How to become a physicist?

Question

I've always been obsessed with science. I remember thinking of the latest scientific ideas way before I even heard of them. I remember when I was 7-8, I asked my dad "could our universe just been one thing, then expand to what it is now?" He told me about the big bang theory. I remember going out to dinner and begging my dad to teach me some higher level math. I loved the movie "Contact". I've always been obsessive in that area. Even now, I obsess in my thoughts. I stay up late at night just thinking. I remember taking a 6 hour bus trip that most of which was spent with me silent just thinking. Every time I learn something new in physics, it just blows my mind.

I was watching a program about the "big band machine" in France, and realized that particle physics is where I want to be. Learning about all these different particles is fascinating. I eventually want to study string theory.

I get good grades in school (I'm going into my junior year), and I want to get a masters or PhD in

Answer 1

Check with your college you are interested in. A lot of colleges you can get a degree in physics but your masters is where you start specializing.

Start working on your calc skills.

Answer 2

I don't know if I should be the one to talk since I'm minoring in physics (majoring in chemical engineering). But I study physics for fun because as Rutherford said, physics is the only science and the rest is just stamp collecting. Physics is the main subject that can describe the physical world at small and large scales in many wonderful ways. I don't know what type of person do you have to be in order to be a fine physicist, but what I usually do is to treat the world as if it were a problem to be solved and create theories out of it. That is, I'm more into theoretical physics. However, theories usually do not fit with the real world, and there you have the experimental physicists. In my opinion, a good physicist is the one who accepts how the nature works and analyzes it in such a way we can understand nature in a simpler and effective way. I'm more into "Change the theory if the facts do not fit with the theory" unlike Einstein.

Answer 3

I'm a grad student in physics at a major US Univ. so using my 'insider information"  I can tell you this:

1) Anyone who can finish tenth grade can be a physicist. They may not have the discipline or the experience, but the mental capacity is there.

2) To study any physics you must know math like the back of your hand. Know it cold. Know it like you know the alphabet. You're life will be easier for it.

3) Know english well. Know how to study words. Know how people use the same word to mean different things. How people use words to describe the world. This is how you will learn any science and if you're english skills are top, the less confused you will be when attacking new physics concepts.

4)this is my best advice: Start now. Get a Halliday Resnick physics textbook and start reading. Do it now. Do the problems (most important).

5) Physics it self is easy, but the work is hard. Don't expect to have too much free time. In grad school you will be studying 6-7 hours a day. Minimum.

6) Get you self an exprimental physics textbook and learn all the famous experiments. It's important to know WHY we KNOW gravity follows a force law, why we KNOW there are two electrical charges, why parity is not always conserved,etc. There more experiments you understand the better you understand how to attach problems when you get to grad school.

7) To begin particle physics get a modern physics book (Eisberg) and get Intro to Elementary particles by Griffiths. Note many physics textbooks have been converted to e-book, look for them in the same places you find other pirated media

8) String theory is a very tough field - you pretty much need a math degree to do well in this field. So study math yourself or takes is as a second major in undergrad college. Note that String theory is at least 20 years old with no experiments in the field. We need experimentalists to catch up to all the theory that is out  there. So keep that in mind. If you go into string theory - anything you add will be a drop in a bucket of 20 years worth of research. It might be tough to get a job as a theoretical researcher than as an experimentalist.

9) have fun! physics is a great but don't neglect chemsitry, biology, and other science - it is here you will see deep connection of physics that will absolutely leave you in wonder.

Hope that helps.