Should I Choose Partial Differential Equations or Electromagnetism for my Next Semester?

In summary, if you are a math/chemistry major and want to go to grad school for either chemical physics or physical chemistry, taking E&M would be more beneficial.
  • #1
cytochrome
166
3
I have a choice between 2 classes next semester that conflict, and if I choose one I will graduate without taking the other.

Partial differential equations or electromagnetism?

I'm a math/chemistry major and I want to go to grad school for chemical physics or physical chemistry. Any insight as to what would be more beneficial would be very helpful! I'm an avid self studier so whichever one I miss out on I will surely catch upThanks

EDIT: I could not take both and take pottery
 
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  • #2
**double post
 
Last edited:
  • #3
cytochrome said:
I have a choice between 2 classes next semester that conflict, and if I choose one I will graduate without taking the other.

Partial differential equations or electromagnetism?

I'm a math/chemistry major and I want to go to grad school for chemical physics or physical chemistry. Any insight as to what would be more beneficial would be very helpful! I'm an avid self studier so whichever one I miss out on I will surely catch up


Thanks




EDIT: I could not take both and take pottery
E&M. I didn't realize how useful E&M is in chemistry until very recently. And you'll learn a lot of useful math techniques in there too.

I'm in chem grad school and I'd pick E&M, no question.
 
  • #4
"EDIT: I could not take both and take pottery"

Lol. Since you plan more on the physics side of the double major, pde's
"applied" for e&m may be more beneficial. Is the PDE course applied? By this i mean: solving heat, wave, laplace equations and or using Fourier series? Or is it taught as a course with some proofs?
 
  • #5
It's a rigorous proof based course, which is the best way to learn it in my opinion.

I think PDE would be easier to self teach because I love math literature and have taught myself various subjects (abstract, number theory, complex) just for the fun of it
 
  • #6
Sounds like a good course. Here at my university, we need to take a lot of analysis and an applied pde course to take the proof based one(s).

I believe math is much easier to self teach than physics. More straightforward and builds up to previous ideas.
 
  • #7
Take pottery, it will give you insights into 3 dimensional geometry that is produced by rotating something on a ceramic wheel.
 

1. What is a PDE?

A PDE, or partial differential equation, is a type of mathematical equation that involves multiple variables and their rates of change. It is commonly used to model physical phenomena in fields such as electromagnetism.

2. How do PDEs relate to electromagnetism?

PDEs are commonly used to describe the behavior of electromagnetic fields. Maxwell's equations, which govern electromagnetism, can be written as a system of PDEs.

3. What is the role of boundary conditions in PDEs for electromagnetism?

Boundary conditions are essential in solving PDEs for electromagnetism. They define the behavior of the electromagnetic field at the boundaries of the system and are necessary for obtaining a unique solution.

4. Are there any real-world applications of PDEs in electromagnetism?

Yes, PDEs are used in a wide range of real-world applications in electromagnetism, such as designing antennas, predicting the behavior of electromagnetic waves in different media, and simulating complex electromagnetic systems.

5. Is it possible to solve PDEs for electromagnetism analytically?

In some simple cases, PDEs for electromagnetism can be solved analytically, but in most cases, numerical methods are used to approximate the solution. This is due to the complexity of the equations and the difficulty in finding closed-form solutions.

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