PHYSICS 1A
Physics for Scientists and Engineers: Mechanics
Description: Lecture/demonstration, four hours; discussion, one hour. Enforced requisites: Mathematics 31A, 31B. Enforced corequisite: Mathematics 32A. Motion, Newton laws, work, energy, linear and angular momentum, rotation, equilibrium, gravitation. P/NP or letter grading.
Units: 5.0
Units: 5.0
3 of 5
Most Helpful Review
The class is difficult. Professor Jura is very approachable and likes to explain a variety of material to his students. His class can be difficult because he does not really teach out of the textbook and tends to teach astronomical applications. The homework really requires some thinking and can be quite tricky as well as time consuming. He will never directly answer your questions in office hours but rather urge you to think. The time rush on the midterm exams can cause some difficulty. One important point is to memorize the equations and formulas he presents or know very well how to derive them. I would try to take some time to memorize them over the quarter. Mostly his homework and exam questions involve leaving the answer in variables but that did not bother me. If you are really into physics and astronomy then I highly recommend that you take his class. However, his style can be a little bothersome but if you will invest a good amount of effort in his class then you can do well.
The class is difficult. Professor Jura is very approachable and likes to explain a variety of material to his students. His class can be difficult because he does not really teach out of the textbook and tends to teach astronomical applications. The homework really requires some thinking and can be quite tricky as well as time consuming. He will never directly answer your questions in office hours but rather urge you to think. The time rush on the midterm exams can cause some difficulty. One important point is to memorize the equations and formulas he presents or know very well how to derive them. I would try to take some time to memorize them over the quarter. Mostly his homework and exam questions involve leaving the answer in variables but that did not bother me. If you are really into physics and astronomy then I highly recommend that you take his class. However, his style can be a little bothersome but if you will invest a good amount of effort in his class then you can do well.
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Most Helpful Review
DON;T TAKE THIS GUY UNLESS YOU HAVE HAD A GOOD BACKGROUND IN PHYSICS IN HIGHSCHOOL. If you have taken physics before, with a good teacher, then this is the easiest class you will take, ever. If you haven't taken physics before, you are screwed. The guy cannot teach. This guy does not teach. If you are an engineering major, like me, and need to do more physics later on, you are screwed. You will establish no base in this class. So run away if you haven't had a good physics teacher before. For the rest of you, sit back, relax, and enjoy your A's. (P.S. If you are getting a bad grade in the class, go and talk to him, he may be able to help) He cannot teach. But he is a nice guy.
DON;T TAKE THIS GUY UNLESS YOU HAVE HAD A GOOD BACKGROUND IN PHYSICS IN HIGHSCHOOL. If you have taken physics before, with a good teacher, then this is the easiest class you will take, ever. If you haven't taken physics before, you are screwed. The guy cannot teach. This guy does not teach. If you are an engineering major, like me, and need to do more physics later on, you are screwed. You will establish no base in this class. So run away if you haven't had a good physics teacher before. For the rest of you, sit back, relax, and enjoy your A's. (P.S. If you are getting a bad grade in the class, go and talk to him, he may be able to help) He cannot teach. But he is a nice guy.
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Most Helpful Review
Morales really cares about student learning. He frequently responds on the class website and gives additional notes and hw solutions. What i didnt like about the class was the vector notations and variables he used when solving problems. It makes everything complicated and confusing. Throughout the class he kept saying there was no curve so everyone really panicked but in the end there is one so don't worry.
Morales really cares about student learning. He frequently responds on the class website and gives additional notes and hw solutions. What i didnt like about the class was the vector notations and variables he used when solving problems. It makes everything complicated and confusing. Throughout the class he kept saying there was no curve so everyone really panicked but in the end there is one so don't worry.
Most Helpful Review
Brilliant at physics, but you can't tell by his thick accent. Also, the problem with his class was that he taught the material as if you already knew it, not as if you were learning it for the first time. This was the big issue for a lot of the people in the class. But his tests weren't that bad, and he's a very generous grader. If you're competent in physics, take this class. If it's all new to you, I say you should try to take a different professor.
Brilliant at physics, but you can't tell by his thick accent. Also, the problem with his class was that he taught the material as if you already knew it, not as if you were learning it for the first time. This was the big issue for a lot of the people in the class. But his tests weren't that bad, and he's a very generous grader. If you're competent in physics, take this class. If it's all new to you, I say you should try to take a different professor.
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3 of 5
