Physics with chemistry

eamonn11

thinking of doing phys chem for a year as im repeating, am just wondering what its like work wise if anyone has any info?

would be doing it outside school with 1 or 2 grinds a week!

Sarah?

I'm repeating too and I was wondering the exact same thing.

Thinking of doing it just to get D3 at ordinary level to have the science requirement for college. Don't want to spend too much time on it though and I don't think grinds are an option... Anyone have any advice?

jumpguy

I've done the physics and chemistry at LC seperately, so I'm not too familiar what's on the phys/chem combo course, I'm just assuming it is the normal physics and chemistry courses pared down significantly. But I would say if you need it for matriculation purposes, it is doable in a year at OL but I'd recommend tuition (like, take classes in school or get grinds). If you want it for points, I wouldn't consider it unless you have prior knowledge in the subject (which would beg the question - why didn't you take it up in the first place?)

Sarah?

jumpguy wrote: »

...I would say if you need it for matriculation purposes, it is doable in a year at OL but I'd recommend tuition (like, take classes in school or get grinds)...

I would take classes but in my school (because of my subjects) the only option I have is chemistry. What do you think of doing that in a year? Physics or phys/chem would probably be my best option out of the sciences seeing as I used to like physics in Junior Cert science.

(I could possibly do ordinary level biology or ag but again I never liked biology...) :cool:



Which of the five sciences would be easiest?

jumpguy

Sarah? wrote: »

I would take classes but in my school (because of my subjects) the only option I have is chemistry. What do you think of doing that in a year? Physics or phys/chem would probably be my best option out of the sciences seeing as I used to like physics in Junior Cert science.

(I could possibly do ordinary level biology or ag but again I never liked biology...) :cool:



Which of the five sciences would be easiest?

Physics and chemistry both require a certain degree of explaining in a good few sections as there are abstract ideas which need grasping. Hence why I'd recommend tuition, because otherwise you'd be likely to give up very quickly imo (I've experience trying to take up subjects alone outside school!)

If you like maths (not like LOVE it, a B standard of OL maths would do you in it easily), I'd recommend OL physics if you want it for matriculation requirements. If not, maybe chemistry which is a bit less mathsy might be more suitable, but there's a lot more abstract concepts to grasp in it I think.

Tbh though, if I was telling anyone who had no science subject and just needed one for matriculation requirements, I'd tell them to pick up OL biology. :P Which a lot of the course material is common between HL and OL in biology and they're both quite long, the exam questions at OL are verrry predictable and straightforward. There's not as many difficult concepts to grasp (but there still is some, but nothing the internet can't explain imo) so it can be done it home as long as you've got the books and material, just it's a long course.

Experiments in all the science courses are gonna be a problem you'll have to figure out. You could just learn their theory of course but there's just something about seeing them.

Also, I'd tell them to think hard about your course of choice too. If you didn't do sciences in LC, then it doesn't really show that you had much interest in science. There's no point entering a course with great career prospects if you hate it and can't succeed in it. But people change and make wrong choices, or have crap teachers, etc. But it's definitely a point worth considering!

Sarah?

jumpguy wrote: »

Physics and chemistry both require a certain degree of explaining in a good few sections as there are abstract ideas which need grasping.

I used to like physics as it all seemed fairly logical to me... I'd be put off by chemistry because to me it doesn't make too much sense! From what I remember it was just learning off stuff, most of which I didn't understand!

jumpguy wrote: »

If you like maths (not like LOVE it, a B standard of OL maths would do you in it easily), I'd recommend OL physics if you want it for matriculation requirements.

B1 in ordinary level maths - check! Doing higher level now too for as long as I can manage it so that might help if I did physics... Used to love maths too, there's nothing like solving for x and y! :P

jumpguy wrote: »

...I'd tell them to pick up OL biology. :P ...just it's a long course.

I suppose I'd do any of the sciences just to get the requirement actually nevermind that, I want to do a physicsy one to see if I like it! Plus I have very little time to put into a subject I'm not counting for points.

jumpguy wrote: »

Experiments in all the science courses are gonna be a problem you'll have to figure out. You could just learn their theory of course but there's just something about seeing them.

I was going to just do the theory... But I suppose it depends on how many experiments there are. And I'd probably learn better by seeing them. (Youtube might help with that though.)

jumpguy wrote: »

...think hard about your course of choice too. If you didn't do sciences in LC, then it doesn't really show that you had much interest in science. There's no point entering a course with great career prospects if you hate it and can't succeed in it.

