Memorization for Physics/Engineering

[Yan Wang]

Originally Posted by phrontist

• The IBH Physics Equation sheet (Duh)
• Gravitational Constant
• Avogadro's Constant
• Greek Alphabet
• Inches-Centimeters Conversion factor
• Trig Identities - Ah, but which should I really commit to memory? Which will really be useful in calculus? Which will be helpful in calculus?

From taking AP Chem and AP Physics last year, the Gravitational Constant and Avogadro's number just became second nature. Don't bother memorizing them if you're taking the course... repetitive use, as Mr. Flowerday said, will result in memorization. Plus, if you don't use it often, why bother memorizing it?

I wouldn't know why you'd want to memorize the greek alphabet... I guess many letters are used as physical constants and in formulas, but again, you'll know them by heart after doing problem sets (ugh).

I highly recommend memorizing certain trig identities for Calculus. It makes things go much faster. I agree with Karthik that knowing where everything comes from is important, but after you learn that, memorize it so you don't need to spend that extra 30 seconds deriving it. In Calc, the ones worth memorizing are the Trig derivatives:

(sinx)' = cosx
(tanx)' = (secx)^2
(secx)' = secxtanx

Use the co-rule for the derivatives of the co-functions.

[Mike Betts]

I tend to agree with the venerable Mr. Flowerday. Don't memorize. Train yourself to look it up. It eliminates problems which creep in from a faulty memory.

As one of my old college professors put it, "You don't get partial credit if the bridge falls down".

Having said that, I do tend to know a lot of constants "approximately". It's nice to estimate what your answer should be and know that it's a good ballpark number.

Mike

[GeorgeTheEng]

I agree, memorization isn't neccessary. Visit an Engineer and look at his desk, most will have a least 6 or 7 reference books on thier desk.

What you use, you'll remember... If you don't use it regularly, what's the point of having it memorized? And at least in my College experience, Eng good profs recognize this and let you bring references to exams. It's knowing how to apply an equation, not where it's sin^2 or sin^3