UWaterloo Physics

[calmlikeabomb]

How difficult is the intro course (111)? I heard some people say the labs are hard and you shouldn't take them but isn't it required if you take the lecture course? I didn't take grade 12 physics but I did grade 11; will that help?

[Guest duffman1234]

How difficult is the intro course (111)? I heard some people say the labs are hard and you shouldn't take them but isn't it required if you take the lecture course? I didn't take grade 12 physics but I did grade 11; will that help?

 

The material isn't hard, the way the material is tested makes it hard i guess. However, there's always bell curving.

 

The course and the lab are both independent courses in the sense that one isn't a prerequisite for the other. So if you want to take the course alone, you can take it alone, but it doesn't mean that you don't have to take the lab. The labs weren't that hard, plus you do the write up while in class, so no lab reports due.

 

Physics 111 is all mechanics and newtons laws, but it's an intro course, lot's of people that don't have a physics background end up taking the course. I don't think grade 11 is relevant, probably more relevant to physics 112.

 

hope that helps

[sandmeyer]

I don't understand why people say they are hard. 111L and 112L are a cake-walk if you are decent at physics. In fact, I can't see how they'd give even an average person any troubles.

 

111 and 111L (or 112 and 112L) are not co-reqs, so you can just take the lecture.

 

The 111 and 112 lectures are pretty basic. If you didn't do Gr. 12 physics, you'll need to go to class. People who did it can literally skip most of the class.

 

 

In summary, Waterloo has many versions of Physics I .. 121 is the 'hard' version, 115 is for engineering, and 111 is pretty plain-jane..

 

Hope this helps..

[tooty]

maybe phys 111L and 112L changed over the years. i've never taken them but the opinion on them was unanimous.

[DOC_Ma]

4 years ago when I took them In first year the labs were intense. I wouldnt necessarily say its hard but you gotta finish your report IN class. It was always super intense 4 hour lab (yes we always had to go overtime for at least 1 hour). I'd suggest skip the labs.

[sandmeyer]

Maybe they have changed? When I took them, you had fill-in lab reports to do in class. Fill-in. And you could do them super quick and accurate.

 

At least 121L/131L and 122L/132L (the "hard" ones), you had to write up reports from scratch during class.

 

That being said, everyone has a different opinion .. I found the physics labs by far the easiest out of the first year labs at Waterloo (vs. gen chem and cell bio).

[calmlikeabomb]

Thanks guys, your opinions helped a lot!