Recent content by snkk197

Just an update to my last post - I graduated top of my class last month in BSc Physics and am starting my PhD at a different uni in September :-) It was a lot of hard work, but bloody well worth it. I don't know how meaningful my contribution to science will be ultimately - I suspect it will be...

I was hoping someone here could give me some direction with regards to books or review papers. I'm in my final year of my BSc doing a computational project on looking at the formation of antimatter molecules before they annihilate, e.g. a hydrogen-antihydrogen molecule. The computational bit is...

I've been combing over websites and papers on this, but I can't get a handle on trying to explain or visualize the similarity between them. The wave equation "smears out" over time as does the diffusion equation?

Oh ok, I guess it makes sense if the US degrees have much more flexibility than UK ones. Once you're in, can you keep switching majors as long as you're passing the required courses? Say you started out with the intention of being an english major, but after 2 years decided you wanted to do...

Oh wow, that really surprised me. Is the demand for places in physics that high? In the UK, there's such a shortage of physics applicants, admissions tutors are looking for ways to encourage students from all backgrounds. A previous bachelors degree has actually been a huge asset in my...

Thanks. I suppose I shouldn't worry so early on - I'm only 2 1/2 months into my degree after all! If I keep working hard it'll eventually click and I'll start thinking more like a scientist and less like a differential equation solving robot :)

I sympathise :( I'm in my first year, and though I'm doing well, it's through sheer hard work rather than anything else. I'm fine at applying what I already know, but I'm worried I'll lack the insight or lateral thinking for original research. I love physics and math and am having a brilliant...

As corny as it is, the journey is half the fun. I've just given up a super-secure government job to go back to uni to study physics and fulfill my dreams. It seems foolhardy given what's happened to the economy since, and there isn't a day when I don't worry about money but I am far happier...

Can I comment as someone who's actually doing it? I'll be 30 next year and I completed a business degree 6 years ago. Last year I had enough, enrolled in night school to bring my math and physics up, applied to lots of unis, quit my cushy government job, and now here I am just completing my...

Feels like how I've learned the whole of my classical mechanics module - it's not very efficient!

Never mind, figured out where I went wrong. Learning physics by trial and error...hmrph.

Homework Statement Write a function and solver for the chaotic motion of stars in a galaxy Initial conditions: x at time zero = 0 velocity of x at time zero = 0.3 y at time zero = 0 velocity of y at time zero = 0 Time period 2 to 200 with an interval od 0.02 Homework Equations...

I'm to start at Aberdeen, UK, where I have 4 compulsory (basically mechanics, waves, optics +electronics, relativity and quantum mechanics) modules and 4 optional modules. This is basically the only time I can choose modules - the next two years are pretty much set. Disappointingly, there are...

It's a bit of a relief to read this forum. Doing mundane jobs outside of uni, I am convinced are making me more stupid. I can practically feel the IQ points dropping out of me head. I was fantastic at mental arithmetic when I was at school, the fastest in my class. Now, even though I love math...

Just a word about physics departments in UK unis, Physics degrees in the UK are accredited by the Institute of Physics, policy is here: http://www.iop.org/activity/policy/Degree_Accreditation/index.html All the degrees accredited are on this link here. They have to cover core courses to...