The student needs to remember how the known physical phenomena e. When a new physics problem is presented, the student should be able to recall or construct the relevant mathematical structures that describe the proposed experiment with sufficient accuracy. This is of course followed by solving the mathematical equations that follow from the general theory in that particular case. Building mathematical models of physical processes is a highly nontrivial task which lies at the core of the physical science.
Students cannot achieve a good command of any branch of physics unless they mas- ter the above steps. However, there is usually no time to learn all four steps when studying more advanced areas of physics. Only the basic areas of physics mechanics, electromagnetism, thermodynamics are allotted enough time to be studied thoroughly.
This means that the step 1 is being skipped: Instead of seeing a consistent and logical description of mathematical structures used in a physical theory, students face an array of strange-looking equations in which unfamiliar notation is used. Students do not understand the mathematical properties of these equations and instead resort to memorizing the various methods of their transformation and solution. When the step 2 is being glossed over, students are presented merely with some tricks that help to solve certain equations.
Often there exist general mathematical meth- ods of solving a class of problems, but limited time does not permit to first introduce these general methods and then show their application to a particular problem.
This confuses students into thinking that they are learning a method that applies only to a particular physical situation. Likewise, it always helps students when perturbation theory is first briefly presented as a certain purely mathematical tool yielding approximate solutions to equations.
After that it is straightforward to understand the application of perturba- tive techniques to particular problems in physics. The steps 3 and 4 cannot be allotted insufficient time, unless very few problems are given out to students. However, the skill of solving physics problems is incomplete without the mastery of concepts. In addition to the lack of time, there are certain common teaching practices which routinely impede the learning of all areas of physics.
The principle of delayed understanding It seems to be a common approach in teaching physics to require that students be able to perform certain calculations before they grasp the necessary mathematical and phys- ical concepts. It is often stated that an understanding of the material will be achieved gradually, only after many more calculations are performed and many more problems are solved.
The mathematical and logical foundations of such calculations are de- emphasized in favor of teaching more tricks for solving various difficult cases.
This ex- ample demonstrates how the details of calculations are brought to the forefront while at the same time the underlying logic is obscured. I quote with some inessential abbreviations from a widely used standard text- book by J. Jackson, Classical electrodynamics Wiley, , section 6. To find G we con- sider the Fourier transform of both sides of 6. Consequently solution 6. The rule cannot come from the mathematics. It must come from physical considerations Students usually can neither understand this derivation nor identify the confusing points, which is certainly one of the worst ways of being confused.
A normal train of thought would be: if the solution is meaningless, we should discard it! As a result, students can follow the individual steps of the calculation but they do not understand why the calculation proceeds in this way. A straightforward presentation of this calculation can be given at cost of just a little more mathematics.
Instead one should begin the discussion by specifying the boundary conditions for G that follow from the relevant physical considerations.
This makes the task of computing the function G a well-defined and standard mathematical problem to solve a differential equation with boundary conditions which can be tackled by a plethora of standard methods.
This expression is well-defined as a distribution. The boundary conditions for G uniquely determine the unknown functions A and B. Now that the problem is math- ematically well formulated, these functions can be computed straightforwardly the principal value integral is evaluated using residues.
How we cope I think that the principle of delayed understanding is one of the reasons that students perceive physics a hard subject. It is of course true that one cannot master a branch of physics without gaining experience in solving problems. Thus our practicing scientists will be unable to confer understanding to a new generation of students. Un- derstanding comes not as a result of performing many calculations, but as a result of conceptual thinking. I think it is unnecessary and harmful to substitute an extensive problem-solving experience for an explanation of the logical development of the material.
Physics is a logical and mathematical science, and in almost all cases a physics problem can be solved by a completely straightforward application of a fixed set of concepts, resulting in sequence of logically connected steps. Many students compensate for the lack of conceptual thinking by memorization or by developing specific kinds of intuition for ill-explained facts. However, older re- searchers frequently find it impossible to adjust their thinking in this way, since their intuition has already been shaped to guess the missing logical links in older theories.
Historical presentation Another obstacle to understanding is the frequent practice of presentation of a physi- cal theory in the way it was originally developed, with some of the wrong steps and misconceptions that accompanied its discovery. However, it seems to be much more efficient to present a physical theory in a fully contemporary and logical formulation, made as straightforward as possible, and stripped of the historical baggage. If a fully satisfactory formulation is not available, the students should be given the best available formulation.
There is nothing wrong in telling the students that physics is not yet a finished science and that even some of its foundational issues are still subjects of current research. The first and more straightforward usage is in the spirit of the item 3 above: namely, a mathematical quantity p describes a certain physical measurement. Why most seminar talks are incomprehensible Everyone has had the experience of listening to completely incomprehensible talks.
Typically during such talks the speaker shows many equations and tries to explain something while the audience has long lost track of the presentation.
I think the reason for this unfortunate phenomenon is that scientific communication in physics is often about details of calculations which are only intelligible to those already doing similar calculations, and not about concepts which would be more widely understandable. In other words, the speaker thinks that it is more important to communicate technical details of calculations, e.
