I've been writing more & more about the eventual collapse of humanity in large part to spending so much time witnessing & hearing from the intellectually impoverished. I need to hear more from people like her... to feel hopeful. It's amazing what our species is capable of learning, and how little so many choose to.
I've just chosen my A level courses & am still waiting for my GCSE results, so I think I've got a long way until uni 😆 but I am hoping to do a physics/astrophysics degree, so this was really interesting ☺ also you're really inspirational so thanks 😆
Good luck & remember that no matter what grades you get (especially GCSE) you can still achieve anything you want to! If you want to do physics try watching plenty of videos on topics that interest you to keep learning :)
Ooh best of luck for results day, and also for all the physics you'll go on to do in the future! ❤ And that's some really lovely advice above - I second all of that 😊 x
Incredible notes! I learned Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics from a book written by a Stanford Physicist, so I was really excited when I learned about it!
Im about to start a physics and astrophysics degree in September, which I am super excited about. This video has made me think that I'm not ready for what is about to come... sounds way more complicated than what I've learned at A-level. But this has given a real insight as to what the course is all about so thank you!
Oh no, I'm really sorry I've made it seem scary! 😔 Honestly, at the start of every year I've looked at lecture notes and thought "there's no way I'll ever understand this"... and then at the end of every year I've looked back and thought "wow, I can't believe how far I've come"! I've found that when you just dive into each course and start trying to work your way through topics, rather than worrying about how scary it all looks, it's never ever anywhere near as bad as it seemed at the start! You've made it through A levels; you're definitely ready to start your degree, and I hope you have a wonderful time during it ❤
Interesting to see so much crossover between science courses - I've studied a lot of these topics doing a chemical engineering course! Just shows how universal the fundamentals are
You're my most favorite creator, inspiring, creative and I just want to let you know that from my side as this channel is going to get hundreds of thousands of suscribers.
I genuinely want to study physics because I love it so so much, but the math intimidates me! I'm not bad at math, but I'm not interested in it either..
God u make me so excited for all of this. The way u talk never gives condescending or elitist vibes so you're becoming one of my favorite youtubers. And everything u say is always super clear and genuine. I do have a question for you, has the education changed how u see machines/phenomena in every day life? Would be cool to see a video on that
Ooh that's awesome, and I'm really glad it was interesting! 😊 If you have any questions about degree level physics, you're always v v welcome to ask and I'll try to help ❤
I'll keep that in mind! Thanks a lot, you're super helpful. Would you be able to do a video on something like preparation for a physics degree if you've just finished high school? Or maybe about your plans for the future after your degree? I'd be pretty interested in seeing those
Quite a lot of interesting info and even though it's been like a short while since I last did Physics- it's an incredible subject and thank you sooo much for the video! Hearing your passion for the subject encourages me to take it up at uni as a minor even though I'm not very good at Physics I do love the subject!!! P.S your colorful top is pretty!😊
Hey, no worries and thank you so much - I'm really glad it could be interesting! 😊 That's awesome to hear you're considering taking it as a minor, and I hope it goes brilliantly for you! Out of interest, what's your major? (and thank you so much! It's from topshop I think!)
Thank you though lol even though my parents think I'm crazy for doing it cause I got a B at A level! I'm a psychology major, although it wasn't my first choice it's something that I took an interest in recently from watching RUclips videos, reading books and attending seminars.
This is so fascinating! The thought of studying physics at university next year has crossed my mind but I’m worried that since I dropped physics at the start of this year due to it being my lowest course and the stress of the workload, that I won’t be able to success at it
If you do the topics videos, I'd be really interested to learn about quantum mechanics. It's not a topic I've learnt in school (I've just finished year 12) and fascinates me, though I don't know a lot about it. Also, I don't know if you have any advice on this, but I'm struggling with choosing between a straight maths degree and some kind of joint maths and physics/theoretical physics. I've often felt maths was my 'better' subject so your results day video resonated with me quite a bit, but it's often the maths that has quite a bit of physics intertwined that I find most interesting, although I do find maths enjoyable in general and can't see myself just doing physics. Linked to that, when you learn the maths for theoretical physics modules, do you generally learn the maths in a 'pure' maths like way, in its own right, or just for the purpose of applying it? Sorry this turned into a bit of a ramble (I think that's just how my decisions are going at the moment 😄) Also, well done on your incredible result!
Hey, I'd love to make one on quantum mechanics - thank you so much for the suggestion! ❤ I know this is probably the least helpful advise I could give you, but honestly I'd just say go with whichever one excites you most (might be worth having a look at the module content for some maths degrees and some theoretical physics degrees and just seeing what you'd rather learn?). In physics, all the maths you learn is for the purpose of eventually applying it to solve or model some physical scenario, but that's not in the same kind of way you "apply" maths at school level mechanics or physics courses - essentially in physics even when we cover the same topics there isn't the same focus on mathematical proof that there would be in a pure maths degree. But, particularly in the first couple of years, we do have modules that are just maths, even if the reason why we're being taught that maths is to be able to use it later. Theoretical physics is essentially applied maths, and at postgrad level there's a real mix of it being taught in maths departments and physics departments! Hope that all makes some sense, but if it doesn't feel free to ask for clarification! And no worries for the ramble - think my reply is ramblier than your original question...! 😂 (And thank you so much! ❤)
Physics sounds so interesting and I'm applying for it soon but ngl the amount of maths is a bit intimidating... how did u find understanding the mathsy stuff???
