Recent content by Poley

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    Can a 13-year-old learn physics?

    At this stage, it's probably better to try and get ahead in math. It's hard to study physics properly without knowing calculus or at least trigonometry. See if your school has an accelerated math program, or ask your teachers for supplementary material.
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    What advanced math courses would you recommend for grad physics?

    In addition to linear algebra and group theory, also consider complex analysis and differential geometry.
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    Looking for an efficient and engaging Thermodynamics textbook?

    I like Introduction to Thermal Physics by Schroeder. It'll teach you the engineering side (how to solve all the gas law problems, heat engines, etc.) but it also gives you the more interesting statistical mechanics approach. Definitely oriented towards more serious physics. There's no lack of...
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    About what percentage? [AP Calculus exam]

    Historically, roughly the top 50% of students get a 5 on the BC exam. I believe this corresponds to getting about 60% to 70% of the questions correct...ask your AP teacher, because he probably has some official sample tests which include the actual grading scales. These numbers vary from year to...
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    Programs Which math courses for Math minor with CS major?

    Number theory, combinatorics, discrete mathematics, modern algebra, and linear algebra all have immediate applications in CS. Numerical analysis and PDEs are important in scientific computing. Real analysis and complex analysis will probably be less useful in CS applications, but they are...
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    Suggestion on books for Thermal Physics and Statistical Mechanics

    I think Schroeder is great for a casual introduction to thermodynamics and statistical mechanics, ideal for an introduction. The level is gentle and accessible, and there are many thought-provoking exercises. I have also heard good things about Blundell. If you want a "detailed understanding"...
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    What courses can I expect after calculus?

    The standard topics covered in undergraduate math are (in my experience): analysis calculus real analysis complex analysis ODEs PDEs algebra linear algebra abstract algebra number theory geometry and topology topology differential geometry Of course, the details will depend on your...
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    Suggestions for Differential Equations Text

    Differential Equations, Dynamical Systems, and an Introduction to Chaos is great for developing an intuitive, geometric understanding of differential equations. It's a little less rigorous than other choices but this might be what you are looking for. Another choice is Ordinary Differential...
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    My aspirations would like some flavor from seasoned Pros

    This website describes in detail the coursework normally required for aspiring physicists. If you are just starting out, I'd say the most important math classes for introductory physics are calculus and linear algebra.
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    The best way to learn to programming?

    I strongly recommend you start with Python or MATLAB, rather than a low level language like C/C++.
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    Schools How much did you study per week in university?

    In my opinion, trying to plan a precise study schedule isn't very effective. I prefer to study until I have learned what I intend to learn. However, on average, I estimate I spend between 20 and 30 hours a week studying outside of class; perhaps about half of this time is spent on homework or...
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    Book for Hamiltonian and Lagrangian mechanics

    [PLAIN]www.amazon.com/Classical-Mechanics-John-R-Taylor/dp/189138922X[/URL] The first 5 chapters are a review of mechanics in a Newtonian setting, though probably with more rigour and vector calculus than a typical introductory class. Then, the book moves onto variational calculus, Lagrangian...
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    Seeking Internship in Embedded Systems/Microprocessor Engineering

    Some of the problems I had in mind were incorrect capitalization ("...and Fabricated..."), inconsistent use of periods (some bullets are followed by periods, others are not; either is fine, but inconsistency is not), incorrect verb tenses ("Design and Fabricated..." and "Teach...
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    Seeking Internship in Embedded Systems/Microprocessor Engineering

    I am not really qualified to evaluate your credentials, but I imagine they will be impressive. However, as Choppy pointed out, you need to fix the grammar and style issues before sending this off. For example, be consistent with your capitalization and punctuation, and make sure you use parallel...
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    Electric Book Needed: A-Z Guide to Electricity

    The classic introductory text is Purcell. If you don't know vector calculus, though, I'd recommend you learn that first. If you want a simpler text more suited to the high school level, then I'm sure anyone of the books titled "Physics for Scientists and Engineers" will cover electricity and...
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