Thus it becomes very hard to learn new physics from seminar talks. It is difficult to explain complicated material, and it will not be always possible for the speaker to adjust to an audience. Rayhaun is a third-year graduate student and works on string theory with Kachru. He spoke about what science means to him, how no day is particularly typical and the other Stanford professor who inspired him to pursue a career in physics. He spoke about the experiences that led him to physics, the excitement of seeing math come alive and the inherently social nature of his work.
People tend to be confused about a lot of the same things, so you go talk to somebody else and find out their perspective on it. Oriana Skylar Mastro has built two careers simultaneously: one as an academic, the other, as a service member in the U. Air Force. To commemorate Veterans Day, wreaths will be placed in Memorial Court and Memorial Auditorium, along with a letter from President Marc Tessier-Lavigne, to honor members of the university community who have served or are serving in the U.
Armed Forces. Stanford News is a publication of Stanford University Communications. Stanford , California In the big picture, he is on a kind of search for Platonic forms — eternal, unchangeable truths that exist outside of our experience of them.
A lot of research is two different people explaining things to each other, then you put those two things together and at that moment you get something new. I finally decided that the time was right for me to start trying to contribute my own research to ongoing attempts to understand evolutionary dynamics. I used to get these cards from the World Wildlife Federation with pictures of pandas and belugas and raccoons — you know, whatever they put on these cards.
And so you grow up already with a natural affinity for living things. Only much later when I was on leave from Stanford at the University of California, Santa Barbara, did I meet a prominent physicist, Boris Shraiman, who transitioned to studying theoretical questions in biology.
Without any preconception, I spent a lot of my time there listening to the things he works on and going to a workshop. What struck me was what an exciting time it was in their field. The flu killed millions and millions of people, and sometime there will be another such flu strain and millions and millions of people will die. And that work came out of theoretical physicists working with biologists. But as a theorist, another way it really comes about is when some fact about nature, or at least a toy model of something that could be seen in nature, turns out to also have a really deep and fundamental origin in pure mathematics, which as far as I can tell is the closest thing to pure Platonic thought that we have as humans.
Natalie Paquette works on the mathematics underlying string theory and quantum field theory. Here, she talks about how she first fell in love with physics in college, why string theory is a kind of mathematical superpower and why, for her, physics never gets boring. I remember when I was young I liked to read and write a lot. I thought about being an author.
I briefly contemplated being a doctor. I went to Cornell University as an undergrad, and originally I matriculated in biological engineering, and then eventually I ended up taking a physics class. I just knew after that class that physics was the thing that I liked the best. Last Updated: March 29, References Approved. This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
There are 20 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed , times. Learn more If you have a natural love for questioning the way the universe works, and a desire to understand why the universe works the way it does, you might just have an apt for theoretical physics.
Theoretical physicists use mathematics and principles of science to describe nature. Developing a career in this field can be challenging, but if you study hard, expand your knowledge of the field, and attend an accredited university, you will be on your way to making that career happen.
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Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Part 1. Read texts on related subjects like mathematics and general science. Either conduct research online or visit your local library. Look at texts that specifically describe theoretical physics or books that outline the careers of famous theorists.
As a theorist, you have to be able to use algebra, geometry, calculus, physics, and other sciences in order to prove or support your claims. If you are a parent and have a child in elementary school who is interested in learning about physics, check out books by the popular author, Chris Ferrie.
Meet with a science teacher at your school to talk about the field. Even if you are in elementary school or middle school, it is never too early to start picking the minds of your teachers.
If there is a topic that you are really interested in, like theoretical physics or even just general physics, see what additional information your science teacher can provide you.
Enroll in classes related to theoretical physics. Take every opportunity to learn more about the field and prepare yourself for a future career. Specifically look for classes that involve mathematics and physics. This will create a solid foundation for you to branch off of later on in your schooling. Get involved with local science clubs or science camps. Joining science-based extracurricular activities will expand your knowledge, and will look good on any college applications you fill out.
This will also give you the opportunity to connect with others who share the same passions as you. Whatever the club or camp is, get involved with it if you can. Speak with your science teachers or visit your local community center to find out about ongoing science clubs or upcoming science camps. Part 2.
Enroll in a theoretical physics undergraduate program at a university. Start looking at colleges early in your high school career. Either will be able to help you narrow down your search results, find university programs that are right for you and file the proper applications.
Minor in experimental physics to make yourself more marketable. There is a great demand for physicists who can do both the theoretical and experimental portions of the field. Taking a few courses in experimental physics, or even picking up a minor, may increase your odds of finding a job after college. Study hard to complete your undergraduate education. It takes a lot of hard work and drive to apply and get into a university; it takes even more to graduate from one.
Once you are enrolled in a theoretical physics major, take the opportunity seriously and study hard. Making friends within your major will ease and add fun to the process. College is a time for networking, so if you are having problems, networking with different groups of people might just help you solve them. Look into taking courses involving astronomy and chemistry.
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