Oh that's really cool to hear - best of luck with your application! ❤ I think I'm a bit of an anomaly, because I've always found the maths side and maths modules alright, but it's things like electromagnetism and quantum mechanics that genuinely absolutely terrify me! I do know that at Lancaster, FST (the faculty of science & technology, which the physics department belongs to) run maths bootcamps and drop-in sessions for all FST students, and our department ran extra maths help sessions in first year too, as well as there being office hours where you could ask lecturers for help with worksheets etc, so hopefully if you end up somewhere similar there should be a lot of help available. The amount of extra maths support is always something you can find out about at open days 😊 x
Great video. I'm also changing from engineering to physics next year in uni but I'll be majoring in physics an applied math. This was really helpful to me cause I was wondering which topics I'll encounter in physics. Thank you for this content.
Hey Alice :) Semi-new to your channel...binged your videos the other night hahaha. I'd love to see a video on your experience in quantum mechanics! Im starting thermal physics and quantum mechanics this year, (aka my third year)!
Hey! Oh fantastic, quantum mechanics is honestly one of my favourite topics in physics so I'd love to make that! 😃 Hope third year goes brilliantly for you 😊 x
Alice, your enthusiasm for physics is evident and infectious, and I think you would make an excellent teacher if you chose to go down that route. But I also discern potential for research, perhaps into some area of theoretical physics, and you might also wish to pursue postgraduate studies. Hope you get a first!
Very helpful thank you, hopefully I am going Cardiff to do a straight physics degree. Would you recommend doing anything over the summer to get back into maths/physics after so much time away from school work over the summer? Might do a few c3 or c4 papers to get back into actually working, which I never thought I’d say XD
Good luck for results day, and congrats on your offer! 🎉 Before first year I read through my revision notes (and before second year I quickly went over my first year modules) because the summer holidays are so long, and that was really helpful to kind of kick my brain back into gear again, but I honestly don't think you need to do any more than that. If you feel like doing a couple of maths papers, definitely go for it! But please don't feel like you need to be working a lot throughout the summer 😊 x
Girl, how the hell do you take such neat notes without even shortening the words?! When I was taking maths and physics the lectures were so fast-paced that I was barely able to write down anything lol... Could be because I took it in Russia though and it's different in the UK. But I haven't seen notes like yours since high school lol, that's really cool
In most universities in the US, I think General Relativity isn't taught in undergrad classes. I was glad to learn that it's usually taught at the undergrad level in the UK.
Haha I sometimes do maths modules that make me wish I'd done a maths degree - think the grass is always greener on the other side! (Alternatively, physics is basically applied maths anyway, so we both get the best of both worlds? 😉) Thank you! x
I would loveeee videos on literally any of the topics you mentioned lol! (not very helpful I know) I'm really stuck on what to do bc I love both physics and chemistry sm. I've got places to study natural sciences in September where I'd do both and maths but I'm worried that I'll only cover about 1/3 of a full physics course if that makes sense? :/ any extra videos will be so useful to help me decide!
Actually it is really helpful - it's lovely to know that you'd want those kind of videos, and they're not too dull! ❤ Ah, that is a bit of dilemma! If it helps at all, even if you did a straight physics degree you'd still miss out huge chunks of physics based on your degree scheme / which modules you took; it's just way too broad a subject to know in depth about it all, and you end up specialising by the end of the degree anyway. I know honestly nothing about astrophysics, and that's clearly a huge area! And I'm pretty sure chemistry will be the same. If you think natural sciences and doing a bit of everything will be more interesting for you and suit you better, then I honestly think that's what you should go for 😊 But whichever you go for in the end, I hope you have a fantastic time! ❤
I'm going to do an aerospace engineering degree, but I still found this video really interesting, kind of makes me think about doing a physics degree. But I don't like waves and optics. If you decide to go in more depth on some topics, mechanics sounds really cool and also all the maths you learn (you mention it at the start )
Ooh nice! Whereabouts? I hope you have a fantastic time! 😊 Thank you a lot for letting me know - I'm really glad it's interesting for people not necessarily planning on going into physics. And thank you for the suggestions! I'll start thinking about some ideas 😊 x
Yes, absolutely! I know lots of people who didn't take further maths at A level, but are doing extremely well in their degrees. There might be a couple of first year maths courses where content that's new to you has been covered at A level for others, but honestly the pace at university is so quick that you'll all be onto new things very soon - and past the first couple of terms of first year, I really don't think it makes much difference whatsoever x
For Lancaster? Definitely! For other universities I don't know for certain, so it's probably worth sending them a quick email, but I'm pretty sure that very few, if any at all, would reject you just for not having it. (It would be a different situation if you went to a school that did offer further maths and you'd just chosen not to take it - make sure you get one of your references to mention the fact that it isn't offered). Having said that, if you're interested in doing a physics degree, it might be worth thinking about self-teaching AS further maths? 😊 x
Just an interesting note, I've just finished my first year at Loughborough University and we did a computing course but was in C/C++ language. Which I've not heard many or any other physics degrees use (especially 1st year). It's very interesting to see how other universities do things.
Oh that's really interesting! How did you find it? I'm using c++ at the moment for an internship with the particle group, and it's definitely less intuitive than java imo (bloody pointers!). Feel like java was good preparation for it though, very similar syntax 😊
It was definitely a change to the norm, as i'd never done anything similar to it before, so the actual learning of it was quite difficult, but now I realise there's not much better than getting a good length piece of code working haha 😊. And yeah I've heard they're similar, so has it followed on nicely for you?
