Physics Research Project Ideas (First year physics course)

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on first-year physics majors seeking viable research project ideas for their course. Participants emphasize the importance of selecting a project that balances complexity with feasibility, given their current knowledge level. One proposed idea involves predicting the orbital types of comets and asteroids using existing data, although concerns are raised about the lack of original research in this approach. The need for professor approval before finalizing the project proposal is also highlighted as a critical step in the process.

PREREQUISITES
  • Basic understanding of classical mechanics
  • Familiarity with orbital mechanics and celestial bodies
  • Experience with data analysis and interpretation
  • Knowledge of scientific research methodologies
NEXT STEPS
  • Research methods for analyzing comet and asteroid trajectories
  • Explore the use of Python libraries for data analysis, such as NumPy and Pandas
  • Investigate existing literature on orbital prediction techniques
  • Learn about project proposal writing in scientific research
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for first-year physics students, educators guiding research projects, and anyone interested in developing practical research skills in the field of physics.

codymcleod
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Hello. I am a first year physics major, and a major component of the first year physics course (for physics majors) is a research project. With a partner, I am supposed to conduct a research experiment in the broad field of physics. The proposal for this project is due friday, in which we must state the theory behind the experiment, the purpose and method of conducting the experiment and a rough schedule of how we will conduct the experiment. My partner and I still have not come up with an idea, and we must first contact our professor and have him approve of our idea before we begin our proposal. Does anyone have any ideas for what we could do for this project? We havn't been able to come up with an idea that seems realistic for our level of physics knowledge, yet is advanced enough for a university level research project. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated!
 
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My partner and I were considering predicting the orbital types of various comets and asteroids using the data provided by various sources regarding these comets and asteroids's positions at various times. However, this only involves calculations, and no real "research" from us. Does this seem like a viable idea for a project?
 

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