Pre-Nuke School Studying

[imthehoopa]

I have not yet left for boot camp yet (still have quite a few months) and I am really trying to learn and memorize everything I am going to have to learn the next couple years before it becomes crunch time. I think that even the slightest bit more I can learn now will make my life just that much easier when I get to the A-School I "choose" (my preferences are listed EM, MM, ET, but I am more than aware of the phrase "Needs of the Navy") and then to Nuke school. Luckily, I am the type of person who can read textbooks and do sample problems to learn new material. Currently, I have quite the selection of nuclear physics textbooks, chemistry textbooks, and math textbooks such as trigonometry, differential equations, calculus, and multi-variable calculus. I have also taken quite a few engineering courses (civil, electrical, and mechanical) in the three years I have attended college. I feel fairly confident that my study habits and already aquired knowledge will help me. I would like to know if there are any specific books/subjects anyone recommends more than others that should I poke my nose into before I go. Thank you for taking the time to help out a new recruit.

[JustinHEMI05]

No, there is nothing you need or can do now. In fact, you might want to work on forgetting everything you have learned thus far. The Navy will strip it all away anyway and force feed you their way. Your background will be a hindrance, not a help, if you do not go into it with an open mind and willingness to let go of the past, and your way. Trust me, this comes from a guy with a physics degree who went into the nuke program a year after without this advice. It took quite a few thumpings before I caught onto their way and stopped saying things like "that is wrong." Just forget about trying to memorize anything now. You should be fine as far as the material goes and will probably find it quite elementary. You need to have fun and enjoy the time you have left and stop worrying.

Thanks for signing up!

Justin

[cincinnatinuke]

I have not yet left for boot camp yet (still have quite a few months) and I am really trying to learn and memorize everything I am going to have to learn the next couple years before it becomes crunch time. I think that even the slightest bit more I can learn now will make my life just that much easier when I get to the A-School I "choose" (my preferences are listed EM, MM, ET, but I am more than aware of the phrase "Needs of the Navy") and then to Nuke school. Luckily, I am the type of person who can read textbooks and do sample problems to learn new material. Currently, I have quite the selection of nuclear physics textbooks, chemistry textbooks, and math textbooks such as trigonometry, differential equations, calculus, and multi-variable calculus. I have also taken quite a few engineering courses (civil, electrical, and mechanical) in the three years I have attended college. I feel fairly confident that my study habits and already aquired knowledge will help me. I would like to know if there are any specific books/subjects anyone recommends more than others that should I poke my nose into before I go. Thank you for taking the time to help out a new recruit.

3 years college with work in engineering courses and diff EQ, calculus up to multi variable and you are enlisting.  Why?

Not attacking you but WHY?

[JustinHEMI05]

3 years college with work in engineering courses and diff EQ, calculus up to multi variable and you are enlisting.  Why?

Not attacking you but WHY?

I am not sure he has actually taken those, just has the text books.

Justin

[cincinnatinuke]

Oh like the books I have on String Theory!

Funny line from the movie "Legally Blonde" (Watch it now, I have two daughters and a girly wife!) is one guy discussing his accolades prior to becoming accepted to Harvard law as "It is thought by some that Stephen Hawking used my 8th grade science project as motivation for his breakthrough."

Not sure of the exact quote though.

I have alot of the same style of books but I also took those courses.  I ASSumed!

[imthehoopa]

3 years college with work in engineering courses and diff EQ, calculus up to multi variable and you are enlisting.  Why?

Not attacking you but WHY?

I wanted to do this out of high-school. I mean REALLY wanted to do this, but I allowed my dad to talk me out of it. I have regretted almost every day of it. To your question though, I did two years of architecture and then changed majors to building construction. If you know anyone in architecture, they will tell you that not much of their course load consists of enineering courses (not much of anything really except doodling. It is not a place for a math and science person like myself to be.). Due to my not having any engineering courses (and building construction being an engineering/business major), I had to basically start over completely last year. I ended up having to take the building construction course because I would have had to take foundation engineering courses that were not offered in the Summer  and would have fallen behind a 5-year plan. Now I found out that the BC program I am in is set up for engineering drop outs and I still need to take some of their courses. Of course they overlap with the classes I need to graduate with a BC degree and if I stay it will take three to three and half years to finish up. I need a fresh start in a place I have wanted to be all along.

No, there is nothing you need or can do now. In fact, you might want to work on forgetting everything you have learned thus far. The Navy will strip it all away anyway and force feed you their way. Your background will be a hindrance, not a help, if you do not go into it with an open mind and willingness to let go of the past, and your way. Trust me, this comes from a guy with a physics degree who went into the nuke program a year after without this advice. It took quite a few thumpings before I caught onto their way and stopped saying things like "that is wrong." Just forget about trying to memorize anything now. You should be fine as far as the material goes and will probably find it quite elementary. You need to have fun and enjoy the time you have left and stop worrying.

Thanks for signing up!

