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DS did a Physical Science (Apologia) class his freshman year and is signed up for Biology for this year. While looking over the text and talking about different options to help him get through a module (thanks to Apologia biology post this week) he let me know that this year would be especially difficult because he is not interested in the subject. He is very interested in physics and figuring out how to manipulate or change physics. So, my question is for next year. Can he skip chemistry and do physics even though he did physical science his freshman year?

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Guest Cheryl in SoCal
DS did a Physical Science (Apologia) class his freshman year and is signed up for Biology for this year. While looking over the text and talking about different options to help him get through a module (thanks to Apologia biology post this week) he let me know that this year would be especially difficult because he is not interested in the subject. He is very interested in physics and figuring out how to manipulate or change physics. So, my question is for next year. Can he skip chemistry and do physics even though he did physical science his freshman year?

That will depend on what math he has completed. The prerequisites for Apologia's Physics are:

 

Prerequisites: Algebra I, Geometry; basic Trigonometry functions

 

Physics and Physical Science are very different courses (are you concerned about the names being similar?) and his doing Physical Science in 9th grade shouldn't matter as long as he has the math to do Physics.

 

What science would he be doing in 12th grade? Is he planning on going to college? Any major anticipated? Those are all things that would influence my decision. If he would be taking Chemistry I'd probably just stick with the traditional sequence, especially if he's not really ready math-wise. I would also call/email Apologia and see what they say.

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I do not think he should *skip* chemistry altogether but rather postpone it- but there is nothing wrong with doing physics first, if he has the necessary math skills. You do not need chemistry to understand physics. If anything, it helps for chem to have had physics before.

 

My DD is starting her highschool science sequence with physics this year.

She has completed algebra, some geometry and a crash course in trigonometry (which really is all she needs- you do not need a very in-depth understanding of trig if you do an algebra based physics course. The most important skill is finding sides in a right triangle). For electricity and magnetism, the student should know natural logarithms and exp- function.

 

OTOH, if he loves physics, he might want to wait till he has calculus and then take a calculus based physics class- there are things in physics you get a much better understanding and appreciation of if you know calculus.

(I teach physics at a university, both algebra and calc based courses)

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He has completed Alg I & II and will be doing geometry this year. If he needs to know trig at the beginning of physics then he could do that over the summer before physics. College is on the horizon but a field or major is still unknown.

 

I think he will do physics junior year and then chemistry if he is going into a math or science major. Ds #1 just started college. He was accepted at all the schools he applied to with only 3 science credits (no physics). He is a philosophy and religion major.

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Guest Cheryl in SoCal
He has completed Alg I & II and will be doing geometry this year. If he needs to know trig at the beginning of physics then he could do that over the summer before physics. College is on the horizon but a field or major is still unknown.

 

I think he will do physics junior year and then chemistry if he is going into a math or science major. Ds #1 just started college. He was accepted at all the schools he applied to with only 3 science credits (no physics). He is a philosophy and religion major.

Then I see no problem with altering the sequence, especially since it would just be delaying Chemistry instead of taking the place of Chemistry:001_smile:

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From personal experience, I took Chem in high school as a Freshman and bombed it the first term (we were on 4 terms per year) with a D, never continued the course. The following semester and still a Freshman I went into Physics and got straight As for the entire year. I found Physics far more interesting and easier to understand (plus, I like Geometry). I had only an Alg 1 and Geometry background.

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