Undergraduate Definition and 599 Threads

I will be attending a university in this fall, and I have decided to double major in physics and mathematics. However what haunts me most is the very idea of research. I am supposed to be publishing something new in 4 years both in mathematics and physics for completion of my course. But I can't...

I have a bachelor's in physics but I wasn't great as a student and didn't do research. Do you think a professor at the University near me would allow me to fill an undergraduate research position so I could eventually use that experience and relationship as a reference for graduate school?

Hi , everyone! This is my first post/thread/anything on this forum so first I apologise if I slip up or make any mistakes. Anyway, my question is about recommendations for textbooks for Undergraduate Number Theory. So far, I have studied Calculus 1-3 (including things like line integrals...

I found the Weinberg's book on General Relativity the most complete book on the fundamentals of the theory. I would like to know (apart from laboratory clases and having a professor to guide you) what is the difference of self-learning General Relativity from that book, compared to a 4-5 years...

Hello. So due to some life circumstances i was not able to finish all my coursework of my 3-year BS.c program last year. Thus i have about 24 credits I will take next year. My plan was to finish those courses, and then along that take courses in another university, in biochem on the side. That...

Should I include my no-result "research experience" into my personal statement for graduate physics school? My undergrad research experience is basely: 1.) My professor suggested a field - dark matter - to me. (Back then, he was working on mostly Earth science observations, so I did...

Greetings, I am an undergraduate student, just finished my third year in physics. I began studying physics in my early 20's and had to drop out and work. 3 years ago, I decided to go back to school and build up a career in Physics. however, I am running out of options and not sure what to do...

Hi everyone, I'm going to be a second year Applied Physics and Math student in the fall. I spent my freshman year working with a professor researching applications of titanium nanotubes. It was a great experience but I am looking for new opportunities to continue exploring the many...

Dr. Courtney submitted a new PF Insights post Niches for Publishable Undergraduate Research Continue reading the Original PF Insights Post.

So I am working out a course schedule for my last two years of undergrad and have room for only one more math class but do not know which would be more beneficial. The two courses are Intro to Modern Algebra or Numerical Linear Algebra. I am working towards a bachelors degree in physics and plan...

I don't know if there's anyone here from China, but I'll make this question the same way. I'd like to know if the Chinese books of Mathematics and Physics at undergraduate and graduate level are good (that is, if these books contain many challenging problems)?

Hello. This is a follow up question of this thread: (https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/confused-between-physics-and-computer-science.884599/page-3) I have always been interested in Physics since high school but I found first year undergraduate Physics very boring and I think I may have...

Hi all, I am an undergraduate Physics student. I have recently realized that I am extremely bad at solving "new" problems related to the topics I am working on. Trying to do any question that deviates slightly from the norm will cause me to be stuck on that problem for hours, usually to no...

Hey! In the future, I want to specialize in something like nuclear physics, plasma physics and/or high energy physics. I'm not going to major in physics and will major in engineering but physics interests me, so I'd like to self study!

Hi. I was wondering if anyone could help me with the following problem. I am doing a independent lab at the moment. I am using video footage to measure displacement of a ball. I have cameras set up on the x and y-axis where a ball is in line with the centre of both cameras. I have 1cm grids on...

I got a guaranteed slot in a university that offers a physics program but I'm doubtful if that is the right choice. I could take this physics program or I could maybe move to another city and study astronomy there. I'm interested in particle physics, mechanics, astrophysics and...

Hello all, This is my first post here. I will be transferring to University of North Carolina Charlotte (UNCC) in the fall with two associates degrees in Art and Science. I was accepted into the School of Mechanical Engineering. My original plan was to finish my undergrad, then go to grad...

I am an undergraduate pursuing mathematics and computer science in the research university at U.S. Inspired from the applications of algebra to math and statistics, I have been trying to find a suitable project in the mathematics with supervision from a faculty member, or a reading course in...

I have a couple of questions about physics degrees in Canada and was hoping maybe someone could clear some things up. I've been accepted into Waterloo's mathematical physics and Carelton's honours physics, both coop. 1. Does the school I choose for my undergrad have a really big affect on...

What is an Undergraduate research paper? What would be an undergraduate research paper in Physics be like? How is this paper different from Masters research paper?

Hi guys, I'm whether or not the difficulty in undergraduate business /economics mathematics matches up to that of physics, or even vice versa. This is mainly because I'm trying to make decision on whether or not to take up business/economics as an elective course alongside my Physics major...

Hello all, I've recently recovered from a long spell of extreme underachievement in undergrad, having nearly been suspended, due to depression from a variety of factors. This past semester I performed significantly better by rediscovering my love of physics and taking advantage of resources...

Hi Before closing, I apologize for too long passage calling for the advise. I thought I need to give the potential advisors as precise information as I can. I graduated from a university in South Korea with major in Electrical engineering and minor in physics. I decided to change my major to...

Hello PF friends, My name is Visakhan,and I'm presently pursuing my BE in Mechanical Engineering in India. 3/4 way through the course now,But I feel unsatisfied with my grasp of mathematics and programming. I scored marks and passed the examinations,but i don't get that feeling of satisfaction...

Hi all, Given that usually the most recent subject taught in a standard undergraduate curriculum is quantum mechanics, which was developed in the first half of the twentieth century, when did it become a standard part of the curriculum for undergraduates?

[Please excuse the screengrabs of the fomulae - I'll get around to learning TeX someday!] 1. Homework Statement Find the sum of this series (answer included - not the one I'm getting) The Attempt at a Solution So I'm trying to sum this series as a telescoping sum. I decomposed the fraction...

