Physics is Killing me

[YellowJacket!]

Been off the boards for a bit due to extremely heavy course load.  I'm pulling another 14 credit hour semester and continuing to work full time.  But I'm about to implode.  My physics class is about to do me...and my remaining 10classmates...from an original 30..in.  I have a 75 average grade in the  class and the class average is 60.  That sucks.  I got a 60 on the midterm which sucks even more because that is the lowest grade I have ever made. (the class average was 39!!!) My perfect 4.0 has just flown out the window.  In addition, my other classes are suffering because I have had to devote almost every waking hour to this class.  The instructor is of no help whatsoever.  He just sent me a quit complaining pep talk email in response to my request for help for me and my classmates.  His lectures (PDF files) are not in line withthe assignments and the book is garbage.  He also uses different variables on his test then the book or his lecture notes use, yet e he thinks we are supposed to know that.
Well, I have 6 more exams, 6 more home work assignments and labs and a final to work my ass of on to pass.  Looks like everything else in my life is going totake a back seat for a while.

David

[Brian Moffet]

Physics is not necessarily easy.  And you have my sympathy.  I went through 4 years of it in college.

If you have questions, feel free to ask, but remember, college for me was 23 years ago.

Brian

[Blake]

Hey David,


What sort of physics are you learning?  I had a really good teacher a few years ago that gave an example with everything he taught us so it was very easy to learn.  i might still have them all on pdf.  That was for our level-1 engineering physics though.  friction, inclines, forces, springs, etc.  they might help.  My second level physics was a whole different story.  class average was about a 45, i had around that, and ended up with a b  :)

[kwells]

Dave,
If you can do it...by all means employ a tutor.
I had to take 2 semesters of physics in college and it was the tutors that got me though it.
Generally it costs about 15/hr
Maybe you could have a Physics tutor fund raiser.

[YellowJacket!]

Thanks guys.  I had sent an email appealing to the professor to offer us some more help as well as one to my classmates to ask for help.  I fot a lot of positive responses from my classmates...seeing as we all have a C or less, but got a very scathing email from my professor...at first.  The second letter prety much told me to try harder and told me where I can get on-line tutoring.  My dad has a masters in physics so its time to spend more time with pop.  He also told me he was going to drop the lowest of our three grades, 1 homework grade, one test grade and one lab grade.  In my case that was an 83, 50 and 60.
The final email I got said that he would provide a little mor information for the class.  Well, he did.  I usually print out about 20 pages of notes.  Last night, I quit at 100 pages.
The class is Physics of Everyday Phenomena, or Phys 1120.  Not a basic physics, but not an avanced on either.  Its focus is supposed to be more on theory and less on math.  I took it because I'm pretty weak in math.  He, however, alternates his tactics.  On test may be heavy on math, the next heavy on theory then the next a mix, then back to math.  Since I'm so weak in math, I usually focus the most on that...and do well on it at the expense of the rest, especially if he pulls a theory test on us by surprise.
So far we have covered newtons laws, falling objects and motion, newtons law of motion, circular motion and centripetal force, Energy and Oscillations, Momentum and imulse, rotational motion and now torque and fluid motions and the behavior of fluids.  Hes throwing in the Gas laws as an extra in this chapter and as a respiratory therapist, if I fail that, I should turn in my license.  :o
My problem with tutoring is my shcedule.  I work mostly 12 hour shifts and spend ALL my time now studying.  I have cut back on sleep and cut out all my other activities.  Becasue Ihave three other clases, my study time depends on when my next exam will be for any of my classes.  On my days off, I try to devote at least 4 hours per class.
Thanks for all the encouragement!  ;D

David

[Aelwulf]

Good luck with it, odd professors like that can be a pain.  The only B I've gotten so far was from a professor who wouldn't accept any views deviating from his view on the subject, and it was an International Relations/politics class which has many views for most of the classes.  Keep at it, good luck and I'm sure it'll be good in the end. :)

[YellowJacket!]

Well, things are looking a little better.  My email to him may have sunk in a little and apparently my email to my fellow classmates to "join together" has generated quite a response.  The porfessor has provided quite a bit of "extra" information and is now a bit more active in the discussion board where we ask for help.  In fact he emailed me about one of my questions becuase he wanted ME to figure it out then post the response like I was helping my classmates.  It worked with quite a positive effect for everyone.
I took my last test and got a 75...it was the second highest grade in the class..80 was the next.  I had changed two of my answers and got them wrong.  My orriginal answers were correct!!  I also challenged one of the questions I got wrong...which would have given me a 100.
This relates to fluid and gas laws.  "a child is drinking a glass of water through a straw.  What which is true of the force moving the fluid up the straw?" My answer: The child pulling the drink up the straw.  The correct answer:  The force of the coulmn of air acting on the liquid in the glass forcing the liquid up the straw.
I told him the only way to "push the liquid up the straw" was to cover the glass and blow into a hole in the cover and the liquid would rise up the straw...either that or the child was 3000m below sea level.
Since the question was "Which" of the answers is true, my answer in fact could be true also.  If he accepts my argument, I have an 80.
The Irony of all this is my homework average between the labs and the homework assignments is a 95!  My test average is a 77.

David

[Brian Moffet]

The force of the coulmn of air acting on the liquid in the glass forcing the liquid up the straw.

I think this is the correct answer.  There really is no such thing as a negative force or pressure.  The column of air on the water (creating the pressure on the liquid not in the straw) is stronger than the column of air in the straw, which has been decreased in pressure by the child.

It's the same answer as a barometer.  The force that is pushing the column of mercury up is not the vacuum in the tube which is providing 0 force, rather than difference in force between that 0 force and the force due to the column of air on the mercury.