I'd never done any programming before our scientific programming module either! Yeah, I agree there's not much better than when everything finally compiles and runs how you want it to, but I'm not sure there's many things worse than when you go to compile it and there are a million missed semi colons... 😂 Yes, c++ has followed on really nicely from java actually! I'm glad we learnt java to start with because I honestly think it's much simpler, so I had a chance to focus on the concepts rather than the actual language (if that makes any sense at all?) because a lot of the complicated stuff gets "hidden" from you (feel for you starting off with c and c++!) but it's definitely helped me pick up c++ really quickly 😊 (And from knowing equal amounts of c++ and java now, I was playing around with python for the first time the other day, and it's so much easier than both imo!) If you're thinking of learning a second language, would recommend java! x
Yeah there is nothing wore than that with the semicolons or just generally when you'll think it's going to work but puts errors back in so many lines 😂 and at least there's a bit of positive now such that should I carry on other programming languages it could have chance of being simpler (to learn at least 😂) and yeah I get what you mean, we had a batch of lectures (learning the language) and then computing labs which we applied what we learnt, sometimes the lectures felt redundant though as without a computer in front of you it not as easy to see what the lecturer is meaning. I will definitely keep an eye out now for opportunities for Java and others as i think it would be useful x
two main difficulties at undergrad level are: maths have to be very good and also a lot of topics are hard to explain.. and/or not/not able to be explained properly in text books.. and very hard to visualise. Thats what I found when I studied phys; nevertheless.. its a fantastic subject and it becomes a part of you.. :)
I get my A level results back in 2 weeks which determines which University I’m going to, to study physics! I can’t wait! Do you know which optional modules you’re taking for 3rd year?
I'll keep my fingers crossed for you! Lots of luck whichever university you end up at (let me know?) 😊 I'm currently down for Phys389, which is another programming module continuing from the second year one (... but I'm also very indecisive, so I guess we'll see! 😂) x
I’m gonna apply to physics in this year bc I love this subject a lot and my dream is to become an astronomer but even tho I did really well so far at A level phys I suck in maths like a LOT. I’m so afraid of further maths as I know I’m gonna fail in like the first semester. So hearing that it’s a ton of maths it makes me rethink it.
Do you enjoy maths? Honestly that's the most important thing - if you hate maths you're probably not going to enjoy it much because pretty much everything in physics is applied maths, but if you like maths and just don't think you're very good at it then a) you might not be as bad as you think you are (particularly as you're doing well in A level physics) and b) you can always improve. I genuinely don't think I'm naturally very good at physics, but I just try and learn! I really hope that if it is the case that you like maths, then you do still choose physics ❤
alicedoesphysics honestly I don’t even know if I like maths or not bc it has always been a struggle. This year I’m attending 2+ maths classes after school seeing if I can improve that way and I’m literally hoping for the best. Physics is something I’m quite passionate about so I really don’t want maths to stop me from doing it. But I mean if I see that it just won’t work I’ll probably have to choose something else to study.
I don't know if you have discussed this already but how much maths is in a theoretical physics degree? Is it a lot more than a straight physics degree or are they similar? I love maths and physics but would ideally like my degree to have a lot of maths involved. I'm off to Leeds Uni so I appreciate it might be different at Lancaster. Thanks x P.s I went to Lancaster Uni for a year to study Psychology in 2012 and I loved the uni, it is so pretty... I was in Bowland :)
Hey! Awesome that you were at Lancaster for a bit! I'm in Furness, but Bowland was my second choice 😊 And it's really cool that you're trying a new subject! Like you say, may be different at Leeds, but here we don't have more "maths" modules (the only maths modules we have are core modules, so everyone takes them) but the theoretical modules are definitely more "mathsy"! For example, one of my second year theory modules was mechanics and variations, where as part of that we learnt about variational calculus, and next year we'll do groups and symmetries, and as part of that learn about group theory - both maths topics that aren't covered in other courses. To be honest, with physics, whichever degree scheme you do you'll spend the majority of your time doing maths, because at the end of the day physics is basically just applied maths, so it sounds like you'll really enjoy it! Lots of luck for first year 😊 x
Thank you so much for your reply! This makes me feel a lot better as I was debating between mathematics and physics so looks like I'll get the best of both :) I think we get more optional modules at Leeds but I'm not sure whether that is a good thing or not as I'm rubbish at decisions but I'll def be hoping to study some mathematics :) x
No worries, I'm glad I could help a bit! 😊 I'm the same haha; we get one optional module in the entire three years and there's only like five we can choose from but realistically only three I'd do, and I've still spent all summer stressing over it... 😭😂 x
I don’t have an a level in maths , but chemistry physics and computer science. I got a six in gcse chemistry. Is a degree in physics gonna be way too difficult even with a foundation year ?
I am a student in year 12 studying alevel maths, further maths, physics and computer science, recently we did an exam in the school where tge exam was on A level maths and AS physics and AS computer science. Results from this exam is going in UCAS and predicted grades. Physics is my lowest grade and I'm worried about whether physics is hard for me. I am interested in physics but it's very hard.😭😭
I am an undergraduate physics student in 1st yr & soon will be in 2nd yr. We can't get opportunities to learn physics well. Can i get ur sheet & notes of 2nd yr?
i have a question ... why did you choose physics ? by the way i am studying physics too ( at the second year but i am from Egypt ) and finally found someone on you tube making videos about physics .. i have few questions and few things to know if you have a way to communicate with you it would be great .. continue and do not stop you do something great ))
would you say most of the first year maths is covered in further maths A-level? im honestly so scared now because im not even that good at physics tbh i just find it interesting :D
I think this very much depends on the university you go to - sorry that I can't give you a better answer! But for Lancaster, before coming to university I'd done 9 maths modules, but even then the vast majority of the maths we were taught in first year was new to me (so if you haven't done further maths before, you're not at much of a disadvantage at all). Honestly I felt the same before starting uni, and questioned whether I was good enough to be doing a physics degree! But I really truly do think that enjoyment of and interest in a subject is one of the most important things for doing well in a degree 😊 x
Hi, I almost certain I want to do a Physics degree and the one you describe sounds amazing. Can I ask what University you attended and the specific course name/number you took. Many Thanks
Cooool! i plan on studying physics in my undergrad. Although i wanted to ask: do you get time to party or is there a lot of work load compared to other degrees lol. Basically i just wanna ask how much workload you have as compared to the others.
