Which Engineering Field Best Models Physical Systems: Electrical or Mechanical?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion highlights the valuable analytical skills gained from studying physics and the importance of modeling in both electrical and mechanical engineering. It emphasizes that while mechanical engineering often involves more tangible, real-life systems and utilizes ordinary differential equations (ODEs) and partial differential equations (PDEs), electrical engineering tends to focus on more abstract concepts. Both fields employ techniques like Finite Element Method (FEM) and Finite Difference Method (FDM) for problem-solving. Ultimately, the choice between mechanical and electrical engineering for modeling depends on personal interests and the specific types of systems one wishes to model, with both disciplines offering rewarding career opportunities in scientific modeling.
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I am aware of the very valuable analysis skills physics teaches. A physics major may not be possible for me so with your experience with physics or electrical engineering, would you say you learn how to model physical systems better with electrical engineering or with mechanical engineering? It seems mechancial uses ode's and pde's more than electrical.
 
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I meant to say, mathematical and scientific modelling.
 
I think it's a wise choice to go into modelling, it's the cooler jobs, or so I've heard from alumni. The guys that do the modelling are the real brainiacs. And I think that it's really tough and also rewarding.

Both in mechanical and electrical you have a lot of modelling and solveing problems with FEM and (the less used?) FDM.

It really boils down to what you really really want to do and what you want to model.
 
Mechanical engineering has more real life things you can see and visualize when you are modeling. Electrical on the other hand deals with a few abstract ideas and principles that are not as straight forward. I think either would be sufficient for scientific modeling but just differ in the types or how abstract.
 
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