which is science is harder for students in college? Chemistry or Physics?

Answer 1

In my experience (first as a physics major at MIT, later on as a physics professor at a state college) I've noticed that students (and people in general) perceive physics to be harder than chemistry. Case in point - there are a lot more chemistry majors than there are physics majors. I actually managed to not take any chemistry classes in college, so I can't really say which was harder for me, and of course it does vary from one person to another. As a professor, I see no reason why physics *should* be any harder than chemistry, but lots of teachers and professors teach physics as if it was the hardest subject (which I think is stupid).

That said, one reason why physics is often harder for people to understand is because we all have experience with physics in our daily lives, and unfortunately most of us create an "understanding" of physics in our own minds that is different from accepted theory (like thinking that lighter objects always fall at a slower rate than heavier objects) - so we have a lot of misconceptions in physics that must be overcome. But few of us know much about chemistry before taking a class in it, so we have fewer misconceptions and can more easily start from scratch, in a sense.

Answer 2

Totally depends. Some people are better at one than the other. There are also different levels of each offered, so one chem class might be much easier than one physics class, but there might be another chem class even harder than both.

I took the highest level of both general physics and general chemistry and the physics was harder for me personally. But I ended up minoring in chemistry, so maybe it was just more "my thing."

Answer 3

Depends on the person. Some people have said Physics is easier, others say chemistry. It really depends on your skills.