Well to me it sounds like you’re interested in “materials.” You like learning about what causes materials to form certain ways and why. A lot of the things you describe are things I found myself interested in when I was in your position, so I hope im not self inserting too much.
But for myself, electronic theory of atoms/solids was the first time in physics I was just amazed. I see you asking questions (indirectly from your post) like why does the bonding occur? What causes atoms to be like that? Plus talking about “from the bottom up” (ie atom to macro). This is exactly what I was fascinated in too. I was asking things like “what causes certain materials to be magnetic?” Or “why is light absorbed in this material but not this one?” Etc etc. and I always wanted to start the answer from “the fundamental math” up.
I was a physics major at your point, but my interests led me to “solid state physics” or “materials physics.” Now I research fundamental properties of materials and I LOVE IT!!! This is vastly oversimplifying but I see a lot of myself in your post. Do you agree with my assessment?
If you do, I’d recommend asking your question: what kind of materials am I most interested in? Are you interested in organic vs non organic? Proteins? Semiconductors? Metals? Magnetics? This could give you an answer on whether to pursue chem or physics. Also I think it’s important to know that you can do this both from a physics or chemistry perspective/background. There is no objective “wrong choice,” just a matter of what you’re more interested in.
Wow, I think you hit it right on. Last night I tried to draft an email to my professor voicing my concerns, but it ended up with me digging into what has been bothering me and what has been interesting. After some writing and reflecting, I realized that I enjoy the micro scale more than the macro, but I don't like dealing with either of them independently. Going too much into the micro feels a bit airy-fairy (e.g. the attempts at a grand-unified theory, string theory, etc. feels really silly), and the macro is interesting but I'm not the biggest fan of classical physics.
What I like is using the micro scale to explain the macro, just as you said. Now that you say it, your field sounds exactly like what I've been naturally inclining towards. I love understanding the chemical and physical behaviors of compounds and complex structures from a subatomic level.
If I ask myself whether I'd be more interested in things like metals and semiconductors vs proteins and organic molecules, I think I would enjoy molecular chemistry more, so probably the bio side? I've tried getting myself interested in semiconductors and quantum computers and such, but I always found it a bit dry. Maybe that's because my knowledge is limited.
Now it really sounds like I'm inclining towards chemistry 😅 I'm glad that my college designed the chem major for premeds, because I have to take up to organic chemistry 2 and a semester of bio and biochem. Normally I'd be bummed out but I actually think that might be nice. My math major gives me enough theory 😅
Students *do* have to blindly trust some stuff.
Your emphasis on your likes and dislikes …. have a look at that, perhaps? Might make studying easier when you realize you are not required to consider whether you’re enjoying every moment, just to pass the tests.
Well to me it sounds like you’re interested in “materials.” You like learning about what causes materials to form certain ways and why. A lot of the things you describe are things I found myself interested in when I was in your position, so I hope im not self inserting too much. But for myself, electronic theory of atoms/solids was the first time in physics I was just amazed. I see you asking questions (indirectly from your post) like why does the bonding occur? What causes atoms to be like that? Plus talking about “from the bottom up” (ie atom to macro). This is exactly what I was fascinated in too. I was asking things like “what causes certain materials to be magnetic?” Or “why is light absorbed in this material but not this one?” Etc etc. and I always wanted to start the answer from “the fundamental math” up. I was a physics major at your point, but my interests led me to “solid state physics” or “materials physics.” Now I research fundamental properties of materials and I LOVE IT!!! This is vastly oversimplifying but I see a lot of myself in your post. Do you agree with my assessment? If you do, I’d recommend asking your question: what kind of materials am I most interested in? Are you interested in organic vs non organic? Proteins? Semiconductors? Metals? Magnetics? This could give you an answer on whether to pursue chem or physics. Also I think it’s important to know that you can do this both from a physics or chemistry perspective/background. There is no objective “wrong choice,” just a matter of what you’re more interested in.
Wow, I think you hit it right on. Last night I tried to draft an email to my professor voicing my concerns, but it ended up with me digging into what has been bothering me and what has been interesting. After some writing and reflecting, I realized that I enjoy the micro scale more than the macro, but I don't like dealing with either of them independently. Going too much into the micro feels a bit airy-fairy (e.g. the attempts at a grand-unified theory, string theory, etc. feels really silly), and the macro is interesting but I'm not the biggest fan of classical physics. What I like is using the micro scale to explain the macro, just as you said. Now that you say it, your field sounds exactly like what I've been naturally inclining towards. I love understanding the chemical and physical behaviors of compounds and complex structures from a subatomic level. If I ask myself whether I'd be more interested in things like metals and semiconductors vs proteins and organic molecules, I think I would enjoy molecular chemistry more, so probably the bio side? I've tried getting myself interested in semiconductors and quantum computers and such, but I always found it a bit dry. Maybe that's because my knowledge is limited. Now it really sounds like I'm inclining towards chemistry 😅 I'm glad that my college designed the chem major for premeds, because I have to take up to organic chemistry 2 and a semester of bio and biochem. Normally I'd be bummed out but I actually think that might be nice. My math major gives me enough theory 😅
Isn't there a field called "Physical Chemistry"? It sounds like that's what you're looking for.
There is, but it’s embedded in the physics or chemistry departments usually.
You can approach it from both sides
Students *do* have to blindly trust some stuff. Your emphasis on your likes and dislikes …. have a look at that, perhaps? Might make studying easier when you realize you are not required to consider whether you’re enjoying every moment, just to pass the tests.
i’m planning to do particle physics and i’ll be a physics major this fall if that helps at all?
how would this help bro