Justin

I understand I will have to learn to do everything the Navy way and I am ready for that. I really just want to have an understanding of the information I will be required to learn. I want to already have a grasp of thermodynamics, nuclear fission, radioactive decay, electrical circuitry, and so on. I have a job where I sit at a desk all day doing nothing except read. I will not be putting much of my remaining free time into this.

[imthehoopa]

I am not sure he has actually taken those, just has the text books.

Justin

I have taken most of those classes.

[Gamecock]

No, there is nothing you need or can do now. In fact, you might want to work on forgetting everything you have learned thus far. The Navy will strip it all away anyway and force feed you their way. Your background will be a hindrance, not a help, if you do not go into it with an open mind and willingness to let go of the past, and your way. Trust me, this comes from a guy with a physics degree who went into the nuke program a year after without this advice. It took quite a few thumpings before I caught onto their way and stopped saying things like "that is wrong." Just forget about trying to memorize anything now. You should be fine as far as the material goes and will probably find it quite elementary. You need to have fun and enjoy the time you have left and stop worrying.

Thanks for signing up!

Justin

The navy will teach you "our" way of doing things, but you can and should study basic concepts if that is what you want to do. 

[LDO4CNO]

The navy will teach you "our" way ......

I like your style, well said.

JB

[imthehoopa]

Well, I found a list of the subjects anyway for anyone else who happens to want to know this. I don't know how correct it is, but I am sure someone will say something regarding its accuracy.


Subjects studied include:

1. MATHEMATICS: (39 Hours) - Ordinary and partial differential equations, integral calculus, probability and distribution functions, etc.

2. PHYSICS: (71 Hours) - Atomic and nuclear physics, special relativity, reactor physics and neutron diffusion theory.

3. CHEMISTRY: (50 Hours) - Basic chemistry, reaction kinetics, boiler chemistry, radiation induced reactions, gases, oxidation-reduction.

4. THERMODYNAMICS: (87 Hours) - Heat transfer, fluid dynamics, steam thermodynamics, properties of water, Rankine cycle, conduction and convection.

5. ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING: (Basic and Advanced) (138 Hours) - Circuit analysis, inductance and capacitance, solid state amplifiers, AC and DC motors and generators, digital and analog integrated circuits, reactor plant instrumentation, safety circuits and reactor control equipment design.

6. MATERIALS SCIENCE: (28 Hours) - Strength of materials, Nil Ductility Phenomenon, fuel and clad alloy composition, pressure vessel design, neutron embrittlement.

7. REACTOR DYNAMICS AND CORE CHARACTERISTICS: (86 Hours) - Basic nuclear engineering course.

8. REACTOR PLANT SYSTEMS: (13 Hours) - Design of steam system and reactor plant parameters.

9. SHIELDING AND RADIOLOGICAL FUNDAMENTALS: (46 Hours) - Study of materials, attenuation factors and geometry in shielding calculations.

10. ASPECTS OF REACTOR PLANT OPERATIONS: (115 Hours) - Study of reactor plant operations integrating knowledge from all above courses.

[JustinHEMI05]

I have taken most of those classes.

Cool. Just wasn't sure from the wording of your OP.

Justin

[JustinHEMI05]

I wanted to do this out of high-school. I mean REALLY wanted to do this, but I allowed my dad to talk me out of it. I have regretted almost every day of it. To your question though, I did two years of architecture and then changed majors to building construction. If you know anyone in architecture, they will tell you that not much of their course load consists of enineering courses (not much of anything really except doodling. It is not a place for a math and science person like myself to be.). Due to my not having any engineering courses (and building construction being an engineering/business major), I had to basically start over completely last year. I ended up having to take the building construction course because I would have had to take foundation engineering courses that were not offered in the Summer  and would have fallen behind a 5-year plan. Now I found out that the BC program I am in is set up for engineering drop outs and I still need to take some of their courses. Of course they overlap with the classes I need to graduate with a BC degree and if I stay it will take three to three and half years to finish up. I need a fresh start in a place I have wanted to be all along.


I understand I will have to learn to do everything the Navy way and I am ready for that. I really just want to have an understanding of the information I will be required to learn. I want to already have a grasp of thermodynamics, nuclear fission, radioactive decay, electrical circuitry, and so on. I have a job where I sit at a desk all day doing nothing except read. I will not be putting much of my remaining free time into this.

Then by all means, do what you feel you need to do. I just recommend not wasting free time doing it. You will be well ahead of the game since what you will be studying will be far beyond anything you need to know for the Navy, so you should do really well. Unfortunately, I don't have any references for you that would be down to the level of the NNPP. Perhaps Gamecock does.


Justin

[Khak-Hater]

You have more than an adequate background to proceed down your path.  I suggest no further studying at all.  It will only be counterproductive once you get there.

As Yoda said:  "You must unlearn what you have learned."