But, hey, one can hope :-)  And congratulations for getting the prof more involved, that's not an easy thing to do.

Brian

[h2olawyer]

Sounds like a good improvement.   ;D

Mr. Wizard had a segment about the straw on his program years ago.  Brian's explanation is about the same as Mr. Wizard's.

That program was always interesting & he had a great way of simplifying complicated concepts.

The straw problem is similar to the hot air balloon problem.  It is gravity that lifts a hot air balloon.  The hot air, being less dense than the cooler air around it, is displaced by the cooler air, forcing the 'pocket' of warm air upwards.

Just one of those things that makes you say "hmmnhm".   :)

H₂O

[kwells]

http://www.mrwizardstudios.com/

get the DVD's

[YellowJacket!]

Ahhhhh.... FInals week is here and this is what my beloved physics instructor has in store for us.  My research paper was due yesterday and is done (10 pages about radio waves).  Had a quiz due today as well as my psych final.  Have my physics chapter test due tomorrow and my final exam the next day.  And...my physics homework assignment is due for which I have no clue about a few of the problems and the prof has not responded to my request for help from 3 days ago...  Hell week.
So, I bugged out of work early today and have been studying physics and psych and will be throught the night. 

I'm off this weekend and will put YJ back together and go for a very long ride.

Next semester will be much easier with only 8 Cr/hrs.

David

[h2olawyer]

At least it looks like the light at the end of this tunnel is NOT the oncoming train!

You deserve a good, long ride after the endurance test you've had this summer.  Those 'earned' rides are always a little sweeter.   ;D

I'm sure you will do well on your exams and remaining projects.  Eight credit hours will feel like a vacation!

H₂O

[Aelwulf]

Sounds like most of the headaches should be done in a couple of days. :) If they Physics prof tries giving you a problem mention how long you've been waiting for the reply (especially if you have the original in your e-mail's Send folder if you have to run it up the chain).  Good luck.

[YellowJacket!]

Sounds like most of the headaches should be done in a couple of days. :) If they Physics prof tries giving you a problem mention how long you've been waiting for the reply (especially if you have the original in your e-mail's Send folder if you have to run it up the chain).  Good luck.

LOL...the headaches are just beginning.  The stress of finals week now pales in comparison to what I just found out this afternoon. Our AC went out the other day and just started blowing warm air.  Its been in the upper 90's here lately so the temp in my house has risen to a toasty 86 degrees on the main level.  Ive shut the upstairs doors and don't dare go up to find out.

AC guy - a friend of ours - came out today to add a little freon - something we do every couple years, and told me that the compressor was bad.  He did several tests including replacing a relay and trying to "hot start" the compressor but nothing.  The verdict: Since the unit is now 15 years old (we had it replaced 11 years ago and conveniently the compressor has a 10 year warranty) and is only a 8 to 10 SEER unit, he said we should replace the whole thing and between the cost difference of energy use vs replacing the compressor in the old unit, we would save money.  He said the new one would likely be a 13 to 14 SEER and probbably a bit larger than the one we have.
The next problem.  We have  a split unit (AC and Furnace) He looked at the furnace and the install date was 1985.  Said although it looked good, it was costing us a lot more per year than a new furnace would cost to install. He's right, since our gas bill is 10.00/month during the summer and we are not even using it!
So, guess what the first suggestion was for coming up with the 2500.00+ its gonna take to replace it....YJ.  My answer was "It'll cost you less for a divorce!"  My head is spinning in circles.  I really need a long ride.  May go visit Tiger for a day or two.  ;D  ;D

David

[Brian Moffet]

So, guess what the first suggestion was for coming up with the 2500.00+ its gonna take to replace it....YJ. 

I'm sorry to say this, but I think I just lost all hope of respect for your spouse...

Brian

[Night Vision]

harsh

[YellowJacket!]

Wow....everyone is changing their sig pictures.  I guess its time for me to get a new one too.

As for physics, I have just the final exam left.  I took the last chaper exam today and got a 95!!  Add that to my lab average of 88 and my homework average of 90 and I shold be in "B" territory.  My test average has come up to an 83 so I'll need to kick but on the final.
One thing  that really surprised me was the I got a 100% on my term paper.  I wrote it in two days and it was a bout 10 pages on "radio waves"...I work my best on papers when I'm in a time crunch.
As for this semester, I have one more psych test tomorrow - had one yesterday too - and the final is Friday. My physics final is thursday so the next few days, in addition to working, are going to be killer.  But, I see the light at the end of the tunnel.  ;D

David

PS, its now down to 78 in my house.  New AC is working great.  ;D

David

[h2olawyer]

Sounds like not just your house is cooling down.   ;D

Great news with the physics - hope you kick a$$ & take names on the final!

I'm the same way with writing papers.  Always waited until the very end to even figure out a subject to write about.   ::)

H₂O

[Aelwulf]

Same here on papers.  One of my ALS ones I didn't start until about 2am the night before.  It was due at 7 and did the research, rough draft (requried for turn-in :P ) and final draft in about three hours.  Think I got a 94 on it. :o  Good luck this week, definitely go for a good long ride soon as ya can after. :D

[YellowJacket!]

I'm finished!  Missed my B by 1.1 points and pleaded my case to the Prof about the fiasco with the testing center giving me only one hour out of the required two.  He said he tried to manipulate my grades as best he could for me to keep my B but just couldn't come up with it and he does not curve.  In any event, he was kind enough to open the exam up for me one more day and I passed with a B- (I think it goes down as a C though).
Next semester is a bit lighter with Anatomy and Physiology, and English Lit.  A+P should be easy as I took it about 15 years ago and got A's.
I have about a week and a half to rest but now I'm sick - see my other post.

David