What is Physics? (Unit 1)

Physics -Is the branch of science that studies of the physical world,

-investigates objects as small as atoms and as large as galaxies,

-studies the nature of matter and energy and how they are related,

- is so fundamental a subject that there is scarcely an area of modern life unaffected by it.

So is Taking Physics Important? When surveyed the heads of the “Fortune 500” companies (the 500 biggest companies in the country) identified Physics as the most important class you can take in high school  Strengthens problem solving skills  Strengthens math skills  Strengthens analytical thinking  Strengthens organization & communication skills

Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena, from quarks to black holes, from individual atoms to the many-body systems of superconductors.Physicistsquarksblack holessuperconductors It is a quest for understanding of the physical world.

Two main areas of Physics Experimantal Physics Involves use of experimentation to investigate the world. Typically incorporates the scientific method Theoretical Physics Does not involve experimentation Involves theorizing and modeling. It is up to the experimentalists to determine of the theorists are right or not.

Some Different Fields Acoustics Astrophysics Atmospheric and space physics Atomic and molecular physics Biophysics Condensed matter physics Cryogenics Electrodynamics Fluid mechanics and aerodynamics General Relativity and Other Gravity Theory Geophysics Medical physics Nuclear physics Optics and quantum optics Particle physics (aka High Energy Physics) Plasma physics Quantum field theory Thermodynamics and Statistical mechanics