applications (of course that goes for calculus too.). A little life experience goes a long way in the sciences at the basic level.

[binR Bishop]

Assuming your calculus isn't as dusty as mine

Two years, 1970-1972. Pretty dusty. But I got my old textbook out, and it comes back pretty fast.

One good thing is that, unlike some fields, you don't have to worry about calculus having changed much in the last 35 years.

[Hayduke]

Assuming your calculus isn't as dusty as mine, it should be a piece of cake. Most of the problem with physics in HS and college the early years is that you don't have enough experience doing stuff to understand applications (of course that goes for calculus too.). A little life experience goes a long way in the sciences at the basic level.

True enough. I occasionally help with some Algebra homework and it's embarrassing how many times look up how to work a problem. It's been over a quarter century (damn) since my last calculus class in college and longer since high school physics. The more surprising thing is how many of the physics examples are things I really could have used over that time if I had remembered them. Makes me want to dust off the math section of my brain and start applying it.

[spinetingler]

Did anybody see Tom Hanks on the Daily Show (or Colbert Nation) last week talking about how the tiny bit of antimatter collected at the Large Hadron Collider last year was lost because the scientists operating the containment consoles were given a Christmas break?

Yes.
Hanks is fairly funny.

[toby]

Two years, 1970-1972. Pretty dusty. But I got my old textbook out, and it comes back pretty fast.

One good thing is that, unlike some fields, you don't have to worry about calculus having changed much in the last 35 years.

One of the shocking things that happened to me was being told to get upper level calculus on my transcript for my doctorate. And then, I had to take a multivariate statistics class where the professor made us understand the nuts and bolts through calculus. Disaster averted. You won't regret it. It really does give you a way of talking about this stuff in a general and a widely accepted way.

[Hayduke]

As I recall, the main thing I got out of calculus was that the statistics classes afterward didn't seem so much like voodoo.

[toby]

As I recall, the main thing I got out of calculus was that the statistics classes afterward didn't seem so much like voodoo.

It gave lie to the the various "Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics" bromides you hear from knownothings.

[Ellipsis]

Good for you, Bishop! I think what you're doing is great.

I don't recall first semester Physics requiring much more Calculus than the Power Rule (which is about all the Calculus I have retained from three semesters of it).

What's infuriating is that you'll be studying stuff that's been known for at least 200 years, but damned if they won't ask you to buy a new edition of a textbook for over $100. The last class I had at Pellissippi had us buying the fourth edition of a database textbook for about $135. I bought the third edition on the Internet for about $5, and never encountered any problem. All the material covered was unchanged, even the exercises at the end of the chapters!

[binR Bishop]

What's infuriating is that you'll be studying stuff that's been known for at least 200 years, but damned if they won't ask you to buy a new edition of a textbook for over $100. The last class I had at Pellissippi had us buying the fourth edition of a database textbook for about $135. I bought the third edition on the Internet for about $5, and never encountered any problem. All the material covered was unchanged, even the exercises at the end of the chapters!

The textbook is currently in 4th edition, but the prof says that the 3rd or even the 2nd edition is ok - not many changes. So I hope I can find a used edition for not too many $$.

[binR Bishop]

And then, I had to take a multivariate statistics class where the professor made us understand the nuts and bolts through calculus.

Hmm, as I recall my multivariate courses (I have a master's degree in statistics) used more matrix algebra than calculus. But it's been a long time. I could dig those textbooks out too, but I'm too lazy.

[spinetingler]

(I have a master's degree in statistics)

masochist.

(although I suppose not to the degree of my pop, who has a PhD in it)

[toby]

Hmm, as I recall my multivariate courses (I have a master's degree in statistics) used more matrix algebra than calculus. But it's been a long time. I could dig those textbooks out too, but I'm too lazy.

It was more of the "here's how this shit was derived" angle.

[binR Bishop]

masochist.

(although I suppose not to the degree of my pop, who has a PhD in it)

Yup. The department head used to say that the fastest way to kill a cocktail party conversation was to tell somebody you were a statistician. People tend to start backing slowly away.

I was always good in math, but wanted something more applied than a pure math major. Statistics was perfect for me at the time.

Where did your dad get his PhD?

[binR Bishop]

It was more of the "here's how this shit was derived" angle.

My multivariate prof brought tinker toys to class and would assemble them, saying "and THIS vector goes here...." I really loved that guy - John Philpot. He's professor emeritus now.

Geez, I'm getting old.

[CubeDoctor]

Geez, I'm getting old.


We are all getting old.

Someone said you had almost the same credentials as Town of Farragut's Community Development Director Ruth Hawk.

If so MPC is a good place for you to be involved.

[binR Bishop]

Someone said you had almost the same credentials as the town planner in Farragut, Ruth.



Really? And who might that "someone" be?

[CubeDoctor]

Really? And who might that "someone" be?
An engineer I use a lot that was at the last meeting last week. I did not have anything on the agenda.

[toby]

My multivariate prof brought tinker toys to class and would assemble them, saying "and THIS vector goes here...." I really loved that guy - John Philpot. He's professor emeritus now.

Geez, I'm getting old.

Ball of clay and straws here. It was really cool following the derivation of things like the central tendency of means via the calculus though. There was a lot of "So that's why!"

[JMG]

Cool and good luck. I always loved Physics. You'll enjoy the experiments. I like the tinkertoy way of explaining vectors, I learned, like Toby, with balls of clay and those wooden skewers.

[spinetingler]

I learned...with balls of clay and those wooden skewers.

must.resist.derail...

[pages]

I am very proud of you binR. That's a wonderful thing to do.

When my god daughter was taking high school physics, she just went wacky for the stuff. She would go on and on and on about how fascinating and wonderful it was. One night as she was going on about the interesting example that her teacher had used, her mother and I kept looking at each other knowingly because we hadn't any idea what she was talking about. So her mom, finally said, "S, we're thrilled that Mr. Teacher has taught you this delightful language because the rest of us don't even know the alphabet."

S was thrilled that she knew something her adults didn't know.

I didn't do calculus in high school, only two algebras and geometry. Then I ended up taking a statistics course in college, and I was dead in the water. Long story, but the second time around with a very nice TA I squeaked by with a C.

Yeah, binR.

[M.W. Bensey]

Good for you, binR! Enjoy!

[binR Bishop]

Thanks to all you blabbers for the encouragement. I'll let you know how it goes.