Would you please introduce me some textbooks that offer multiple choice or true-false questions at the end of each chapter so I can practice before my final exam? Basically, that class I am taking right now cover many central topics in Undergraduate Probability course such as: • Moments and...

My home university is offering an innovation scholarship which supports students to join summer programs. I am searching for summer programs related to applied physics such as renewable energy or quantum computing. However, many universities only offer summer programs for high school students...

Hello I'm an undergrad. Can anyone suggest me books, articles, lectures for studying quantum mechanics as a fresh starter? I tried r. Shankar but it only mathematical to me, couldn't get the physical significance. On the other hand, Griffith got way deep in concepts without sufficient examples...

Is it possible to deduce theorems besides those in the books of mathematics (I'm talking about consecrated subjects such as Calculus and Real Analysis, for example)? Again, my question is not at the research level. My question is at the undergraduate level. And if so, why are the Calculus books...

Hey everyone, I've started to do research for my undergraduate thesis topic and I would like to use FEA with an application to quantum computers. I'm thinking of something in regards to mechanical vibrations, however I'm open to consider anything given it's possible at the undergraduate level...

Dear Physics Forums friends, I am a college senior at US pursuing the mathematics and microbiology majors. Getting to the core of my question, I am curious if the graduate programs in physics (at least in US) also consider applicants from no official background in physics. I started out as an...

Hi all, I'm justifying asking the forum because I'm currently in an introductory computational physics course that requires Mathematica, and I hope to soon start other computational work. My https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009AEPQDI/?tag=pfamazon01-20's motherboard and hard drive are supposedly...

Hello, I hope someone can help. I'm a high school student in Canada who is thinking about majoring in Physics in university. I've started researching different potential programs and had a question regarding the structure of undergraduate programs at US universities. How many core courses...

Dear Physics Forum personnel, I will be taking my first graduate course (as an undergraduate) in mathematics starting on this Fall Semester. The course is about the algebraic topology (Hatcher, Spanier, Massey, etc.), which I am very excited to take as I love the topology. I am curious about...

First off, sorry for posting yet another one of these threads. I've scavenged through this forum for undergrad textbook recommendations and have been somewhat overwhelmed. I'm beginning first year soon and would like a textbook that I can rely on as either my main textbook, or at least a...

My college started physics course with light and blackbody radiation. I am facing difficulties in understanding relativistic energies, Compton effect and specific heats of multi atomic gases. Can you suggest a method for studying modern physics and suggest some good books for getting my concepts...

I'm a freshman in Computer Engineering at a university. I have a Classical Mechanics course that will cover these topics: Newton's law of motion Vector Algebra Equilibrium of bodies Plane Trusses First moment of area, centroid, etc. Calculation of virtual displacement and virtual work...

hello PF, This year i am going to university for my physics undergrad major. I am planning for a Ph.D. in physics and maybe if i can a job in research. MY questions: _what languages are the most important these days ( i know arabic french and english)? _what are some beneficial preparations...

hi, I would like to be bursting with semiconductors' topic, I aim to know all it's theory and applications, also see all derivations of it's formulas, so Could you give me some suggestions to comprehend this topic well?

In your opinion what is the best book for a first approach to algebraic topology, for self studt more properly!

Hello Dear PhysicsForum members, I am mechanical engineering MSc student. My undergrad gpa is 2.68/4 and my master gpa is 3.79/4. I would like to apply for PhD in USA to modest universities (not top one)Do you think my master gpa will offset my undergraduate gpa if i get good scores from...

Starting in the fall of this year, I'm going to get to start my own year-long undergraduate research project. To summarize as briefly as possible: Resources Available: Our university has access to the SMARTS consortium's three telescopes: - 1.5m CHIRON telescope - 1.3m ANDICAM telescope...

My son is a college freshman at an Ivy League college. He is currently taking classes in Applied Math and Physics but will have to choose a major by the end of sophomore year. He is interested in going to graduate school but is not entirely certain where he would like to work. He is not...

Hello, I'm currently a second year undergrad (third once summer ends) majoring in applied physics. Currently I'm doing research at my university about muon beam cooling. However, even though this topic is interesting, I'm mainly interested in the cooling and trapping of anti-particles which is...

Homework Statement Two concentric cylindrical conducting shells of length L are separated by a vacuum. The inner shell has surface charge density +σ and radius ra. The outer shell has radius rb. Using Gauss’ Law, as a function of radius r find: The direction and magnitude of electric field...

Hi everyone, I'm matriculating at a local university in Physics in a few months and my ultimate goal is to do a PhD in astronomy/astrophysics at a reputable US university after I graduate. I am aware research experience as an undergraduate is paramount in securing a good PhD spot and I have...

Currently I'm in the last year of the Physics course and I'm interested in working on some undergraduate research project. At first I was suggested to work with statistical physics, but I believe I would prefer working with General Relativity. From the point of view of background I do have a...

*Edit I currently study Nanotechnology at UNAM's (National Autonomous University of Mexico) CNyN (Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. I have an 8.85 / 10.00, or roughly a 3.54 GPA (when calculated) but I see that for convenience, 3.5GPA is usually equivalent to a 9.00 / 10.00. * Is it...

Currently I'm in the last year of the Physics course and I've been thinking about working in a project of undergraduate research, specifically in Statistical Physics. Two years ago I've already done a project like that in Fluid Mechanics combined with Gauge Theories and in that project I've...