demoivre

Aww...the Feynman Lectures On Physics boxed set arrived yesterday! I am a very happy nerd!!!!

Alas, however, I am going to rant:

*ahem*

The singular problem with studying physics, to me, is the fact that each time you learn a new concept, you get used to it, work with it, try desperately not to fail a final with it, and then they go and change it for the next time around. Now I don't mean things like rotational momentum--you know, p=Iw (where w=omega) and where, the next time around you actually get to learn what "I" stands for--moment of inertia--and you get to use it.

No, I mean the little, unexplained changes. For example, Newton's gravitational field eguation: F=G(mm'/r^2). Perfectly fine equation. You use it alot, you memorize G, you pass the final, etc. Then along comes astrodynamics! And, lo and behold!, the equation suddenly becomes F=G(mm'/r^2)(r/r), where r is the vector from m to m'! Nothing huge, just a little tweek. Just a move that throws a bunch of extra r's into the mix from out of the blue. Fiiiinnnne. I mean, at least for p=Iw, in conceptual classes, "I" is never really defined--and they tell you that! Okay. Then later, "I" finally gets defined depending on the shape of the object rotating, but p=Iw stays the same--there's no surprise!

And don't even get me started on E=mc^2! Grrrrrrr!

*takes deep, nerdy breath*

Yeah, that's better.