LC Sciences?

Bazinga_N

I've a question about the Leaving Cert Sciences...

How different are Biology, Chemistry and Physics from the JC Science course.. Like, where does Biology develop in the LC course, as for Chemistry and Physics! Also, what differences are there?

Answers Appreciated!

Fibrescale

I do Phys/Chem at the moment and I can tell you that it is a big step up from the JC. There are a lot of definitions to learn and a few experiments, you can get a high grade as long as you put the work in. I cant say for sure, but I think there is a good bit more to learn for Biology.

smurphy11

physics and chemistry is a lot more interesting, bio is similar to junior cert science

leavingcert.

Well I do biology and chemistry so I'll tell ya about them two..

For the JC..I liked all 3 sections but biology was my least favourite. My favourite subject now is biology! Biology is a lot harder than it was for JC though, as are all LC subjects. Basically the junior cert gives an introduction to different topics..in the leaving cert its more detailed-but not so detailed that its extremely hard. You study the processes and reactions that take place in living things...and the structure of living things aswell. Most of it is quite interesting, but learning all the organ systems and plant stuff can be tedious. The experiments are all pretty basic. I would say in terms of difficulty, Biology would be a 6/10.

For chemistry- there really is no comparison, the leaving cert course is so much harder. There is very technical, detailed stuff that you need to understand- not just learn off. It's really a subject that needs time- but it pays off. I wouldn't do chemistry if I didn't like it in the JC- experiments are hard but make up a huge part of the paper. Also, in my opinion, maths is very important- there is so so many calculations! You will also have to be able to learn balanced eqns. etc, but not many of them. Its a subject where the answers don't also seem so obvious- so a good understanding of the topics is essential! Difficulty 8.5/10 imo...but if you're good at it, its a more rewarding subject than biology.

Hope this helps

Bazinga_N

leavingcert. wrote: »

Well I do biology and chemistry so I'll tell ya about them two..

For the JC..I liked all 3 sections but biology was my least favourite. My favourite subject now is biology! Biology is a lot harder than it was for JC though, as are all LC subjects. Basically the junior cert gives an introduction to different topics..in the leaving cert its more detailed-but not so detailed that its extremely hard. You study the processes and reactions that take place in living things...and the structure of living things aswell. Most of it is quite interesting, but learning all the organ systems and plant stuff can be tedious. The experiments are all pretty basic. I would say in terms of difficulty, Biology would be a 6/10.

For chemistry- there really is no comparison, the leaving cert course is so much harder. There is very technical, detailed stuff that you need to understand- not just learn off. It's really a subject that needs time- but it pays off. I wouldn't do chemistry if I didn't like it in the JC- experiments are hard but make up a huge part of the paper. Also, in my opinion, maths is very important- there is so so many calculations! You will also have to be able to learn balanced eqns. etc, but not many of them. Its a subject where the answers don't also seem so obvious- so a good understanding of the topics is essential! Difficulty 8.5/10 imo...but if you're good at it, its a more rewarding subject than biology.

Hope this helps

Thanks a million! XD Brilliant answers!

Anyone know what the story is with Physics?

Danny93

Bazinga_N wrote: »

Thanks a million! XD Brilliant answers!

Anyone know what the story is with Physics?

I took up Physics in the last weeks of 5th year (hated geography, found it boring), having not done it during 4th year either, and I'm doing pretty well. JC's a bit hazy for me, but Physics is definitely a big step up from the JC (all the sciences are). It's split up into light, heat, waves, electricity/electromagnetism, and some nuclear physics (not as difficult as it sounds), and mechanics. Mechanics covers things like how objects accelerate/move, forces, moments, effects of gravity etc., and is basically a very simplified version of Applied Maths.

There's quite a few experiments, not at all difficult to understand the concepts behind them, but some of them are a bit tedious (not as much playing with fire as in Chemistry). Overall, it's pretty interesting, much more so than the JC course. On a difficulty scale (for the exam anyway) I'd give it a 6 or 7. If science is your thing, it'll be no bother to you.

Chemistry's great. Some people hate it and can't understand it, some love it. It is very different from the junior cert, I don't think there's much of comparison between the JC and LC. I think it's definitely more interesting than leaving cert physics, and the experiments are brilliant, especially if you have a fun teacher (there's been lots of playing with fire and generally making a mess of the place in my class). On a difficulty scale, I'd give it an 8, purely because my class seems to have trouble with it, and there is periods where when you don't listen in class and you get totally and utterly lost for a while. It all seems to come together during 6th year though.

Chemistry and Physics overlap a small amount, radioactivity and the electron are covered in both subjects, so you know... that's nice. If you're bright and you're looking for high points in the leaving cert, the sciences are definitely the way to go, they can be very easy As if you put the work in.

Also, if you're good at maths (getting an A/B without much trouble in JC, and even if you didn't but you enjoy and feel like maths is your thing) consider doing applied maths (if your school does it). It's a very short course, and it's pretty difficult at times, but it covers the whole mechanics section in physics in much much greater detail (like you're sorted for physics mechanics if you do it), and also, there's no (albeit 1 or 2) learning off definitions/doing anything other than maths.

aarond280

I'm in 6th year now and am doing physics and biology. They are very similar to what is done in the jc. the only difference being that it is more advanced for the leaving

for biology : if youre the type of person who is good at learning a lot of definitions then biology is for you and if you are interested in plants reproduction. photosynthesis and animal skeleton, vascular systems etc you will like it .

Physics: If you are good a tmaths you should be grand at this, again a step up ( but thats with every lc subject) very interesting subject i find. Really enjoy discussing various topics and what if's ? some days in physics we just leave the track and talk about something totally differnt. I find it a great subject 9perphaps because i do hon applied maths and maths ) but its great you get to really interact with the subject and the question what if ? really makes you wonder haha.

If you are good science i would really recommend that you two if not three, if you plan on doing a course in science or science related then i think you need two at least.Hope i helped and dont worry what i did in 3rd yr was went to a quite place and thought what i would like to and then did them. i realise that can be easier said than done but do what you like to do and are most interested in and what youre good at