I’ve also found that a lot of physics is starting with a ridiculously hard problem, and looking at various simplifications, seeing whether they make the problem easier to solve, and whether one is willing to live with the error that the simplification that the simplification produces. In physics, problems aren’t so much solved, as an answer is found that is “close enough”. Solving for the first electron orbital of the hydrogen atom? Gravity doesn’t exist!
There was one class I took where eventually the students started asking the professor before starting a problem “In this problem, is c equal to 1, or infinity?”
I’ve also found that a lot of physics is starting with a ridiculously hard problem, and looking at various simplifications, seeing whether they make the problem easier to solve, and whether one is willing to live with the error that the simplification that the simplification produces. In physics, problems aren’t so much solved, as an answer is found that is “close enough”. Solving for the first electron orbital of the hydrogen atom? Gravity doesn’t exist!
There was one class I took where eventually the students started asking the professor before starting a problem “In this problem, is c equal to 1, or infinity?”