What is Physics?
The Meaning and Importance
During the seventeenth century, the modern science of physics started to emerge and become a widespread tool used around the world. Many prominent people contributed to the build up of this fascinating field and managed to generally define it as the science of matter and energy and their interactions. However, as we know, physics is much more than that. It explains the world around us in every form imaginable. The study of physics is a fundamental science that helps the advancing knowledge of the natural world, technology and aids in the other sciences and in our economy. Without the field of physics, the world today would be a complete mystery, everything would be different because of the significance physics has on our life as individuals and as a society.
In the natural world, physicists find new discoveries constantly. Some of these discoveries include the study of motion and forces. The well-known scientist, Isaac Newton, came up with the three laws of motion, which state rules and facts about the movement of an object. Our textbook states the laws of motion, as ?A body in motion will remain in motion at a constant speed and direction unless an outside force acts upon it. The net force acting upon an object is directly related to the mass and acceleration of the object resulting acceleration is in the direction of the net force, which is the vector sum of all forces acting upon the object. Finally, the third law of motion states that when one object applies a force to another, the other object applies the same amount of force back to the first object, but in opposite directions.? With these laws of motion, we can understand in detail how our world works. Also, that the movement of an object is more complex than a simple push. This discovery is taught to students all over the world because of its great importance and will continue to enhance the knowledge of the mystery of our earth.
The importance of physics not only lies in the discoveries of the natural world, but in the technology in our modern lives. Today we use many gadgets in our everyday tasks, which act as convenient aids to all of our needs. Some of these little novelties are cell phones, radios, computers, lasers used in eye surgery, fiber optics used in phone lines, calculators, hearing aids, and even global positioning systems.
In 1687, Newton published Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica (also known as Principia). The Principia was the “climax of Newton's professional life” (“Sir Isaac Newton”, 370). This book contains not only information on gravity, but Newton’s Three Laws of Motion. The First Law states that an object in constant motion will remain in motion unless an outside force is applied. The Second Law states that an object accelerates when a force is applied to a mass and greater force is needed to accelerate an object with a larger mass. The Third Law states that for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction. These laws were fundamental in explaining the elliptical orbits of planets, moons, and comets. They were also used to calculate
Theory: Physics can be referred to as the study of various properties of matter and energy. Matter can best be described by looking at the mass of an object. Mass is the amount of material that is in an object. Mass can be found by using a spring scale, a balance scale, or an inertial balance. Inertia is the resistance by mass to any change in its state of motion. Scientific Law states that mass and inertial forces are directly proportional. The purpose of the inertial balance is to measure the different inertias between different masses therefore providing a mathematical and very accurate method of measuring mass. Experimentation showed that if a mass was put into some form of periodic motion, the mass could be measured fairly accurately by measuring the oscillation period and comparing it to a known mass period. The relationship m1=m2T12/T22 was discovered.
Jewett, John W. Jr. The World of Physics Mysteries Magic & Myth. Orlando: Harcourt College, 2001.
The following page focuses on the Revolution in Physics, specifically the scientific works of Max Planck, Albert Einstein, and Werner Heisenberg, all of which took place in the early twentieth century. In this page I will attempt to answer the following question, "How did the Revolution in Physics transform the way that humans viewed themselves and nature from 1715 to the present day?" To effectively answer this question I will cover three main points. I will start off by briefly describing the scientific beliefs that dominated European society in the years between 1715 and the Revolution in Physics. Next, I am going to explain the epoch making works of Max Planck, Albert Einstein, and Werner Heisenberg that were highly responsible for initiating this new era of scientific thinking. Lastly, I will focus in on how humans viewed themselves and nature differently after the Revolution in Physics.
Kirkpatrick, Larry D. and Gerald F. Wheeler. Physics a World View. Orlando: Harcourt College Publishers, 2001. 171.
The First Law of Motion (Law of Inertia) states that “A body at rest will remain at rest, and a body in motion will remain in motion unless it is acted upon by an external force”. The Second Law of Motion states that “The force acting on an object is equal to the mass of that object times its acceleration”. The Third Law of Motion states that “if a body exerts a force on a second body, the second body exerts a force that is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the first force. So for every action force there is always a reaction force” Sir Isaac Newton will be remembered today for his academic achievement and excellent Laws of Motion! Isaac Newton’s works was once accepted in Britain after half a century. Now, Isaac Newton’s work is widely distributed throughout the world and had been ranked among humanity’s greatest achievements in abstract
Kirkpatrick, L. D., & Wheeler, G. F., Physics: A World View. Philadelphia: Harcourt Inc., 2001.
Kirkpatrick, Larry D., Wheeler, Gerald F. Physics: A World View. Forth ed. Fort Worth: Harcourt College Publishers, 2001.
Essentially every single device that humans use to make their life easier can be greatly attributed to the field of physics for its inception. The laws of physics govern everything that we use, see, and observe life as we know it would not be possible without it. Multiple branches of physics exist, but one stands out as the branch that has the most promise to deliver devices well beyond even our wildest imagination, electricity and magnetism. Someone who has not been educated a great deal on the topic usually will not realize how big of a role electricity and magnetism play into their everyday life, and even life on earth. The phone they carry in their pocket, the invisible magnetic field of the earth keep life sustainable, and even the electrical signals that his or her own heart uses to pump blood to distribute throughout the body are all applications of the physical laws of electricity and magnetism. On the horizon lie endless amounts of other futuristic applications that physicists and engineers work tirelessly day after day on. If science is correct in its predictions of the future, electricity and magnetism will play a monumental role in shaping life on earth in the not so distant future.
Increasing our knowledge of Physics, using the scientific method to make observations and test hypotheses is essential to unlocking the secrets of the universe. Energy is one of the most fundamental elements of the universe. Throughout history, man has endeavored to expose, understand, and explain how and why things work. This drive to expand our understanding eventually led to the development of the scientific method and what is commonly considered to be the king of the sciences, Physics. The effects of energy on the physical world are of great interest to Physicists. The scientific method was developed during the seventeenth century. It is based on collaborative efforts of the great scientists and mathematicians who lived during that period such as Francis Bacon, Galileo Galilee, Johannes Kepler, and Rene’ Descartes. These men realized that true knowledge must be based on empirical observation and verified by experimentation. Recently, physicists have been searching for a unifying theory to bring all of the fields of Physics together under a single umbrella theory expressed as a short equation. This so called unifying field theory will usher in a new era in physics and greatly increase our understanding of the workings of the universe Physics is the king of science, and Sir Issac Newton is the king of Physics. Physics deals with matter, motion, force, and energy.
Kirkpatrick, Larry, and Gerald F. Wheeler. Physics: A World View. 4th ed. Orlando: Harcourt College Publishers, 2001.
Physics can be found in all aspects of our lives and the world around us including the activities in which we find the most enjoyment. They may not be noticeable to the naked eye or even to our senses but they are there and when we become familiar with the concepts of physics then we began to ‘see’ physics everywhere.
From a very young age, I have enjoyed reading a wide spectrum of topics. However, during high school, I had become preoccupied with physics during my studies and readings, and so I began to focus my attention upon the materials that further shed light on the science. The more I read, the more I became intrigued with the interrelations between matter, energy, and time and space motion illustrated through the science. Therefore, motivated to become one of Saudi Arabia’ few female physicists, upon graduating from high school I opted to major in the science that captivated me like no other....
Sir Isaac Newton is the man well known for his discoveries around the term, Motion. He came up with three basic ideas, called Newton’s three laws of motion.
Of all the scientists to emerge from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries there is one whose name is known by almost all living people. While most of these do not understand this mans work, everyone knows that his impact on the world is astonishing.