physics knowledge
WHAT IS PHYSICS? Physics is all around us. It is in the electric light you turn on at night; the bicycle you ride to school; your wristwatch, CD player, or that swing ball set got for Christmas! Physics is the branch of science concerned with the nature and properties of matter, energy, space and time. Physics can be seen as the most fundamental of the natural sciences because, in a sense, it encompasses all the other natural and physical sciences such as: Chemistry, Biology, Geology, Astronomy, Meteorology, Engineering, etc. If you can name it, chances are physics is involved. Physics is important for many other fields of human undertakings including medicine, computing, football, television...the list goes on! Everything in the universe has some effect on every other thing. Physicists study those effects.
Energy and motion is regarded as some of the most important topics in physics. Many forms of energy exist in our world. Energy can be kinetic energy, electrical energy, mass and heat - and can change from one form to another. Energy causes 'forces' to be exerted upon objects often resulting in movement or 'motion'. Forces need to act upon an object to get it moving, or to change its motion. Everything in the universe moves. Even if it is very slowly and only a small amount of movement, movement does happen. Even if everything appears to be standing still, the Earth is moving around the Sun, the moon around the earth, and the Sun is moving around our galaxy. The movement never stops.
Physics is one of the major branches or sections of scientific study. Science can be real simple and is actually only about understanding the world you live in. However, no one scientist can study every aspect of this world we live in and the many different areas of science that exists can make it all a bit overwhelming if it is not grouped into related categories. Categories, such as physics, allow scientists to focus on a set of similar topics and interact with others who are interested in the same questions and can make science much easier to understand.
Physics can be separated into various sub-branches such as: Optics & Light, Air pressure, Acoustics, Thermodynamics and Mechanics amongst others. Each sub-branch in turn may contain even more specific fields of study. Physics emerged as a separate science only in the early 19th century; until that time a physicist was often also a mathematician, philosopher, chemist, biologist, engineer, or even primarily a political leader or artist. Today the field has grown to such an extent that modern physicists have to limit their attention to only one or two branches of physical science. Even today, there are still profound questions about physical science. The more we learn about physics, the more it will help us every day, and the better we will understand our place in the universe.
Energy and motion is regarded as some of the most important topics in physics. Many forms of energy exist in our world. Energy can be kinetic energy, electrical energy, mass and heat - and can change from one form to another. Energy causes 'forces' to be exerted upon objects often resulting in movement or 'motion'. Forces need to act upon an object to get it moving, or to change its motion. Everything in the universe moves. Even if it is very slowly and only a small amount of movement, movement does happen. Even if everything appears to be standing still, the Earth is moving around the Sun, the moon around the earth, and the Sun is moving around our galaxy. The movement never stops.
Physics is one of the major branches or sections of scientific study. Science can be real simple and is actually only about understanding the world you live in. However, no one scientist can study every aspect of this world we live in and the many different areas of science that exists can make it all a bit overwhelming if it is not grouped into related categories. Categories, such as physics, allow scientists to focus on a set of similar topics and interact with others who are interested in the same questions and can make science much easier to understand.
Physics can be separated into various sub-branches such as: Optics & Light, Air pressure, Acoustics, Thermodynamics and Mechanics amongst others. Each sub-branch in turn may contain even more specific fields of study. Physics emerged as a separate science only in the early 19th century; until that time a physicist was often also a mathematician, philosopher, chemist, biologist, engineer, or even primarily a political leader or artist. Today the field has grown to such an extent that modern physicists have to limit their attention to only one or two branches of physical science. Even today, there are still profound questions about physical science. The more we learn about physics, the more it will help us every day, and the better we will understand our place in the universe.