Physics or Engineering or that applied stuff?

[Rhine720]

Main Question or Discussion Point

So Before I go on hoarding credits and what not I've come to this predicament (thanks to these forums).

Which is more reccomended Physics or engineering? And Then whats the difference between physics and applied physics? Are they different degrees?

My real dream is to work in a quantum lab (Quantum physics is my favourite) yet i hear engineers do alot of work with science kinda things? So do Physicist just ponder on things while engineers just make them happen? And applied physicist are just there?

Thanks

 

[fasterthanjoao]

Which is more reccomended Physics or engineering?

Recommended by whom? It's a personal choice that comes down to different things for different people. Loosely, engineers build things and are a form of applied physicists - but then there are also physicists that may not consider themselves to be engineers that are involved in building and designing detectors etc.

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineer for a description of an engineer, and see ZapperZ's magnificent 'so you want to be a physicist' thread for information on physicists.

So do Physicist just ponder on things while engineers just make them happen?

As you're no doubt aware, physics is a huge subject spanning many fields. There are many things one can do with physics, and I'm finding it difficult to answer your question without just saying 'no'. For a quick look at fields in physics, see http://physics.about.com/od/physics101thebasics/f/FieldsPhysics.htm.

My real dream is to work in a quantum lab (Quantum physics is my favourite)

I don't want to disappoint but unfortunately such things do not really exist anymore! Quantum physics is an old theory and has been well investigated - that is not to say that quantum physics is not used, only that it's applications and usefulness have been determined. Many physicists use quantum physics to explain/investigate phenomena in their fields including things like particle physics/semiconductor physics/solid state.. the list goes on.

 

[Starwatcher16]

You may want to consider double majoring, since a bs in physics and most engineering degrees share alot of core classes.