Pre AP Physics Fall 2012

Overview Physics is the science that deals with matter, energy, motion and force It is one of the oldest academic disciplines with roots in cosmology and astronomy

Branches of Physics Astrophysics – deals with physics of the universe such as black holes, dark matter, dark energy, planetary physics, celestial events, objects, and phenomena Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics – deals with matter-matter and light-matter interactions on the scale of atoms and molecules Particle Physics – is a branch of physics that studies the elementary subatomic constituents of matter (also called high energy physics) Condensed Matter Physics – is the field of physics that deals with macroscopic and microscopic physical properties of matter Geophysics – is major field of earth sciences concerned with plate tectonics and the internal structure of the earth Biophysics – is an interdisciplinary science that uses physics and physical chemistry to study biological systems

Physics – A Brief History

Prior to the scientific revolution in the 16 th century, physics was synonymous with philosophy, chemistry, and certain branches of mathematics and biology Aristotle, a student of Plato believed that observation of physical phenomenon could lead to the discovery of the natural laws that governed them. Plato ( BC) and Aristotle ( BC) taught their students that the earth was a sphere Aristotle observed “there are stars seen in Egypt and [...] Cyprus which are not seen in the northerly regions.“ However, the earth was still believed to be at the center of the known universe

Nicolaus Copernicus ( ) Known for Heliocentrism (the earth, moon, and other celestial bodies revolve around the sun This replaced the earth centered view of the known universe

Galileo Galilei ( ) Has been called the “Father of Modern Physics” Supported the heliocentric theory Introduced the telescope to astronomy Discovered the moons of jupiter which are referred to as Galilean moons in his honor

Johannes Kepler ( ) Known for laws of planetary motion the orbit of every planet is an elipse

Sir Isaac Newton ( ) Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation – every particle with mass attracts every other massive particle Newton’s Laws of Motion (1)Law of Inertia - a body at rest will stay at rest unless acted on by an outside force (2) F=ma - a force applied to an object is equal to its mass x acceleration (3) For every action there is an equal an opposite reaction