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
4 of 5
Most Helpful Review
Fall 2020 - Prof Nayana is a very understanding professor and he takes feedback from students to heart. His lectures are and explanations for concepts are generally pretty solid, and he's really helpful in office hours. You can tell he really cares and wants his students to do well. Mandatory workload is not high at all, just Kudu problems once every 1-2 weeks, but this class is based on a curve and so it's very competitive. Studying outside class and doing harder textbook problems can be very useful. His challenge questions are especially useful but difficult, mimicking the difficulty of his exams, so it's best to study them well. He loves bicycles in physics. Just wheels in general. He also likes friction a lot. Would take again.
Fall 2020 - Prof Nayana is a very understanding professor and he takes feedback from students to heart. His lectures are and explanations for concepts are generally pretty solid, and he's really helpful in office hours. You can tell he really cares and wants his students to do well. Mandatory workload is not high at all, just Kudu problems once every 1-2 weeks, but this class is based on a curve and so it's very competitive. Studying outside class and doing harder textbook problems can be very useful. His challenge questions are especially useful but difficult, mimicking the difficulty of his exams, so it's best to study them well. He loves bicycles in physics. Just wheels in general. He also likes friction a lot. Would take again.
Most Helpful Review
For physics major students who take his class: go to his office hour. Because the class is so easy, nobody really goes to his office hour. This is beneficial for you because if you go, you will get a lot of attention from him. He's working with plasmas, and plasma in UCLA is pretty big so talk to him about research opportunities. Even if you are a physics major thinking about switching to engineering, research is beneficial as well. Go talk to him, he's cool. If you are not a physics major, the average score for the two midterms (about 68) is really low for pretty easy material. So I guess once you really get physics, you will do fine. If you are having trouble with homework, google it. See how other people did it. He changes numbers on the homework, but once you get it, they are all pretty easy. Have fun!
For physics major students who take his class: go to his office hour. Because the class is so easy, nobody really goes to his office hour. This is beneficial for you because if you go, you will get a lot of attention from him. He's working with plasmas, and plasma in UCLA is pretty big so talk to him about research opportunities. Even if you are a physics major thinking about switching to engineering, research is beneficial as well. Go talk to him, he's cool. If you are not a physics major, the average score for the two midterms (about 68) is really low for pretty easy material. So I guess once you really get physics, you will do fine. If you are having trouble with homework, google it. See how other people did it. He changes numbers on the homework, but once you get it, they are all pretty easy. Have fun!
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Most Helpful Review
His lectures are confusing. He jumps from one derivation to another fully realizing that he does not intend to test his students on derivations nor are his students strong enough in calculus to follow. If you must take his class, expect to teach yourself the material. Also, if you happen to get a good TA, use it to your advantage. A lot of the time, the TA's are more helpful than the teachers.
His lectures are confusing. He jumps from one derivation to another fully realizing that he does not intend to test his students on derivations nor are his students strong enough in calculus to follow. If you must take his class, expect to teach yourself the material. Also, if you happen to get a good TA, use it to your advantage. A lot of the time, the TA's are more helpful than the teachers.
Most Helpful Review
Professor Rudnick makes a complicated subject such as Physics an enjoyable and managable course to take. Physics is definitely one of my weak points, but Rudnick teaches the course in a very concise, effective, and easy way. He is also a funny guy- I mean he won't have you laughing on the ground- but he'll make you chuckle here and there. This guy is definitely not boring- it's hard to fall asleep in his class- there's always something going on (like important concepts!! ..or his demos, which he does almost ever day)... I would take Professor Rudnick if you can. P.S. that picture was definitely about 15+ years ago haha.
Professor Rudnick makes a complicated subject such as Physics an enjoyable and managable course to take. Physics is definitely one of my weak points, but Rudnick teaches the course in a very concise, effective, and easy way. He is also a funny guy- I mean he won't have you laughing on the ground- but he'll make you chuckle here and there. This guy is definitely not boring- it's hard to fall asleep in his class- there's always something going on (like important concepts!! ..or his demos, which he does almost ever day)... I would take Professor Rudnick if you can. P.S. that picture was definitely about 15+ years ago haha.
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Most Helpful Review
ok .... i took AP Physics in high school and got a 5.. breezed through that class and exam.. Villasante somehow.. made this class unbelievably difficult.. the exam questions are so hard it is ridiculous.. the homework problems and examples he gives in class do not reflect his exam questions.. the first midterm average was in the 30's % taking this class i expected an A.. B+ at the worse.. he expects us to solve complex problems when he lectures to us just the basic concepts.. not taking anything away from him.. he is a great professor, but his problem is that he gets really boring and u start to fall asleep... besides that, he puts his random definitions on the board that make sense only half of the time.. i ended up with a B- in this class.. i am very upset that i didnt read this before i took him.. do NOT take this Villasante, his exams are way too difficult. Even with a good physics background i struggled to get anything right on his exams.. the class discussions are pointless.. dont bother cuz they're instructed to "guide" students to the solution.. yeah like that works...
ok .... i took AP Physics in high school and got a 5.. breezed through that class and exam.. Villasante somehow.. made this class unbelievably difficult.. the exam questions are so hard it is ridiculous.. the homework problems and examples he gives in class do not reflect his exam questions.. the first midterm average was in the 30's % taking this class i expected an A.. B+ at the worse.. he expects us to solve complex problems when he lectures to us just the basic concepts.. not taking anything away from him.. he is a great professor, but his problem is that he gets really boring and u start to fall asleep... besides that, he puts his random definitions on the board that make sense only half of the time.. i ended up with a B- in this class.. i am very upset that i didnt read this before i took him.. do NOT take this Villasante, his exams are way too difficult. Even with a good physics background i struggled to get anything right on his exams.. the class discussions are pointless.. dont bother cuz they're instructed to "guide" students to the solution.. yeah like that works...
Most Helpful Review
I had Prof Wang for 1A this fall, and overall it was a good experience. Wang is sometimes not the most clear at explaining the concepts, but that is because his main focus is on research and he doesn't teach at the lower level too frequently. That being said he is one of the most caring professors I have had. I went to most of his office hours and he had 2 hours of OH 2x a week, which is a lot more than most professors, and he was extremely helpful in office hours, as well as an overall funny guy to talk to. I would reccomend him to students willing to go to OH and put in the work.
I had Prof Wang for 1A this fall, and overall it was a good experience. Wang is sometimes not the most clear at explaining the concepts, but that is because his main focus is on research and he doesn't teach at the lower level too frequently. That being said he is one of the most caring professors I have had. I went to most of his office hours and he had 2 hours of OH 2x a week, which is a lot more than most professors, and he was extremely helpful in office hours, as well as an overall funny guy to talk to. I would reccomend him to students willing to go to OH and put in the work.
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4 of 5