Hi Alice I'm so glad you made this video because starting from today, I have 5 days to choose my field for university my dream is to study cosmology but in our country we can study it in PHD first we have to study physics but although it's my all time wish to study cosmology I'm not sure I'm good enough in physics to study it for 4 whole years so I wanted to ask you how much do you think physics is hard? Cause I'm really afraid to choose it thank you ☺
well that are things I already had been taught in my high school I think there is not much to learn in uni tough I there are a lot of topics in math which I don't know anything about and just apply formulas I can learn that though
I'll be starting my maths and astronomy degree in september at the University of Glasgow and I'll admit that I'm not so informed about what I'll be studying. I guess that I just knew that I loved mathematics and physics in highschool but as I'm not from the UK I might not have been taught about the exact same things 🤔 Anyways, everything you talked about in the video sounds very interesting so I should be okay ahah
Ooh - lots of luck, I hope you have an absolutely brilliant time! 😃 I think it's okay to not really know what you'll be doing (honestly, I had completely no idea!). If it's anything like Lancaster, you'll get a handbook with all the modules in when you arrive - I've just had a quick check online to see if I could find one for you but unfortunately there doesn't seem to be one easily found 😔 There are lots of international students in my year, with a huge range of qualifications! It's true that you might not have covered everything that those with Scottish Highers will have done, but it's equally likely that you'll have done more than them in some areas - and a couple of months in it shouldn't really make much difference anyway 😊 I'm glad things seemed interested - hope you find next year equally interesting! x
alicedoesphysics Oh I see! Then I might get access to the modules when I'll have my student account 🙂 And yes, to think about the many others international students who will be in the same situation reassures me a lot Watching your videos also helps a lot thank you for everything 😊 x
Do you know if the theoretical physics with maths course at Lancaster has practicals in first year as well? Thats what i applied for and I'm hoping it doesnt practicals really arent my thing
To the best of my knowledge, it does, but in second year for a term rather than two terms in first year (as labs are part of the IOP accreditation requirement) - but please check that! If you email the department to double check, I'm certain they'd be happy to give you more information - they're lovely 😊 Or if you Google "Lancaster University Physics Course Handbook" you'll be able to find the handbook with more information than anyone could possibly need to know about our degree, and the answer will definitely be somewhere in there 😊 x
Just a quick thing (as it's quite interesting), special relativity DOES deal with accelerating reference frames, just not motion on a background spacetime that differs (approximately if weak gravity) from minkowski spacetime. This is interesting as results in SR prove you can e.g. travel more than one light year in one light year of proper time, which is think is cool :)
As a girl hoping to study physics at uni next year, you are such an inspiration to me.
❤❤❤ Thank you so much, and lots of luck with applying to uni! x
do you study physics? :)
Hope you made it! My first year of Physics at the University of Brussels has just ended with my « General Physics » exam :D
Why am I even watching this as a biology student?
I love your notes though, they are so neat!
Hahaha, I hope it wasn't too boring! And I hope biology is going well for you 😊 (also thank you so much!) x
BS MS Courses proposes all sciences initially without prejudice.
bro I'm doing law, I just want to learn some physics cuz it's cool
I've been writing more & more about the eventual collapse of humanity in large part to spending so much time witnessing & hearing from the intellectually impoverished.
I need to hear more from people like her... to feel hopeful. It's amazing what our species is capable of learning, and how little so many choose to.
You're an inspiration. Can't wait to hopefully do physics with maths in a year!
❤❤❤ Thank you so much! Awesome degree choice - hope it goes brilliantly for you! x
alicedoesphysics thankyou! Passion for physics has definitely increased even more since finding your channel. Your advice has helped so much xx
Woah there, those notes are way too perfect.
I've just chosen my A level courses & am still waiting for my GCSE results, so I think I've got a long way until uni 😆 but I am hoping to do a physics/astrophysics degree, so this was really interesting ☺ also you're really inspirational so thanks 😆
Good luck & remember that no matter what grades you get (especially GCSE) you can still achieve anything you want to! If you want to do physics try watching plenty of videos on topics that interest you to keep learning :)
Mariam Same! How did your exams go and what are you taking for a level? Xxx
Ooh best of luck for results day, and also for all the physics you'll go on to do in the future! ❤ And that's some really lovely advice above - I second all of that 😊 x
Incredible notes! I learned Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics from a book written by a Stanford Physicist, so I was really excited when I learned about it!
Hey, thank you so much! 😊 And that does sound really cool! I honestly adore lagrangian mechanics haha x
Im about to start a physics and astrophysics degree in September, which I am super excited about. This video has made me think that I'm not ready for what is about to come... sounds way more complicated than what I've learned at A-level. But this has given a real insight as to what the course is all about so thank you!