Physics would have been my eighth choice for the Leaving Cert the first time 'round. And if I knew how bad one of my subjects was going to be I definitely would have done physics!

And I'm now considering courses that involve physics and maths because I found my DATs recently and they tell me that those two subjects are my biggest strengths. I won't be picking a course based on jobs, I plan on going for something I enjoy and hopefully am good at!

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

I did phys-chem for the leaving cert, twice actually. First time round I got the A1, second time I got 89.5%..

Anyways, it's one of the easiest courses I did. You still have to work, but in comparison to physics, English, Irish, maths, etc., it's not half as much work plus it's not as difficult. It's essentially pass physics and pass chemistry. If you did either of those subjects you'll fly through that half of the course.
It's also a very predictable paper. I know quite a few people that did it in a year and got B1-A1's. I also know some one that took it up about the February before the LC and got a C3. But I also know people that did it for 2 years and failed it. Once you work though, it really is a nice paper.
You get 12 questions, 1-6 is physics and 7-12 is chemistry. You do 3 from each (obviously you can do more so long as you do 3 from each), but questions 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 11 are on the same topics every year. 1 & 7 are short questions, I'd recommend (once you're finished the course) to go back over every year of short questions. They're very repetitive. If you know your definitions you have about 50-60% of the paper, about 30% is explaining things (more so in chemistry) and the reminder goes for maths (none of which is near HL standard).
The first time round I answered 10 qs, 5 from each, as my teacher had said cover as much as possible. The second time around I realised that was a waste of time, and I concentrated on 6 questions. Only for I got complacent and didn't really study much anyways I got an A2, but I'm very confident of going up in the appeals.
Topics-wise I'd recommend doing mechanics, radioactivity & the photoelectric effect in physics, and basic chemistry (atomic theory & electronegativity) & acids & bases in chemistry. Those topics will cover you for qs. 1, 2, 6, 7, 8 & 9. You will need a basis understanding of all parts of the course for the short questions, so you may choose 2 other topics, that's up to you. But, they are the easiest & most repetitive questions. Take it from some one who has looked for a short cut around every part of the leaving cert!
In the exam itself you have bucket loads of time. You get 30 mins per question but in reality you spend no where near that on all but one question - acids & bases, and that's due to the amount of writing, not he difficulty.

P.S. A word of warning, when you start light, you will like it. Do NOT get sucked in to it! It's by and far the longest topic on the course, and when you get to the tail end of it it's gets very difficult. Electricity is almost the opposite, once you get a grasp of it it gets quite easy. I still didn't do it, couldn't get my head around one particular part.

But anyways, best of luck. If you've any questions fire away. Don't be afraid to drop me a PM anytime either.

BeanbagBallbag

Maybe slightly off-topic but anyways, am I right in thinking I can do Phys-Chem along with Physics and Chemistry for points purposes repeating?

jumpguy

BeanbagBallbag wrote: »

Maybe slightly off-topic but anyways, am I right in thinking I can do Phys-Chem along with Physics and Chemistry for points purposes repeating?

Not possible. I think one of the exams (either physics or chemistry) are on at the same time as Phys/Chem and also most places (well, every place I've seen) don't allow that to be done.

BeanbagBallbag

jumpguy wrote: »

Not possible. I think one of the exams (either physics or chemistry) are on at the same time as Phys/Chem and also most places (well, every place I've seen) don't allow that to be done.

They have a way of dealing with people taking exams that run concurrently so I wouldn't be worried about that part. By "places" do you mean Unis? I know that they don't accept Phys/Chem with physics or chemistry for entry/matric requirements but I haven't seen anything that says you can't do it for points purposes, everything I've found has said "any 6 subjects" basically. I've met all course and matric requirements for my desired course already btw. Thanks for replying.

jumpguy

BeanbagBallbag wrote: »

They have a way of dealing with people taking exams that run concurrently so I wouldn't be worried about that part. By "places" do you mean Unis? I know that they don't accept Phys/Chem with physics or chemistry for entry/matric requirements but I haven't seen anything that says you can't do it for points purposes, everything I've found has said "any 6 subjects" basically. I've met all course and matric requirements for my desired course already btw. Thanks for replying.

I'm still fairly sure you can't do that, it'd be incredibly unfair to anybody not doing physics and chemistry seperately and an insult to those studying phys/chem as a subject in itself.

I'd say contact the relevant HEIs and ask about it before you go along with this plan.