Electrical circuits are concerning me.

[scotty777]

I couldn't find my other thread hence the new one.
Anyway,

As some of you already know, I'm studying Electrical Engineering at Wits university. However, things aren't going as swimmingly as expected, and I'm really struggling with bloody circuits (my major ffs ). Now, I really want this degree, but none of the circuit theories are coming to me . I have this habit of forcing myself to understand things (if I can't understand it, that irritates me to no end, so I just keep going at it), however, these circuits are irritating me more and more, and I'm getting into a bad mood lately because I can't get it, and now I'm getting bloody sick. I'm taking a friends advice and just gonna work on something else so as to calm down.

I'm just hoping that I'm not the only one who is/has struggled with circuits. I have friends who also are struggling, but we could just be a minority. So far I'm forced myself to figure out integration, but that doesn't help when you have to analyze a circuit.

So should I keep worrying and shytting bricks knowing that I'm probably gonna fail this course this year, or will things like fall into place?

 

[sn3rd]

Put in more time. This is only the beginning; welcome to engineering

Wait until signal processing comes around

If you need help, come visit me in Pretoria.

What textbook are you using? And what topics are you covering? Fundamentals only?

 

[Voicy]

Which part about circuits is getting to you? If it's H-parameters, all I can say is 'hang-in-there-dude-we-all-suffered-through-it'. Everything else should be pretty straight forward if you do enough examples and ... dare I say it ... actual PRACTICAL circuit building instead of analyzing schematics. Or don't they do that at Varsity?

 

[sn3rd]

I agree with the comment regarding practical experience. Many people find it easier to work on theory and practical aspects at the same time. I guess it lets you put things in perspective.

 

[davemc]

I found that understanding what happens to the electrons on the atomic level based on the properties of the mixes of the materials used in the components helped only so-far.
I had to stop thinking on that level because it became useless.

And, it's not that the atom-level logic did not make sense, it sure does. But, the problem is that you're dealing with elements from the periodic table on the atom level, but when you're presented with the need to make an electrical circuit solution, you are not given a set of raw elements to work with, you're given pre-made electrical components, components mixed and put together by somebody else, and to now try to determine what is inside the components based on their measured and displayed end effect on the electrons is impossible.

So, I dumped electrical engineering, because I hated learning on the level above the actual physical and real level.

Quite a few years later, I discovered quantum theory and realised that the only real way to use the components of the atom is to measure the end result, and then throw in a probability for failure and design around the failure.

Basically, the course material was not good enough, had it included a good chunk of quantum theory, I would probably have stayed on.

If I had had the internet back then, perhaps my mind would simply have exploded.

Good luck, and ... stick to your determination!

 

[phoneJunky]

Well, if you do your 5 hours studying after classes like your dean probably told you, you will be ok. I actually started off like that then I realized that it isn't that difficult. We just think too much. There are a few simple rules and if you follow them you should be ok. You will only really understand why you are doing things a certain way when you are in second or third year when you have a more complete understanding anyway. I just went through the text book and did as much problems as possible. Engineering was never meant to be easy. Just stick it out, do the problems. If you can give us an idea on what you are working on now, we might be able to give you a few pointers.