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PHYS 1050 How Things Work
Last taught: Fall 2019
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23 Reviews

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Fall 2015
5.0
Average

Professor Bloomfield is so fantastic - he just cares about his students and wants everyone to do well. He makes lecture fun too with modules and experiments. Lecture slides and videos are posted to Collab if you dont go. First two tests very easy but last final can be difficult. No physics experience needed #‎tcf2016‬

Instructor 5.0
Enjoyability 5.0
Recommend 5.0
Difficulty 2.0
Hours/Week 2.0
Fall 2015
3.7
Average

Professor Bloomfield is amazing! However, the lectures do get pretty boring as the semester continues. If you take the old exams then you should be ok for the midterms and final. I still found this class sort of difficult because I've never taken any physics before and I am not a science major.

Instructor 4.0
Enjoyability 4.0
Recommend 3.0
Difficulty 4.0
Hours/Week 5.0
Fall 2015
4.7
Average

Great Professor, interesting demonstrations, and I feel that this class is the best for anyone who has not taken physics before for learning about physics. There are some people who already have a good understanding of physics before taking this course and take it for a good grade, somewhat shifting the grade distribution of the class. He provides all the previous midterms and finals, and taking these are essential to doing well on the exam as there are many recycled questions for the midterms and finals.

Instructor 5.0
Enjoyability 5.0
Recommend 4.0
Difficulty 1.0
Hours/Week 1.0
Fall 2015
4.3
Average

I love Professor Bloomsfield. He definitely made science a little more enjoyable for me (a person who hates science). He tells you on the first day of classes that the class is for non-science majors, people who have little to no background in science, or people who simply don't like science. He no longer does i-clickers, simply because he doesn't want anyone there who doesn't want to be there. With this being said, he records every lecture and posts them on the class website, just in case you don't want to or just can't make it to class. He does demonstrations to explain almost all concepts and theories. I will admit the weekly problem sets are tad bit difficult, or at least they were for me. The test on the other hand are that bad. He posts exams (midterms and finals) from previous semesters to study. As someone previously stated, he does try to learn everyone's name even though there are over 200 people in the class. No one really goes to office hours, but he holds them anyway. He also encourages you to ask questions during lectures as well as volunteer in demonstrations. You can't really go wrong with this class or professor. I'm considering taking PHYS 1060.

Instructor 5.0
Enjoyability 4.0
Recommend 4.0
Difficulty 3.0
Hours/Week 0.0
Fall 2014
5.0
Average

This class was much easier than How Things Work 1060. The weekly problem sets are much easier in this course. However, both courses are great. Lou is such a fun person, and loves to do demonstrations. As a person who HATES physics, I found myself quite entertained watching Lou do his experiments. He is seriously the man. There are three tests, which you just need to cram for the night or a couple nights before. Take all the practice tests at your disposal and I guarantee you will get a fine grade.

Instructor 5.0
Enjoyability 5.0
Recommend 5.0
Difficulty 2.0
Hours/Week 1.0
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Fall 2014
5.0
Average

This class is awesome! I took this class as an easy A, and it fulfilled my expectations + I learned a lot and it was fun too!

Professor Bloomfield is amazing and so funny. He tries to learn everyone's names (it's a HUGE class), and he always does presentations to explain the harder-to-grasp concepts (such as inertia, momentum, etc..).

I can't recommend this class enough. There are weekly homeworks (10 multiple choice questions, takes from 30mins to one hour), clicker questions every class (but you can miss about 8 classes and get a few questions wrong, and still get full credit), 2 midterms and a final (all multiple choice).
Simply do all the previous exams to practice for the midterms and final and you'll do great. The questions are verbatim from the previous exams, so if you spend about 2-4 hours doing them the night before the exam you'll get an A.

One of my favorite classes in UVA!

Instructor 5.0
Enjoyability 5.0
Recommend 5.0
Difficulty 1.0
Hours/Week 1.0
Spring 2014
3.0
Average

Attention non-science majors, this class is very difficult. Though, you will enjoy the demonstrations and learn a ton about "how things work", the exams are extremely difficult to grasp (unless you really study the practice test) and some of the weekly homework sets may be out to trick you in order to make you really think. If you are passionate about physics, have intrest in how things work scientifically, want to meet Lou Bloomfield (which you should, he's super sweet and attentive) or really enjoyed your high school science class, I would definitely recommend you take this class. BUT walk in with caution knowing that the class will be very challenging and intellectually stimulating. However, if you are a non-science major looking to knock out a science requirement, beware and enter with caution. This may be a class you want to take with your friends. At the end of the day, you may be able to help each other out more than you know!

Instructor 4.0
Enjoyability 3.0
Recommend 2.0
Difficulty 5.0
Hours/Week 6.0
Fall 2013
4.7
Average

Well. This class is extremely fun, and Lou is incredible. However, it can be incredibly hard for people who struggle to grasp the concepts, and there's a disconnect between the lectures and readings, which tend to focus on the science, and the exams themselves, which only ask about application. Overall, though, the class was worth taking, and many people likely won't struggle with the science.

Instructor 5.0
Enjoyability 5.0
Recommend 4.0
Difficulty 4.0
Hours/Week 3.0
Fall 2013
4.0
Average

Professor Bloomfield is a great teacher and super excited about the material. Weekly problem set that can be difficult. The tests questions aren't always easy but if you study previous years tests enough, you should be fine.

Instructor 5.0
Enjoyability 4.0
Recommend 3.0
Difficulty 4.0
Hours/Week 0.0
Fall 2012
4.3
Average

Grandpa Lou is the best! Since the class is graded on a curve, it's tough to do really well, but if you're looking to enjoy yourself it's a pretty amusing class. Since he had a show on the discovery channel a few years ago there are generally camera guys bouncing around, but his demonstrations are interesting. Also, review previous years' midterms! The same questions pop up year after year! Pretty good class but unless you really get physics, you're probably going to walk away with a B or B+

Instructor 4.0
Enjoyability 5.0
Recommend 4.0
Difficulty 4.0
Hours/Week 3.0
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