Oh no, I'm really sorry I've made it seem scary! 😔 Honestly, at the start of every year I've looked at lecture notes and thought "there's no way I'll ever understand this"... and then at the end of every year I've looked back and thought "wow, I can't believe how far I've come"! I've found that when you just dive into each course and start trying to work your way through topics, rather than worrying about how scary it all looks, it's never ever anywhere near as bad as it seemed at the start! You've made it through A levels; you're definitely ready to start your degree, and I hope you have a wonderful time during it ❤
Interesting to see so much crossover between science courses - I've studied a lot of these topics doing a chemical engineering course! Just shows how universal the fundamentals are
Oh wow, that's really cool! 😊
You're my most favorite creator, inspiring, creative and I just want to let you know that from my side as this channel is going to get hundreds of thousands of suscribers.
❤️ thank you!
I genuinely want to study physics because I love it so so much, but the math intimidates me! I'm not bad at math, but I'm not interested in it either..
I am very interested in Maths but suck at it lol
You need maths... badly. Its the main reason people who stuggle do stuggle in phys undergrad.
God u make me so excited for all of this. The way u talk never gives condescending or elitist vibes so you're becoming one of my favorite youtubers. And everything u say is always super clear and genuine. I do have a question for you, has the education changed how u see machines/phenomena in every day life? Would be cool to see a video on that
Another very enjoyable video. Brilliant how you pack so much info into just a few minutes
Thank you very much! 😊 x
It's nice to learn about what you actually are doing in your coursework! This is a really nice video! Your shirt is really cute as well :P
Thank you so much!!! ❤ (and the shirt was from topshop, I believe!)
This was super interesting! I’m thinking about doing my undergrad degree in physics so I look forward to any more videos like this you might make ✨
Ooh that's awesome, and I'm really glad it was interesting! 😊 If you have any questions about degree level physics, you're always v v welcome to ask and I'll try to help ❤
I'll keep that in mind! Thanks a lot, you're super helpful. Would you be able to do a video on something like preparation for a physics degree if you've just finished high school? Or maybe about your plans for the future after your degree? I'd be pretty interested in seeing those
No worries at all 😊 Oh yes, I definitely can, thank you for the suggestions! x
Quite a lot of interesting info and even though it's been like a short while since I last did Physics- it's an incredible subject and thank you sooo much for the video! Hearing your passion for the subject encourages me to take it up at uni as a minor even though I'm not very good at Physics I do love the subject!!! P.S your colorful top is pretty!😊
Hey, no worries and thank you so much - I'm really glad it could be interesting! 😊 That's awesome to hear you're considering taking it as a minor, and I hope it goes brilliantly for you! Out of interest, what's your major? (and thank you so much! It's from topshop I think!)
Thank you though lol even though my parents think I'm crazy for doing it cause I got a B at A level! I'm a psychology major, although it wasn't my first choice it's something that I took an interest in recently from watching RUclips videos, reading books and attending seminars.
This is so fascinating! The thought of studying physics at university next year has crossed my mind but I’m worried that since I dropped physics at the start of this year due to it being my lowest course and the stress of the workload, that I won’t be able to success at it
how did u decide?
The notes look super cool ! Inspiring !
If you do the topics videos, I'd be really interested to learn about quantum mechanics. It's not a topic I've learnt in school (I've just finished year 12) and fascinates me, though I don't know a lot about it.
Also, I don't know if you have any advice on this, but I'm struggling with choosing between a straight maths degree and some kind of joint maths and physics/theoretical physics. I've often felt maths was my 'better' subject so your results day video resonated with me quite a bit, but it's often the maths that has quite a bit of physics intertwined that I find most interesting, although I do find maths enjoyable in general and can't see myself just doing physics.
Linked to that, when you learn the maths for theoretical physics modules, do you generally learn the maths in a 'pure' maths like way, in its own right, or just for the purpose of applying it?
Sorry this turned into a bit of a ramble (I think that's just how my decisions are going at the moment 😄)
Also, well done on your incredible result!
Hey, I'd love to make one on quantum mechanics - thank you so much for the suggestion! ❤ I know this is probably the least helpful advise I could give you, but honestly I'd just say go with whichever one excites you most (might be worth having a look at the module content for some maths degrees and some theoretical physics degrees and just seeing what you'd rather learn?). In physics, all the maths you learn is for the purpose of eventually applying it to solve or model some physical scenario, but that's not in the same kind of way you "apply" maths at school level mechanics or physics courses - essentially in physics even when we cover the same topics there isn't the same focus on mathematical proof that there would be in a pure maths degree. But, particularly in the first couple of years, we do have modules that are just maths, even if the reason why we're being taught that maths is to be able to use it later. Theoretical physics is essentially applied maths, and at postgrad level there's a real mix of it being taught in maths departments and physics departments! Hope that all makes some sense, but if it doesn't feel free to ask for clarification! And no worries for the ramble - think my reply is ramblier than your original question...! 😂 (And thank you so much! ❤)
Physics sounds so interesting and I'm applying for it soon but ngl the amount of maths is a bit intimidating... how did u find understanding the mathsy stuff???
Oh that's really cool to hear - best of luck with your application! ❤ I think I'm a bit of an anomaly, because I've always found the maths side and maths modules alright, but it's things like electromagnetism and quantum mechanics that genuinely absolutely terrify me! I do know that at Lancaster, FST (the faculty of science & technology, which the physics department belongs to) run maths bootcamps and drop-in sessions for all FST students, and our department ran extra maths help sessions in first year too, as well as there being office hours where you could ask lecturers for help with worksheets etc, so hopefully if you end up somewhere similar there should be a lot of help available. The amount of extra maths support is always something you can find out about at open days 😊 x
alicedoesphysics thank you Alice! X
Loved this, very informative x
thank you Haley! 😊 x
Great video. I'm also changing from engineering to physics next year in uni but I'll be majoring in physics an applied math. This was really helpful to me cause I was wondering which topics I'll encounter in physics. Thank you for this content.
