Ib Topic 8 Physics
Irmgard Rossie
The most fascinating aspect of studying physics is the ability to uncover the fundamental laws and principles that govern the universe. It allows us to understand how everything in the world works, from the smallest particles to the largest galaxies.
Choosing just one physics topic to study allows for a deep dive into the subject matter, leading to a more comprehensive understanding of the topic. It also allows for specialization and expertise in that particular area, which can be valuable for research and career opportunities.
Some popular physics topics that scientists choose to study include quantum mechanics, relativity, astrophysics, particle physics, and condensed matter physics. These areas of study cover a wide range of phenomena and have significant implications for our understanding of the universe.
Studying a specific physics topic allows scientists to make significant contributions to the advancement of science by deepening our understanding of that particular area. This can lead to new discoveries, technologies, and applications that benefit society as a whole.
If I had to choose just one physics topic to study, I would choose quantum mechanics. It is a fascinating and mysterious field that challenges our understanding of the fundamental nature of reality. Exploring the strange and counterintuitive phenomena of quantum mechanics could lead to groundbreaking discoveries and revolutionize our current understanding of the universe.
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- Has any topic sparked my interest in recent physics lessons?
- Do I have any notable hobbies or passions?
- Have I watched any TV programmes (or YouTube videos) that have sparked my interest?
- How does the pressure of a football affect the rebound height after one bounce
- How does the angle that a football is kicked affect the range of the football?
- How does the radius of a football affect the terminal velocity of the football?
- How does the radius of a football affect the rebound height of a football after one
- bounce?
- How does the angle that a football is kicked affect the rebound height?
The hardest topic in intro calc-based Physics I varies from person to person, as it depends on individual strengths and weaknesses. However, some of the most challenging topics include projectile motion, kinematics, and rotational motion.
To improve your understanding of the hardest topic, it is important to practice regularly and seek help from your professor or a tutor if needed. You can also try breaking the topic down into smaller, more manageable concepts and work on them one at a time.
Some common mistakes students make when studying the hardest topic include not reviewing basic concepts, not practicing enough problems, and not seeking help when needed. It is also important to not overcomplicate the topic and instead focus on the fundamental principles.
To prepare for exams, it is important to review all material, including the hardest topic. Make sure to understand the underlying concepts and practice solving problems related to the topic. It may also be helpful to attend review sessions or form study groups with classmates.
Yes, it is normal to struggle with the hardest topic in intro calc-based Physics I. Physics can be a challenging subject for many students, and it is important to not get discouraged. Keep practicing and seeking help, and remember that understanding the hardest topic may take more time and effort than other topics.
I am currently finishing my Master's studies in mathematical physics. One topic which always interested me a lot were modern mathematical approaches to Quantum Field Theory (QFT) as well as the mathematical structures arising from studying these theories. Hence, I would like to go into this direction for my Phd. For this, I would like to know, what are some "hot" topics in this area, in the sense of topics in which a lot of active research and effort is put into. Of course "mathematical QFT" is a little bit vague, but I am really open for everything, like algebraic QFT, axiomatic or constructive QFT, etc.
Also, I was looking through a lot of websites of universities in order to localize places where things like this is are discussed. However, I was not very sucessful yet, since it seems that mathematical QFT is not so common as many other topics in physics or mathematics. So, if anyone knows some places where one could try to apply in this direction (preferably in (middle) europe), I would be happy if he/she can share his knowledge with me in the comments or in answers.
I am not sure that "hot topic" is an advisable criterion for a Ph.D. research project, since this will typically mean that easy/doable questions have been done and only the hard/intractable questions remain. You might want to base your choice on a department that offers a broad range of topics in mathematical physics, including QFT. The offer of York University seems attractive, just by way of example.
Luckily for you, there is an online seminar where you can get a panorama of what is currently going on in the area of mathematical QFT. It is the webinar "Analysis, Quantum Fields, and Probability". To watch live upcoming seminars you will have to join their mailing list, so they can send you the relevant Zoom links. You can also watch the previous talks on their Youtube channel.
QFT is a broad subject with many aspects that give rise to specific problems for mathematicians to work on. If you are interested in the renormalization group aspect, you might want to look at my previous answers:
There is an excellent group at Hamburg University working on axiomatic quantum field theory. Most work is headed toward qft in curved backgrounds. Another good reference is at Trento University with similar areas of research.
My personal taste is that there are a lot of open questions to be understood like confinement in some qft or quantum gravity addressing renormalization and path integrals. For the latter, a proper rigorous understanding is missing and would be hugely helpful.
A good way to meet your future adviser (besides already being located at their institution) is to go to conferences or workshops on the topic that you are interested. Referring to the topics of interest that you have mentioned specifically, a list of relevant conferences (as well as some other information) can be found at the Local Quantum Physics Crossroads portal. It is not as active as it could be, and the Covid-19 pandemic has significantly reduced the number of meetings that are currently running. But it might still be helpful.
It's long overdue that I make this post revisiting our policy on "check-my-work" questions. These are questions, often (but not necessarily) homework-like, that present a complete mathematical or logical derivation and ask whether it's correct.
Historically our homework policy has rendered check-my-work questions off topic. However, we're currently in the (very long) process of revisiting that policy. According to the poll on homework close reasons (answer 1, answer 2), the community seems to be generally in favor of keeping such questions off topic, although not obviously so.
It was brought up in a chat session a while ago that perhaps people would support making only certain kinds of check-my-work questions on topic. When deciding whether a given check-my-work question is on topic, we might take into account factors such as
Check my work question should always be off-topic. Those that can be rephrased should be rephrased. "Am I right?", "Is this correct?" or something else is always only of use to people who did the exact same derivation, and this is definitely too localized.
The level of the question should be utterly irrelevant. I have no more desire to correct a multiplication error in a basic kinematics derivation that I have to hunt sign errors in an advanced QFT calculation. Aside from my desire, neither will be of use to people who have not committed the exact same error, so it is definitely too localized either way.
Asking colleagues or anything else like that is nothing we could read. The close-worthiness of a question must not be influenced by a statement like "I asked my prof and he didn't know either" since we have no way to know whether that is even true or not, or whether that prof even should have known, etc. Prior research that I would expect is finding out the correct answer (preferably with derivation) or, if that cannot/has not been done, finding similar problems or techniques and briefly explaining why they are of no use in this case.
This is crucial. If it is simply "Am I right?", a probably full and complete answer is "Yes.", which is too short to even submit it as an answer, which shows unequivocally that we as a SE do not want such questions. Asking "Where's the mistake?" is better, but...
The only kind of "check my work" I think we should allow is the one where a derivation is presented, leading to a wrong result, and the question is "It seems as if step X is wrong? But it should be right because of Y, so why is this not the case?". There must be a reasonable explanation (by established physics, of course) of why the derivation is expected to work in the eye of the asker, and then the answer pointing out the flaw in the reasoning can actually be useful, since the question is then essentially "Why is the physical principle Y not applicable here?" The question should also be edited to reflect that.
Note that it is still possible that questions of the latter type are essentially based on a sign error or somesuch, because we all are sometimes blind. Point it out in a comment, VTC the question (or not, that must probably be left to individual judgement, but that's what the close/reopen queues are for), and move on.
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