Physics or Biology?

sryanbruen

I know it's early and I am doing my JUNIOR Cert in June, can you please help me of which of these Science subjects I should do for Leaving Cert. Physics I would do because of my weather enthusiasm and hoping to be a Meteorologist. Biology because according to the grades, everybody finds it easier. It is a very hard choice! Please help though I know it's early.

spurious

Actually, if you are going on results, Chemistry is 'easiest'.

Candidates getting a B2 or higher in each HL paper:

Physics 37.6%
Biology 34.3%
Chemistry 41.2%

Do whichever one interests you.

GalwayGrrrrrl

Have you checked the entry requirements for your meteorology degree? That should help your decision. For example, if you wanted to do pharmacy you would be expected to have studied chemistry. If you are planning to do a general science degree first then this might be less of an issue.

GalwayGrrrrrl

I just googled "how do I become a metrologist" and it recommended physics. Obviously look into this further but I think physics could be your choice. There is lots of applied maths in physics so make sure your understanding of maths is good. Good luck to you.

sryanbruen

xfactorfan23 wrote: »

I just googled "how do I become a metrologist" and it recommended physics. Obviously look into this further but I think physics could be your choice. There is lots of applied maths in physics so make sure your understanding of maths is good. Good luck to you.

Yeah I understand Maths clearly enough and I do Higher Level anyways. I am not gonna drop to pass on the day of my exam as I will continue honours.

GalwayGrrrrrl

sryanbruen wrote:

Yeah I understand Maths clearly enough and I do Higher Level anyways. .

That's a great start. As someone who needed all sciences but did physics/maths/chemistry I found biology easier to pick up at a later date, whereas my friends who tried to pick up applied maths later did struggle.

sryanbruen

I know this is a bit off topic from the thread title but to be a meteorologist do you need to study just the following subjects in SECONDARY SCHOOL?

*Maths - mandatory anyways
*Physics
*Geography

spurious

sryanbruen wrote: »

I know this is a bit off topic from the thread title but to be a meteorologist do you need to study just the following subjects in SECONDARY SCHOOL?

*Maths - mandatory anyways
*Physics
*Geography

This is what the Met Eireann site says:
Met Éireann has two entry grades

1. Meteorologist
2. Meteorological Officer

Necessary educational and other qualifications

1. Meteorologist: Recognised First or good Second Class Honours University degree in Meteorology or Physics or Mathematical Physics or Mathematics or a qualification regarded by the Public Appointments Service (PAS) as equivalent in value for the purpose of the competition to any of the foregoing. PAS is the centralised provider of recruitment, assessment and selection services for the Civil Service, and appointment to these posts is by way of open competitions conducted by PAS. Details of competitions are advertised in the national press and radio.

2. Meteorological Officer: Candidates must have obtained at least Grade D in five subjects (including Irish and/or English),in the Leaving Certificate ( or an equivalent examination ) with at least Grade C in Mathematics ( Higher Level ) and at least Grade D in one of the following subjects; Applied Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Physics and Chemistry, General Science, or an acceptable equivalent qualification. Appointments follow similar procedures as for Meteorologists.

Promotional opportunities exist in both streams

malnurtured

I'm doing both right now. Biology is certainly easier in terms of grades, but if you're really set on meteorology I'd say physics or chemistry is your best bet. A word of warning - neither subject really touches the weather at all, Biology does a few things on the Carbon cycle/pollution of air but that's minimal, Physics brushes over lightning but it's in the context of electricity, and Chemistry has a chapter on Water and that could be pretty helpful, pretty sure there's also some stuff re: pollution.

sryanbruen

malnurtured wrote: »

I'm doing both right now. Biology is certainly easier in terms of grades, but if you're really set on meteorology I'd say physics or chemistry is your best bet. A word of warning - neither subject really touches the weather at all, Biology does a few things on the Carbon cycle/pollution of air but that's minimal, Physics brushes over lightning but it's in the context of electricity, and Chemistry has a chapter on Water and that could be pretty helpful, pretty sure there's also some stuff re: pollution.

Does Physics not talk about Pressure?

malnurtured

It does indeed, yes, but very little of it is actually weather related. There's one demonstration of atmospheric pressure, but I think you do that at JC anyway (crushing of a can). Though some of the pressure section deals with the weather, barely, the maths questions usually involve pressures of liquids, and pressure's relationship with mass and density.

Sure, it does come up, but what I'm trying to get across is that if you are expecting a course that deals with your favourite topic often you'll be disappointed, and most of the year you'll be sitting through mechanics, optics, sound/waves and electricity. I find it fun and I like it a lot, but just don't go in expecting barometers everywhere, haha.

A97

I did both of these subjects for my Leaving Cert and I didn't learn very much about the weather at all. Having said that, skills you acquire in Physics might be useful further down the line, but I certainly don't feel any more enlightened about the weather from doing Biology or Physics. JC Science teaches you most weather related things that are touched on at LC Physics level and a very small portion of the Biology course will teach you about Carbon and Nitrogen in the atmosphere, which is loosely related to weather as well as pollution. I believe that a Chemistry elective actually explains how the Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming work on a chemical level which may be of some use to you if the class does it. I don't have much knowledge of LC Geography at all to be honest, but you'll probably get more use out of it than the lab sciences if you wish to go down a meteorological route.:)

sryanbruen

malnurtured wrote: »

It does indeed, yes, but very little of it is actually weather related. There's one demonstration of atmospheric pressure, but I think you do that at JC anyway (crushing of a can). Though some of the pressure section deals with the weather, barely, the maths questions usually involve pressures of liquids, and pressure's relationship with mass and density.

Sure, it does come up, but what I'm trying to get across is that if you are expecting a course that deals with your favourite topic often you'll be disappointed, and most of the year you'll be sitting through mechanics, optics, sound/waves and electricity. I find it fun and I like it a lot, but just don't go in expecting barometers everywhere, haha.

I know. I did the Pressure chapter in 1st AND 2nd year - one page is only on weather.