PHYSICS 6A
Physics for Life Sciences Majors: Mechanics
Description: Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour; laboratory, two hours. Enforced requisites: Mathematics 3A, 3B. Enforced corequisite: Mathematics 3C. Not open for credit to students with credit for course 6AH. Motion, Newton laws, energy, linear and angular momentum, rotation, equilibrium, gravity, biological applications. P/NP or letter grading.
Units: 5.0
Units: 5.0
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Most Helpful Review
Abachi may have not been the most effective lecturer, but he is without a doubt, a brilliant man. I had Abachi the 1st quarter he taught 6A, & it was fairly difficult at first. But if you study his practice tests beforehand and understand the HW prob's, you should do fine. He makes up problems and solves them right in front of the class, showing how intelligent he really is: He never uses a calculator. Although this made lectures hard to follow, the main topics he discussed were there. Abachi is used to teaching graduate courses, so you can imagine how difficult it is for him to teach an introductory physics class. He usually answers questions posted on the class website's bulletin board, so you can always post questions there. I was also the lecture-notetaker for his class the 2nd quarter he taught 6A, so I saw that he improved in lecturing style. Overall, Abachi is reasonable to take for 6A.
Abachi may have not been the most effective lecturer, but he is without a doubt, a brilliant man. I had Abachi the 1st quarter he taught 6A, & it was fairly difficult at first. But if you study his practice tests beforehand and understand the HW prob's, you should do fine. He makes up problems and solves them right in front of the class, showing how intelligent he really is: He never uses a calculator. Although this made lectures hard to follow, the main topics he discussed were there. Abachi is used to teaching graduate courses, so you can imagine how difficult it is for him to teach an introductory physics class. He usually answers questions posted on the class website's bulletin board, so you can always post questions there. I was also the lecture-notetaker for his class the 2nd quarter he taught 6A, so I saw that he improved in lecturing style. Overall, Abachi is reasonable to take for 6A.
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Most Helpful Review
Bertello is a very nice guy, very approachable, patient, and friendly. His class is also very easy because he lets you know what will be on the exam. That is to say, his practice exam is almost like the actual exam, except he asks for a different element (for instance, he asks for 'final velocity' on the practice exam. He will ask for 'time' or something else on the actual). The problem-- what makes it difficult-- is that everyone does well, which makes the curve ridiculously skewed to the right. Class average is SO high, it is in the 90's. What chance have you if for any reason you don't do well on one exam? Everyone is already clambering to get over 90. About (over) half the class has a pre-final 'A.' He covers only a few types of problems in class, but not because he can't do difficult problems. He's intelligent and knowledgeable in the subject, and he'll help you with a miscellany of problems if you go to his office (he's always there when he's not teaching a class). It's just that he believes those kinds of problems are most important. But I'm not convinced that's a great idea if you don't have him again as your professor for the next class in the series.
Bertello is a very nice guy, very approachable, patient, and friendly. His class is also very easy because he lets you know what will be on the exam. That is to say, his practice exam is almost like the actual exam, except he asks for a different element (for instance, he asks for 'final velocity' on the practice exam. He will ask for 'time' or something else on the actual). The problem-- what makes it difficult-- is that everyone does well, which makes the curve ridiculously skewed to the right. Class average is SO high, it is in the 90's. What chance have you if for any reason you don't do well on one exam? Everyone is already clambering to get over 90. About (over) half the class has a pre-final 'A.' He covers only a few types of problems in class, but not because he can't do difficult problems. He's intelligent and knowledgeable in the subject, and he'll help you with a miscellany of problems if you go to his office (he's always there when he's not teaching a class). It's just that he believes those kinds of problems are most important. But I'm not convinced that's a great idea if you don't have him again as your professor for the next class in the series.
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Most Helpful Review
I took astronomy 5 this quarter. This professor and his assistent laura, kept saying "don't worry, don't worry," the whole quarter. We don't know too much about this class, it is the first time that we are teaching it, don't don't worry don't worry." At then end they were very tough for grading this class despite the low quality, and the hard to hear voice this teacher has. I don't recommend to take classes with this professor because he pretends to be honest but he doesn't. He will screw you up at the end.
I took astronomy 5 this quarter. This professor and his assistent laura, kept saying "don't worry, don't worry," the whole quarter. We don't know too much about this class, it is the first time that we are teaching it, don't don't worry don't worry." At then end they were very tough for grading this class despite the low quality, and the hard to hear voice this teacher has. I don't recommend to take classes with this professor because he pretends to be honest but he doesn't. He will screw you up at the end.
Most Helpful Review
Spring 2017 - This was a tough class, but professor Davidson was a fair teacher imo. I took this class when the physics series was still the 6 series, so I am not sure how much the workload will differ between Physics 6a vs 5a. The workload was the same across all physics 6a courses (masteringphysics is what is was called?) and as long as you knew how to do those problems, you were pretty much set. Most of the questions I was able to find on Chegg, so I highly recommend getting a chegg account to help out with homework problems. Pretty boring professor, but made a nice joke from time to time. Nice guy tho. I went to Samani's lecture for physics 6a, and his class was A LOT harder than Davidson, and his exams were typically around 50%, from what I have heard (but he does curve). Davidson didn't curve, but at least his exam averages were fair. Would take again if possible.
Spring 2017 - This was a tough class, but professor Davidson was a fair teacher imo. I took this class when the physics series was still the 6 series, so I am not sure how much the workload will differ between Physics 6a vs 5a. The workload was the same across all physics 6a courses (masteringphysics is what is was called?) and as long as you knew how to do those problems, you were pretty much set. Most of the questions I was able to find on Chegg, so I highly recommend getting a chegg account to help out with homework problems. Pretty boring professor, but made a nice joke from time to time. Nice guy tho. I went to Samani's lecture for physics 6a, and his class was A LOT harder than Davidson, and his exams were typically around 50%, from what I have heard (but he does curve). Davidson didn't curve, but at least his exam averages were fair. Would take again if possible.
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