The h Bar

user54412

6:16 AM

man, browsing math meta, it's really clear that the majority of users there like do-my-homework-for-me questions

user54412

they take pride in having more questions per day than us

user54412

and in answering every question that comes their way

user54412

maybe i'm being cynical, but ruining someone's learning experience just so you can prove on the internet that you know high school math seems like a sign of an inferiority complex

user54412

moreover, i suspect a nonnegligible amount of our do-my-hw questions exist solely because users hear about math.SE (and physicsforums) and think "wow, physics Q&A = free grades"

David Zaslavsky

6:35 AM

@ChrisWhite more than us? I'd be surprised if they care about us that much

@ChrisWhite but yeah, probably true

user54412

@DavidZaslavsky random thought just occurred to me - is there anything in the works for migration paths for us?

user54412

I know there was some discussion a while back...

David Zaslavsky

Not much recently.

Ages ago we (I) requested a migration path to Math, SE asked us to provide a list of questions migrated to show that it was needed, I made the list, and then nothing happened. One of these days I'll bug them about it again.

Or perhaps some other mod will

ManishEarth

Reminded me of that

@DavidZaslavsky I think the verdict was "If you're being buried by math questions you can have it" or something like that

(OTOH, Math.SE got their paths waay before they were being strict about them)

brb lunch

user54412

I was secretly, deviously hoping we could throw all our homework at math.se :P

2

ManishEarth

6:59 AM

YES!!!

@ChrisWhite That's the "Problem Statement" controversy, innit? You're right, the majority likes HW, but there is a substantial minority who doesn't

user54412

@ManishEarth that's basically why I don't participate more on math, despite having pretty much the same amount of training in math as in physics

ManishEarth

Yeah

Same here, sort of

But I like physics more than math too

The majority of MSE questions in topics I can answer are HW

user54412

7:47 AM

@ManishEarth cool! I just learned about $\ce{}$ on chemistry

user54412

how was that arranged?

ManishEarth

I think you can use it on Phy too, if you include a special header

user54412

header?

ManishEarth

10

Q: Enable mhchem mathjax extension

Mathjax 2.0 supports the mhchem extension. Could we enable it? It will save us lots of time in typesetting chemical formulae. How to enable the extension

$\require{mhchem}$
$\ce{H+}$

@ChrisWhite ^^ that kind of header

$\newcommand{}[]{}$ works too

List of all MathJax extensions

You can include any extension with $\require{}$

user54412

aha - good to know

user54412

7:54 AM

also, I was just about to request the MathJax folks implement siunitx

ManishEarth

Till now I've never used \require, but I have used \newcommand a couple of times

user54412

then I found your post: github.com/mathjax/MathJax/issues/447

ManishEarth

Ha!

I think someone requested it on Physics Meta

user54412

yeah, found that too

ManishEarth

Huh, a lot of people use newcommand here physics.stackexchange.com/search?q=newcommand

user54412

7:57 AM

I wonder if Joseph Wright could be persuaded to take a break from tex.SE for a bit to write the mathjax version... :P

ManishEarth

@ChrisWhite I think it's more of a javascript thing, not a TeX thing

user54412

hmmm, i guess

ManishEarth

I could write it, but I'd need time for that

user54412

but i always assumed it had a tex-emulating interface at some level

user54412

maybe not

ManishEarth

7:58 AM

Maybe

I mean, yes, theoretically I could write an extension that just invokes newcommand

But that may be slow

I'd have to check how mhchem is implemented

Yep, it's not using a generic TeX engine

user54412

I am definitely using mhchem in my next answer, regardless of the topic :P

user54412

also the color package

ManishEarth

@ChrisWhite lol

@ChrisWhite Join chem.SE :P

user54412

I was scared away from chem in college - after passing out of freshman stuff, I was put in organic

user54412

the number of nightmares I had that began with molecules with 3 carbons or less, trying to assemble themselves into complex biomolecules...

ManishEarth

8:06 AM

Oh, I've hated almost all chemistry classes/courses I've had till now

user54412

but anyway, the sites I join tend to be either (1) because a question was migrated from here to there and I wanted to answer it or (2) I upvote lots of useful stuff I find there (tex and SO)

user54412

maybe I'll hitch a ride to chem on the next question we migrate there :P

user54412

maybe I'll do it just so I can beat John Rennie in rep somewhere on the internet...

user54412

well goodnight

ManishEarth

@ChrisWhite John Rennie already has rep on Chem :P

@ChrisWhite 'night :)

John Rennie, Chester, United Kingdom

141 4

equilibrium inorganic-chemistry kinetics physical-chemistry temperature thermodynamics

Raindrop

9:12 AM

Is it a good idea to work before entering graduate school?
I'm a Physics undergrad and will probably be doing electrical engineering in graduate school.

it would be like 5 years of working (teaching high school) between my undergrad and grad

nevermind

ManishEarth

@ChrisWhite imgur.com/dJlLef9 LOL

@Raindrop Internships are always good

Physics Meta

9:59 AM

0

Q: Why My question over here considered as off topic?

