Topics in your first physics year.

[PrincePhoenix]

When you study physics for the first time in school what grade,class or year is it? And what are the topics in your first year? I live in Pakistan and we start Physics in Class 9 (at approximately 16 years of age). The topics we study are as under.
-Measurement
-Kinematics
-Scalars and Vectors
-Equilibrium and Torque
-Force,Motion and Momentum
-Circular Motion
-Gravitation
-Work,Energy and Power
-Simple Machines
-Heat
-Properties of Matter
After that is class 10 (which I am currently studying) at the end of which we give our matric exam (approx equivalent of GCE O' levels though easier).

 

[thrill3rnit3]

When you study physics for the first time in school what grade,class or year is it? And what are the topics in your first year? I live in Pakistan and we start Physics in Class 9 (at approximately 16 years of age). The topics we study are as under.
-Measurement
-Kinematics
-Scalars and Vectors
-Equilibrium and Torque
-Force,Motion and Momentum
-Circular Motion
-Gravitation
-Work,Energy and Power
-Simple Machines
-Heat
-Properties of Matter
After that is class 10 (which I am currently studying) at the end of which we give our matric exam (approx equivalent of GCE O' levels though easier).

That's just about right. Here in the US, we have this thing called "AP Physics C (calculus based)" divided into 2 parts:

1. Mechanics (which covers what you listed above)
2. Electricity and Magnetism

Some schools offer the two class as 1 semester classes (so both can be covered in a full year) - just like the typical sequence in college. However, most schools cover each in a year, which makes it 2 years to complete both sequences.

Then there is another class called "AP Physics B (algebra based)" which covers all topics from mechanics and E&M to modern physics in a full year, but is more shallow and less in-depth than the C curriculum.

 

[Flat]

I did not take physics in high school. In high school, I thought I wanted to be a doctor, so I took every bio course my school offered and opted out of physics. Not exactly sure if I regret it. The first quarter of physics in college was brutal, but I rebounded fairly well after that.

 

[PrincePhoenix]

That's just about right. Here in the US, we have this thing called "AP Physics C (calculus based)" divided into 2 parts:

1. Mechanics (which covers what you listed above)
2. Electricity and Magnetism

Some schools offer the two class as 1 semester classes (so both can be covered in a full year) - just like the typical sequence in college. However, most schools cover each in a year, which makes it 2 years to complete both sequences.

Then there is another class called "AP Physics B (algebra based)" which covers all topics from mechanics and E&M to modern physics in a full year, but is more shallow and less in-depth than the C curriculum.

Electricity and magnetism , optics are all taught in 10th class over here. But ours are algebra based. No calculus based physics over here in schools (We call grades till K-10 school). And how are you taught? We have a textbook with all the
topics and we are taught according to it. Then when we have our exams (standardized or not) , everything comes from text in the book. So our exams can be usually passed by rote learning (at least till our matric exams). And what is the marking system in your country? We are given numbers (e.g 70/75 etc).

 

[arunma]

I did not take physics in high school. In high school, I thought I wanted to be a doctor, so I took every bio course my school offered and opted out of physics. Not exactly sure if I regret it. The first quarter of physics in college was brutal, but I rebounded fairly well after that.

Heh, I opted out of biology in high school and took extra physics and math. And then I realized I wanted to be a doctor. Sadly that realization only came to me around the end of my second year of grad school...

 

[thrill3rnit3]

Electricity and magnetism , optics are all taught in 10th class over here. But ours are algebra based. No calculus based physics over here in schools (We call grades till K-10 school).

That's the "B" curriculum of our AP Physics course. There is a wide range of contents, but they're not delved in as deeply as the "C" curriculum.

And how are you taught? We have a textbook with all the
topics and we are taught according to it. Then when we have our exams (standardized or not) , everything comes from text in the book

I think that's a pretty standard way of learning wherever you are

So our exams can be usually passed by rote learning (at least till our matric exams).

Same goes here, I guess. If you know your stuff, you'll do fine on tests.

It's a different thing for competitions/olympiads though. You'll need to do more than memorize a bunch of formulas.

And what is the marking system in your country? We are given numbers (e.g 70/75 etc).

Depends on the school.

 

[PrincePhoenix]

I think that's a pretty standard way of learning wherever you are

Actually its in the traditional outdated system. The schools which offer GCE O'Levels have better teaching and testing standards. Unfortunately there is a disadvantage in their marking system if one wants to continue learning in our traditional system. Furthermore, those schools are very expensive. But the thing that really makes me angry is the fact that a person who doesn't understand a thing can beat you in marks.