Unless they've changed their basic methodology in Nuke School over the last 20 years, almost nothing that you learn from a textbook at this point will help you answer questions correctly once you get there.  Thinking that you understand something is your worse enemy.  You will learn the 4.0 Navy answer to each question.  There is no paraphrasing, no rewording, no expounding.  There is one correct answer to each question and any deviation from that answer will result in points off.  Now this is a hard concept to grasp initially for freethinking improvisers [like myself], since you think that there is always a better way to express a more thorough understanding, but in the end, deeper understanding is its own reward.  The Navy answer is constant, immovable, unchanging. 

I'm not saying that this is bad.  It's actually quite beautiful.  If you ask any Navy Nuke the what a Roentgen is or to define reactivity, they will, to the man, give you the same succinct answer [4.0 knowledge] or at least recognize the right answer when told [2.5 knowledge].  If you ask any two non-Navy CHPs or PhD Nuclear Engineers those same questions, you'll get at least three different answers depending on the time of day and phase of the moon when the question is asked.  There is enormous power in understanding that there is ONE right answer to each question, but you won't begin to learn these answers until you get there.

Thus, further studying in preparation is counterproductive, unless you need to to settle your mind because of the anxiety of not being on the path yet.  It would be more useful to empty your mind.  You might spend this time learning some yoga, or Tai Chi, or some karate katas, which will all be more useful [to help clear your mind] once you begin your path.

Best of Luck,

MGM

[Roll Tide]

To your question though, I did two years of architecture

You could have stopped here. My son visited one of these programs and then an engineering program at the same school. When engineering program majors say, "We never actually see the guys in Archi-torture classes" it finally got my son's attention.

[bheinz]

If you like reading so much, then I recommend you read about  Navy history and the 10 Orders of a Sentry. Don't worry about the Nuclear stuff until you class up. The more you know about the basic lessons they are going to teach you in bootcamp, the easier it will be. Like everyone said about the pipeline, Nuke school is a pump now a days, its not really a filter anymore. Worry about Nuke school when you get there, study the basic Navy stuff now. Just some advice. Take it as you may. 

[Gamecock]

The Department of Energy publishes standards and manuals that present the basics of such things as Heat Transfer, Thermodynamics, EE, Reactor Physics.  I highly recommend the Fundamental Handbooks as a basis for self-study.

Here is the link to download them as .pdf files.

http://www.hss.energy.gov/NuclearSafety/techstds/standard/standard.html#1001

[Cycoticpenguin]

Hoopa ->

allow me to explain something about the NNPP....

Tave is NOT Tavg.... after 3 hours of arguing with an instructor that knocked away a 4.0 on my test because of this seemingly small detail, gave me a rude awakening on how the program is supposed to work...


allow me to bring everyone together here...

harder, stronger, more brittle, less ductile, less tough....

[Cycoticpenguin]

You guys are offbase here.....

When I taught at Nuke School, the DOS (Director of School) put out a grading memorandum directing us to grade for understanding vice verbatim repeat back.  That being said, there were still subjects that you had to know the material as presented (Reactor Principles, Reactor Dynamics).  I was the Division Director in officer Electrical Engineering and I always read that memo prior to us grading any exam.

Not to argue, just curious, did you teach enlisted or officers?

[Gamecock]

Not to argue, just curious, did you teach enlisted or officers?

All good sea returnee officers teach on the O-deck.  The very best of the best teach Electrical Engineering

[JustinHEMI05]

You know the problem with the worlds smallest violin? It is easily lost. Anyone seen it around?

Justin

[HydroDave63]

I think the tiny violin was stuck in an hors d'oeuvres at the pity party...


On-topic:

Unless they've changed their basic methodology in Nuke School over the last 20 years, almost nothing that you learn from a textbook at this point will help you answer questions correctly once you get there.  Thinking that you understand something is your worse enemy.  You will learn the 4.0 Navy answer to each question.  There is no paraphrasing, no rewording, no expounding.  There is one correct answer to each question and any deviation from that answer will result in points off. 

really sums it all best. Staying exact on definitions and unit conversions makes sure all the nukes are communicating on the same page, plus often using correct units will show if you are going into a briar patch working a long equation, and used the wrong variable or constant. How did I end up with moles/cc when I'm working an electrical problem ?!?  etc.

[Cycoticpenguin]

All good sea returnee officers teach on the O-deck.  The very best of the best teach Electrical Engineering

fair enough I didnt even notice you said it. Ill read better next time

[imthehoopa]

If you like reading so much, then I recommend you read about  Navy history

Finished reading "The Atomic Submarine and Admiral Rickover" last week. Don't know how accurate it is, but from the stories some of you guys tell about meeting HGR it can't be that far off. I have a few more similar books on the list. Anyone have any particular suggestions?

[ToadSuck]

Just me, but don't waste your time studying...even if they grade for understanding now.

[imthehoopa]

Just me, but don't waste your time studying...even if they grade for understanding now.

Yea, that's fine. I've just been reading into the history and other things that are just for my better knowledge of the Navy and nuclear power now.