Other Should I Study Calculus or Classical Mechanics First?

[ironGG]

Hi I am a high school student and I am about to graduate. within few months I am planning to study physics field if I pass the University selection. I love physics after I found the beauty of Quantum Mechanics, General Relativity, Thermodynamics, etc. Although I want to dive in those field, I realized that I must master the basic of physics before I dive into those.
The problem is I stuck deciding whether I study calculus first and then classical mechanics or vice versa. So what do you reckon? should I take calculus first and classical mechanics or vice versa and why ? Thank you

 

[micromass]

I don't think classical mechanics makes much sense without calculus. It's better to study calculus first and then take a calculus-based physics class later on.

 

[jtbell]

It depends on how the courses are taught at your university. In the US, some universities require you to take at least one term of calculus before starting the introductory calculus-based physics course. Others allow you to take them in parallel; in this case they (should) adjust the level of the math in the physics course accordingly. For example, they would probably spend more time at the beginning of the course on velocity and acceleration as a vehicle for learning about derivatives.