Is Calc 2 and Physics 2 (E&M) at the same time?

[DrummingAtom]

I'm taking Calc 1 and Physics 1 this semester. Things are going well, although Physics can be difficult at times. Next semester I would be taking Physics 2 and Calc 2 at the same time. I keep hearing from other students that this is a bad idea. Can someone shed some light?

 

[fss]

If you've never taken integral calculus before I can see how it would be difficult, but I don't necessarily think it's a bad idea.

 

[DrummingAtom]

If you've never taken integral calculus before I can see how it would be difficult, but I don't necessarily think it's a bad idea.

Well I know some basic Integral stuff from self study. But I don't know much of Vector Calculus. From looking at my Physics book it seems very different from Physics 1 (mechanics).

 

[hadsed]

It all depends. Some schools go as far as multivariable in e&m, some don't even require anything beyond basic calculus. You should ask someone at your school.

 

[Chunkysalsa]

Look at prereq's and recommended sequences. At my school Calc 2 is the co-req of physics I and thus the pre-req of physics II. Calc 3 is not required but looking through the book, I find that hard to believe.

Then again I can say that about a lot of maths. Useful for understanding but not necessarily needed to solve problems. At least not at this level.

 

[DrummingAtom]

Look at prereq's and recommended sequences. At my school Calc 2 is the co-req of physics I and thus the pre-req of physics II. Calc 3 is not required but looking through the book, I find that hard to believe.

Then again I can say that about a lot of maths. Useful for understanding but not necessarily needed to solve problems. At least not at this level.

This is how my school was setup, but when I initially signed up for classes this semester it didn't say any prerequisites. After a couple weeks into Physics 1 my professor got asked a question about derivatives and then he said everyone should have already had Calc 1 before enrolling in this class. Well that was certainly news to me. Now I'm stuck if I should just catch up on Math or wing it and try both. I'll talk to my professor about it.

 

[symbolipoint]

Put your mathematical development ahead of your physics courses. You may need very simple Calculus and Algebra and basic Trigonometry for Physics 1 (usually just fundamental Mechanics); but Physics 2 (Electricity & Magnetism) will require some mathematical maturity for learning to apply integration, differentiation, and much use of vectors and more trigonometry. The "winging it" idea will serve very badly. My own trouble when I did Physics 2 while also Calculus 3 was that I did not yet have enough conditioning in using Calculus 2 or 3, and I struggled in the E&M, and had only an extremely poor grip on the course. I would take what your teacher said, and what the other students told you.

 

[jtbell]

At my school Calc 2 is the co-req of physics I and thus the pre-req of physics II. Calc 3 is not required but looking through the book, I find that hard to believe.

Calculus-based intro E&M does generally use vector calculus concepts like surface integrals for Gauss's Law and line integrals for Ampere's Law, but the course develops the concepts from scratch (i.e. doesn't assume you know anything more than basic single-variable calculus). Also, the examples and exercises use very symmetrical situations in which the integrals become almost trivial, as integrals. I call them "Geico integrals:" "So easy, a caveman can do them."

 

[Angry Citizen]

Whenever I've encountered a difficult and unheard-of math concept in physics, I've been able to look it up in the book, understand it, and apply it. If you're going into physics or engineering, you're going to need to do this anyway.