Hey Alice :) Semi-new to your channel...binged your videos the other night hahaha. I'd love to see a video on your experience in quantum mechanics! Im starting thermal physics and quantum mechanics this year, (aka my third year)!
Hey! Oh fantastic, quantum mechanics is honestly one of my favourite topics in physics so I'd love to make that! 😃 Hope third year goes brilliantly for you 😊 x
alicedoesphysics thanks so much! Very excited for this semester 😊 hope your goes just as fabulous😁
And if you ever want to discuss physics with someone for fun, I'd happily oblige :D
Alice, your enthusiasm for physics is evident and infectious, and I think you would make an excellent teacher if you chose to go down that route. But I also discern potential for research, perhaps into some area of theoretical physics, and you might also wish to pursue postgraduate studies. Hope you get a first!
Very helpful thank you, hopefully I am going Cardiff to do a straight physics degree.
Would you recommend doing anything over the summer to get back into maths/physics after so much time away from school work over the summer? Might do a few c3 or c4 papers to get back into actually working, which I never thought I’d say XD
Good luck for results day, and congrats on your offer! 🎉 Before first year I read through my revision notes (and before second year I quickly went over my first year modules) because the summer holidays are so long, and that was really helpful to kind of kick my brain back into gear again, but I honestly don't think you need to do any more than that. If you feel like doing a couple of maths papers, definitely go for it! But please don't feel like you need to be working a lot throughout the summer 😊 x
Girl, how the hell do you take such neat notes without even shortening the words?! When I was taking maths and physics the lectures were so fast-paced that I was barely able to write down anything lol... Could be because I took it in Russia though and it's different in the UK. But I haven't seen notes like yours since high school lol, that's really cool
In most universities in the US, I think General Relativity isn't taught in undergrad classes. I was glad to learn that it's usually taught at the undergrad level in the UK.
Wow, this was so interesting!! I’m the worst at physics but I loved this video:)
thank you so much! 😊 ah I'm sure you aren't as bad as you think you are! x
I had a physics module in my third year and it made me really wish I'd done physics! Well done you!
Haha I sometimes do maths modules that make me wish I'd done a maths degree - think the grass is always greener on the other side! (Alternatively, physics is basically applied maths anyway, so we both get the best of both worlds? 😉) Thank you! x
I would loveeee videos on literally any of the topics you mentioned lol! (not very helpful I know) I'm really stuck on what to do bc I love both physics and chemistry sm. I've got places to study natural sciences in September where I'd do both and maths but I'm worried that I'll only cover about 1/3 of a full physics course if that makes sense? :/ any extra videos will be so useful to help me decide!
Actually it is really helpful - it's lovely to know that you'd want those kind of videos, and they're not too dull! ❤ Ah, that is a bit of dilemma! If it helps at all, even if you did a straight physics degree you'd still miss out huge chunks of physics based on your degree scheme / which modules you took; it's just way too broad a subject to know in depth about it all, and you end up specialising by the end of the degree anyway. I know honestly nothing about astrophysics, and that's clearly a huge area! And I'm pretty sure chemistry will be the same. If you think natural sciences and doing a bit of everything will be more interesting for you and suit you better, then I honestly think that's what you should go for 😊 But whichever you go for in the end, I hope you have a fantastic time! ❤
alicedoesphysics oh good and yeah if I could I’d gladly do 2 or more degrees ahah. Thank you Alice💗
O girl this video scared me, and I decided to not do whole physics, just astrophysics
How are your diagrams and drawings so neat? I'm scribbling them down as quick as possible before the teacher moves to the next slide at college
Thanks for the video. It was really informative.
I'm going to do an aerospace engineering degree, but I still found this video really interesting, kind of makes me think about doing a physics degree. But I don't like waves and optics. If you decide to go in more depth on some topics, mechanics sounds really cool and also all the maths you learn (you mention it at the start )
Ooh nice! Whereabouts? I hope you have a fantastic time! 😊
Thank you a lot for letting me know - I'm really glad it's interesting for people not necessarily planning on going into physics. And thank you for the suggestions! I'll start thinking about some ideas 😊 x
alicedoesphysics I didn't do furthers maths, can I still be succesful in physics ?
Yes, absolutely! I know lots of people who didn't take further maths at A level, but are doing extremely well in their degrees. There might be a couple of first year maths courses where content that's new to you has been covered at A level for others, but honestly the pace at university is so quick that you'll all be onto new things very soon - and past the first couple of terms of first year, I really don't think it makes much difference whatsoever x
alicedoesphysics I'm starting sixth form but further maths isn't an option but I most probably would've taken it. Would I still be considered?
For Lancaster? Definitely! For other universities I don't know for certain, so it's probably worth sending them a quick email, but I'm pretty sure that very few, if any at all, would reject you just for not having it. (It would be a different situation if you went to a school that did offer further maths and you'd just chosen not to take it - make sure you get one of your references to mention the fact that it isn't offered). Having said that, if you're interested in doing a physics degree, it might be worth thinking about self-teaching AS further maths? 😊 x
Just an interesting note, I've just finished my first year at Loughborough University
and we did a computing course but was in C/C++ language. Which I've not heard many or any other physics degrees use (especially 1st year).
It's very interesting to see how other universities do things.
Oh that's really interesting! How did you find it? I'm using c++ at the moment for an internship with the particle group, and it's definitely less intuitive than java imo (bloody pointers!). Feel like java was good preparation for it though, very similar syntax 😊
It was definitely a change to the norm, as i'd never done anything similar to it before, so the actual learning of it was quite difficult, but now I realise there's not much better than getting a good length piece of code working haha 😊. And yeah I've heard they're similar, so has it followed on nicely for you?
