Recent content by Mattowander

  1. M

    Brushing up on calc to prepare for QM

    I just finished my first quantum mechanics course and really you should be comfortable with all of these topics. More than anything we used math from linear algebra and PDE's so calculus is just one area of math that you should study to prepare for quantum mechanics.
  2. M

    Tension on A Rope of Negligible Mass

    Suppose the tension at the two ends is not the same. That would mean there is a force acting on a mass that is very close to 0. If that was the case since F = ma, the string would experience an infinite acceleration. Since this doesn't happen, the tension is either the same at both ends or the...
  3. M

    Is it normal to not understand any homework questions?

    I'm currently taking Quantum Mechanics and the general consensus among my peers is that it usually takes anywhere between 1 to 3 hours to do each homework problem. I'd say it really depends upon the course and professor, and the level of rigor of the homework problems. Would I say it is normal...
  4. M

    Question on the equation for the period of a pendulum

    Perhaps because the equation you listed for the period is only valid for "small" angles of oscillations.
  5. M

    Taking D.E. and Applied Calculus for Engineers Together?

    Last Fall I took both Differential Equations and Calculus III at the same time and judging from these course descriptions it looks like that is what you're planning on taking also. I personally didn't consider the course load too heavy but it really depends on your professors and how much...
  6. M

    Is it dangerous to fire a gun upwards?

    When it is falling, the force due to drag would be pointing upward, not downward.
  7. M

    Schools My high school doesn't have AP Calculus

    Math methods focus more on using math specifically for problem solving and so learning from a math methods book would probably skip over a lot of the more theoretical information that would be useful to you. The way I see it, math methods books are more useful when you have already been...
  8. M

    This is probably the wrong place to ask, but

    About the missing exams, I would suggest that you contact College Board and ask them about that. As far as your AP Chem score, I agree with Johng23 that it is much more likely that you made a mistake on the exam and a re-score would most likely be a waste of your time and money. However, that is...
  9. M

    Schools My high school doesn't have AP Calculus

    I can't make any recommendations about textbooks for either Physics or Calculus but I can recommend some great online resources to use to help teach yourself calculus and physics. First, I would recommend that you check out MIT opencourseware. They have free lectures for both physics at the AP...
  10. M

    Schools Navigating Community College Math: From Homeschooling to Engineering Transfer

    I'm actually transferring to Texas A&M from a community college too! I know what you mean about community colleges sometimes having a low quality of education. If you do not feel comfortable with Calculus I after you finish the class, you might try taking it again during the regular semester...
  11. M

    Schools How to prepare for a college atractive highschool career.

    Wellesley I think that just depends upon the university that you're planning on going to. I'm about to transfer to Texas A&M University and they gave me credit for both of the dual credit classes I took in high school. Just be sure to make sure you know what the policy is for the university you...
  12. M

    Friction acting on a ball on an inclined plane

    I just have a quick question. I know that at least some amount of friction is required in order for a ball to roll down an inclined plane and not just slide. My question is about the work done by friction in this situation. Is all of this energy converted to rotational kinetic energy or is there...
  13. M

    Is Gravitational Potential Energy real?

    I know I phrased that badly. But I keep thinking of the following situation : Close to Earth,thinking in 2-D, an object has gravitational potential energy equal to mgh where h is the height above the point y = 0. Since we can set y = 0 at an arbitrary position and therefore give the object...
  14. M

    Is Gravitational Potential Energy real?

    Exactly what the title says. I wonder if gravitational potential energy close to the Earth is something intrinsic in the object that can be measured or is it completely dependent upon where we consider our 0 level to be. For example if we lifted an object a distance h above the ground and set it...
  15. M

    Programs Learning about fluids as a physics major

    That was quite an interesting article! In that case, is a "special topics" class the only point in my education that I might learn about fluids? At my school, several other engineering courses are listed as prerequisites to Undergraduate Fluid Mechanics. Even my high school physics teacher, who...
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