Wednesday, December 23, 2009

I Should Have Paid Attention During High School Physics!


My Tai Chi instructor asked "Do you know what a vector is?"

Blank stare followed by a flashback to AP Physics class in high school. Science was not my strong point in high school. I was in the AP Physics class because it was the only science class that would allow me to take AP English and Literature. I was the only student in the class who was not taking Calculus. It was a lose/lose proposition from the start. Thank goodness the class was graded on a hefty curve. I would say "I am never...ever going to use physics!"

Last night in Tai Chi class, our lesson on push hands was all about physics.

From The Physics Classroom:
A study of motion will involve the introduction of a variety of quantities which are used to describe the physical world. Examples of such quantities include distance, displacement, speed, velocity, acceleration, force, mass, momentum, energy, work, power, etc. All these quantities can be divided into two categories - vectors and scalars. A vector quantity is a quantity which is fully described by both magnitude and direction.

Sound familiar? :)

2 comments:

Shang Lee said...

Haha! i believe it's different this time. you get to "feel" physics rather than watching it happen. should be more fun. ;)

Michele said...

Absolutely!