I'd never done any programming before our scientific programming module either! Yeah, I agree there's not much better than when everything finally compiles and runs how you want it to, but I'm not sure there's many things worse than when you go to compile it and there are a million missed semi colons... 😂 Yes, c++ has followed on really nicely from java actually! I'm glad we learnt java to start with because I honestly think it's much simpler, so I had a chance to focus on the concepts rather than the actual language (if that makes any sense at all?) because a lot of the complicated stuff gets "hidden" from you (feel for you starting off with c and c++!) but it's definitely helped me pick up c++ really quickly 😊 (And from knowing equal amounts of c++ and java now, I was playing around with python for the first time the other day, and it's so much easier than both imo!) If you're thinking of learning a second language, would recommend java! x
Yeah there is nothing wore than that with the semicolons or just generally when you'll think it's going to work but puts errors back in so many lines 😂 and at least there's a bit of positive now such that should I carry on other programming languages it could have chance of being simpler (to learn at least 😂) and yeah I get what you mean, we had a batch of lectures (learning the language) and then computing labs which we applied what we learnt, sometimes the lectures felt redundant though as without a computer in front of you it not as easy to see what the lecturer is meaning. I will definitely keep an eye out now for opportunities for Java and others as i think it would be useful x
two main difficulties at undergrad level are: maths have to be very good and also a lot of topics are hard to explain.. and/or not/not able to be explained properly in text books.. and very hard to visualise. Thats what I found when I studied phys; nevertheless.. its a fantastic subject and it becomes a part of you.. :)
I get my A level results back in 2 weeks which determines which University I’m going to, to study physics! I can’t wait! Do you know which optional modules you’re taking for 3rd year?
I'll keep my fingers crossed for you! Lots of luck whichever university you end up at (let me know?) 😊 I'm currently down for Phys389, which is another programming module continuing from the second year one (... but I'm also very indecisive, so I guess we'll see! 😂) x
alicedoesphysics my firm is Merton College Oxford and my insurance is Lancaster!
Oh wow, that's brilliant on both counts! 😃 x
I’m gonna apply to physics in this year bc I love this subject a lot and my dream is to become an astronomer but even tho I did really well so far at A level phys I suck in maths like a LOT. I’m so afraid of further maths as I know I’m gonna fail in like the first semester. So hearing that it’s a ton of maths it makes me rethink it.
Do you enjoy maths? Honestly that's the most important thing - if you hate maths you're probably not going to enjoy it much because pretty much everything in physics is applied maths, but if you like maths and just don't think you're very good at it then a) you might not be as bad as you think you are (particularly as you're doing well in A level physics) and b) you can always improve. I genuinely don't think I'm naturally very good at physics, but I just try and learn! I really hope that if it is the case that you like maths, then you do still choose physics ❤
alicedoesphysics honestly I don’t even know if I like maths or not bc it has always been a struggle. This year I’m attending 2+ maths classes after school seeing if I can improve that way and I’m literally hoping for the best. Physics is something I’m quite passionate about so I really don’t want maths to stop me from doing it. But I mean if I see that it just won’t work I’ll probably have to choose something else to study.
How do you even write that way. It looks super neat. Any name of the method? :)
I don't know if you have discussed this already but how much maths is in a theoretical physics degree? Is it a lot more than a straight physics degree or are they similar? I love maths and physics but would ideally like my degree to have a lot of maths involved. I'm off to Leeds Uni so I appreciate it might be different at Lancaster. Thanks x P.s I went to Lancaster Uni for a year to study Psychology in 2012 and I loved the uni, it is so pretty... I was in Bowland :)
Hey! Awesome that you were at Lancaster for a bit! I'm in Furness, but Bowland was my second choice 😊 And it's really cool that you're trying a new subject!
Like you say, may be different at Leeds, but here we don't have more "maths" modules (the only maths modules we have are core modules, so everyone takes them) but the theoretical modules are definitely more "mathsy"! For example, one of my second year theory modules was mechanics and variations, where as part of that we learnt about variational calculus, and next year we'll do groups and symmetries, and as part of that learn about group theory - both maths topics that aren't covered in other courses. To be honest, with physics, whichever degree scheme you do you'll spend the majority of your time doing maths, because at the end of the day physics is basically just applied maths, so it sounds like you'll really enjoy it! Lots of luck for first year 😊 x
Thank you so much for your reply! This makes me feel a lot better as I was debating between mathematics and physics so looks like I'll get the best of both :) I think we get more optional modules at Leeds but I'm not sure whether that is a good thing or not as I'm rubbish at decisions but I'll def be hoping to study some mathematics :) x
No worries, I'm glad I could help a bit! 😊 I'm the same haha; we get one optional module in the entire three years and there's only like five we can choose from but realistically only three I'd do, and I've still spent all summer stressing over it... 😭😂 x
omg, those notes are sooo clean. I wish I wrote like like :)
Interference and Diffraction. That's also in A levels Physics.
I don’t have an a level in maths , but chemistry physics and computer science. I got a six in gcse chemistry. Is a degree in physics gonna be way too difficult even with a foundation year ?
I am a student in year 12 studying alevel maths, further maths, physics and computer science, recently we did an exam in the school where tge exam was on A level maths and AS physics and AS computer science. Results from this exam is going in UCAS and predicted grades. Physics is my lowest grade and I'm worried about whether physics is hard for me. I am interested in physics but it's very hard.😭😭
Wow this was nice! You gave a full overview of it! Are you planning to do your masters?