I recently posted this question over here , It was currently closed as off topic, I posted this question in order to know the impacts/effects related to physics while we using the mobile phones inside airplanes, so i choosed physics.se and posted it over here, Can anyone explain why my question i...

discussion support

Ethan

12:06 PM

hey does anyone here know some group theory

@CrazyBuddy can you help me

ManishEarth

@Ethan Neither of us know Group Theory

I thought you're a regular in Math.SE chat?

Why not ask there?

Ethan

no ones in that chat room

ManishEarth

@Ethan just ask, people may be lurking. or they'll get to it later

Or ask on the Math.SE main site

Crazy Buddy

@Manish: Sorry that I can't currently get you the image...

user54412

3:39 PM

@Ethan I know (or knew once upon a time) a large chunk of group theory - for mathematicians that is - i'm less handy with physicists' SU(<favorite small integer>) sorta stuff

user54412

but you've probably found an answer by now...

user54412

@Raindrop

user54412

9

Q: Is it hard to start PhD programme after leaving to work in indusry

Currently I'm finishing my master program in computing. I need to decide between going to industry and starting PhD programme. Having worked a bit with research and industry I prefer the former so far, however I wouldn't like to close my carrier paths. Is it hard to resume education after workin...

phd graduate-school graduate-admissions career-path

user54412

honestly, when it comes to grad school, the character of each individual department is the most important thing in all respects (not the university as a whole, as undergrads tend to think, and not the influence of 1 or 2 faculty members), both for determining if the program is good for you and in determining who gets into the program

user54412

If I were you, I would be pro-active in asking people in potential places you might apply some years down the road

user54412

3:49 PM

most grad programs have some faculty member whose job is being the point of contact with potential grad students, and they can tell you their thoughts

user54412

you'll find some departments very amenable to the idea - they'll tell you about similar people in their program who've done such things in the past

user54412

other departments will tell you it's a bad idea - in my own department, for instance, every student admitted just finished their BS, without exception, and there is probably a bias there (my department looks to give people a good start to their career, whereas others are looking for proven hard workers, etc.)

Gugg

7:47 PM

@ChrisWhite "BS"? You mean "MSc"?

user54412

8:09 PM

@Gugg I mean people graduate with a bachelor of science degree and then come to my department

user54412

(I suppose some Europeans come with a masters too, but we make them get another masters anyway, since ours is a 5 year, masters + phd program)

Gugg

@ChrisWhite I'm probably not familiar with your system. They still will have to become MSc before going on to be PhD?

user54412

yes, first two years are MSc, next three are PhD, which is I think pretty common in US pure science programs

user54412

so technically I just got my MSc I suppose, but really there is no functional difference in what I'm doing

Gugg

OK. Is a BS standard/required before going to become MSc? Or can one do a MSc straight from/after secondary education?

user54412

8:13 PM

BS is pretty standard in my field

Gugg

No, I mean physics.

user54412

physics and astro - all the grad programs i'm familiar with look for people who just finished 4 years of undergrad studying general physics

Gugg

So, do you call a BS going for MSc still an undergrad? I guess so, but just checking...

Or not????

user54412

yes - about 90-95% of my friends with MSc's in physics-y fields went to a different school for their MSc vs. their BS, so time spent getting a BS is considered undergrad and completely distinct from MSc, more so than MSc from PhD

user54412

in fact, most of the departments at my undergrad had a firm rule that if you were there as an undergrad, you could not stay for any higher degree

user54412

8:20 PM

(electrical engineering was a notable exception)

Gugg

In my space-time, MSc (without BS) was 4 years, and BS was 4 years as well. And a few BS would go for MSc with an extra year thereafter. All were considered undergraduate, I think. MSc was what good students did, BS was what not so good students did. And PhD was mostly only for (aspiring) career scientists.

user54412

ahh

Gugg

Yeah, whatever.

user54412

well, I never did say I was a good student getting a bs :P

Gugg

In fact, you could start a BS after a lower five-year secondary education, whereas a higher six-year secondary education made you qualify for an MSc. So, effectively, the "decision" was made around age 13.

Crazy Buddy

8:45 PM

Aargh... Someone has voted everything in this question (except the questions)...

1

A: Computing $\Delta m$ in $\beta^-$ decay

The reaction is $_{53} I^{131} \to\ _{54}Xe^{131}+\ _{-1}e^0$ One thing to be noted is that the mass defect is not simply the difference between The actual mass measured after the nucleus has formed is measured using mass spectrometers. The assumed mass is predicted using the number of protons a...

Comments, answers - but not the question... o.O

Gugg

So?

Anyway, simpliciio seems to have a valid point.

So, do you want me to downvote your answer?

Damien Igoe

9:33 PM

hmmmm I think I will just stick to lead-in comments and edits.... (unless I am screwing them up as well)

Physics Meta

11:57 PM

0

Q: Are there new Physics moderators?

I have just noted, that Sklivzz and another 101 rep user have a diamond behind their display name here on Physics SE. WTF, is this a bug or a bad choke?! Nobody has elected them !

support bug moderators

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