I am an undergraduate physics student in 1st yr & soon will be in 2nd yr. We can't get opportunities to learn physics well. Can i get ur sheet & notes of 2nd yr?
OMG, l love your handwriting, would you mind sharing your notes?
career aspects with a physics degree?
I'm all caught up between mechanical engineer and bsc physics.
plz help
Finance.
How come you guys make such a neat notes.
i have a question ... why did you choose physics ?
by the way i am studying physics too ( at the second year but i am from Egypt ) and finally found someone on you tube making videos about physics .. i have few questions and few things to know if you have a way to communicate with you it would be great .. continue and do not stop you do something great ))
would you say most of the first year maths is covered in further maths A-level? im honestly so scared now because im not even that good at physics tbh i just find it interesting :D
I think this very much depends on the university you go to - sorry that I can't give you a better answer! But for Lancaster, before coming to university I'd done 9 maths modules, but even then the vast majority of the maths we were taught in first year was new to me (so if you haven't done further maths before, you're not at much of a disadvantage at all). Honestly I felt the same before starting uni, and questioned whether I was good enough to be doing a physics degree! But I really truly do think that enjoyment of and interest in a subject is one of the most important things for doing well in a degree 😊 x
thank you!! i will be starting at bristol in september 😬 xx
Hi, I almost certain I want to do a Physics degree and the one you describe sounds amazing. Can I ask what University you attended and the specific course name/number you took.
Many Thanks
Thank you... Just thank you so much..
Beautiful Notes
Hi, I didn't do maths or physics at uni. I wanna take physics with a foundation year to get me going. Do you think this is a good idea?
yeah I think a foundation year is a great idea!! 😊
Do you need a level further maths for physics at Oxford?
Cooool! i plan on studying physics in my undergrad. Although i wanted to ask: do you get time to party or is there a lot of work load compared to other degrees lol. Basically i just wanna ask how much workload you have as compared to the others.
yes u can definitly party, i always have at least 2 days of free time but i also take the degree very casually
For theoretical physics, do i have to take maths or physics for my undergrad?
Great video😁 I am aspiring to be a scientist studying pyhisics
But for a physics degree should I go to Oxford or Cambridge
Many Thanks
Hi Alice I'm so glad you made this video because starting from today, I have 5 days to choose my field for university my dream is to study cosmology but in our country we can study it in PHD first we have to study physics but although it's my all time wish to study cosmology I'm not sure I'm good enough in physics to study it for 4 whole years so I wanted to ask you how much do you think physics is hard? Cause I'm really afraid to choose it thank you ☺
well that are things I already had been taught in my high school I think there is not much to learn in uni
tough I there are a lot of topics in math which I don't know anything about and just apply formulas I can learn that though
yeah, you're right, there is literally nothing else left in the whole of physics for you to learn
Has anyone here tried doing physics at uni with 2 small kids? I know workload is out of this world but is it physicly doable?
There will probably be too much stress
Provide your notes to us, o mighty Physics lady.
I'll be starting my maths and astronomy degree in september at the University of Glasgow and I'll admit that I'm not so informed about what I'll be studying.
I guess that I just knew that I loved mathematics and physics in highschool but as I'm not from the UK I might not have been taught about the exact same things 🤔 Anyways, everything you talked about in the video sounds very interesting so I should be okay ahah
Ooh - lots of luck, I hope you have an absolutely brilliant time! 😃 I think it's okay to not really know what you'll be doing (honestly, I had completely no idea!). If it's anything like Lancaster, you'll get a handbook with all the modules in when you arrive - I've just had a quick check online to see if I could find one for you but unfortunately there doesn't seem to be one easily found 😔
There are lots of international students in my year, with a huge range of qualifications! It's true that you might not have covered everything that those with Scottish Highers will have done, but it's equally likely that you'll have done more than them in some areas - and a couple of months in it shouldn't really make much difference anyway 😊 I'm glad things seemed interested - hope you find next year equally interesting! x
alicedoesphysics Oh I see! Then I might get access to the modules when I'll have my student account 🙂
And yes, to think about the many others international students who will be in the same situation reassures me a lot
Watching your videos also helps a lot thank you for everything 😊 x
I would love to see your notes
Is the person in the thumbnail called Pascale? I remember someone looking very similar doing physics in my school years ago 😂.
Do you know if the theoretical physics with maths course at Lancaster has practicals in first year as well? Thats what i applied for and I'm hoping it doesnt practicals really arent my thing
To the best of my knowledge, it does, but in second year for a term rather than two terms in first year (as labs are part of the IOP accreditation requirement) - but please check that! If you email the department to double check, I'm certain they'd be happy to give you more information - they're lovely 😊 Or if you Google "Lancaster University Physics Course Handbook" you'll be able to find the handbook with more information than anyone could possibly need to know about our degree, and the answer will definitely be somewhere in there 😊 x
alicedoesphysics Thank you! And love your channel btw this video really got me excited for first year physics!
No worries! 😊 And thank you so much!!! Hope first year goes brilliantly for you! ❤
Hey.. Can I get your Notes?
Your amazing
So nice notes yar
Just a quick thing (as it's quite interesting), special relativity DOES deal with accelerating reference frames, just not motion on a background spacetime that differs (approximately if weak gravity) from minkowski spacetime. This is interesting as results in SR prove you can e.g. travel more than one light year in one light year of proper time, which is think is cool :)
Neat !!
My daughters got an offer at lancaster for next year, and student have told us its changed. Its no longer Java, its now all converted to python now .
1000th like
wow!
Well im not doing physics anymore XD
Could you please tell us slowly . U to hurrying alice.
if only there was a way to slow youtube videos down 🤔
Ok mam
🤗