SafekipediaOutline of physics
Adapted from Wikipedia · Discoverer experience
Physics is the natural science that studies matter and its motion through spacetime, along with ideas like energy and force. It helps us understand how the universe behaves. By looking at nature in a careful way, physics lets us explain many things around us, from the very small particles to the huge stars in the sky.
Physics is important because it forms the basis for many other sciences and technologies. It helps us create new tools, understand space, and even improve everyday life. Whether it's the light bulb in your home or the satellites that help us communicate, physics is at work.
Exploring physics means learning about the basic rules that govern everything in the universe. It's a fascinating journey that connects us to the world around us and helps us answer big questions about how everything works.
What type of subject is physics?
Physics is a type of science that studies how things move and work in our world. It is a special area of learning with its own classes, books, and groups of scientists who share their discoveries.
Physics is a natural science, meaning it tries to understand nature by observing and testing ideas. It focuses on non-living things, unlike biology, which looks at how living things work.
Branches
Physics is a science that studies how things move and change, along with ideas like energy and force. It helps us understand how the universe works.
Physics has many different areas of study. Astronomy looks at objects and events far from Earth, like stars and planets. Atmospheric physics studies the air around us. Atomic, molecular, and optical physics explores how tiny parts of matter and light behave. Biophysics uses physics to learn about living things. Chemical physics looks at how chemicals work. Computational physics uses math to solve physics problems. Condensed matter physics studies the ways different forms of matter act. Electricity and Electromagnetism study electric charges and magnetic forces. Geophysics looks at Earth using physics. Magnetism studies magnetic forces. Mathematical physics uses math to understand physics. Mechanics looks at how objects move when pushed or pulled. Medical Physics uses physics in medicine, like imaging and treatments. Statistical mechanics studies systems with many parts. Thermodynamics studies heat and energy. Nuclear physics looks at the tiny parts inside atoms. Particle physics studies the smallest pieces of matter and energy. Psychophysics looks at how we sense the world. Plasma physics studies a special state of matter. Quantum physics studies very small things that act in unusual ways. Quantum gravity tries to combine quantum physics with gravity. Relativity studies space and time, with both general and special types. Other areas include Agrophysics, which studies farms, Cryogenics, which studies very cold temperatures, Econophysics, which applies physics to economics, Materials physics, which studies different kinds of materials, and Vehicle dynamics, which studies how vehicles move. Finally, Philosophy of physics thinks about big ideas in physics.
History
History of physics – this is the story of how we learned about the world around us. It looks at how we understand things like matter, movement, energy, and forces.
- Physics in the medieval Islamic world
- European science in the Middle Ages
- History of science and technology in China
- History of Indian science and technology
History of fields of physics
- History of acoustics – how we study sound and vibrations
- History of agrophysics – using physics to understand farming systems
- History of astrophysics – studying the physics of stars and other objects in space
- History of astronomy – learning about the universe beyond Earth
- History of astrodynamics – how objects move in space
- History of astrometry – measuring positions of stars and other space objects
- History of cosmology – studying the universe as a whole
- History of the Big Bang theory – how the universe began
- History of physical cosmology – studying the large-scale structure and changes in the universe
- History of planetary science – studying planets and moons
- History of stellar astronomy – studying stars and other objects in space
- History of atomic theory – ideas about how atoms are built
- History of atomic, molecular, and optical physics – how light and matter interact
- History of biophysics – using physics to study living things
- History of condensed matter physics – studying the properties of solid and liquid materials
- History of econophysics – using physics ideas to study economics
- History of electromagnetism – studying electric and magnetic forces
- History of geophysics – studying the Earth using physics
- History of gravitational theory – how gravity affects our daily lives
- History of mechanics – how objects move and change when pushed or pulled
- History of biomechanics – studying how living things move
- History of classical mechanics – basic laws that describe how things move
- History of variational principles in physics – math behind mechanics
- History of fluid mechanics – studying liquids and gases and how they move
- History of quantum mechanics – studying the tiny particles that make up everything
- History of quantum field theory – modern ideas about tiny particles
- History of string theory – a math idea from physics questions
- History of thermodynamics – studying heat, energy, and work
- History of nuclear physics – studying the tiny parts inside atoms and how they work together
- History of nuclear fusion – what powers stars and some very powerful energy sources
- History of electromagnetism – how electricity, magnets, and light work together
- History of Maxwell's equations – key math ideas about electromagnetism
- History of materials science – learning how to understand and change materials from stones to silicon
- History of optics – studying how light behaves and how we see
- History of spectroscopy – measuring how materials react to different kinds of light
- History of subatomic physics – studying the tiny parts that make up everything
- History of the periodic table – organizing elements by their properties
- History of psychophysics – studying how we sense the world around us
- History of special relativity – studying space and time when things move very fast
- History of Lorentz transformations – math ideas behind special relativity
- History of general relativity – studying gravity without using tiny particles
- History of solid-state physics – studying solid materials using physics ideas
- History of Solar System formation and evolution hypotheses
- History of superconductivity – studying materials that can conduct electricity without any loss when very cold
General concepts
Physics is a science that studies matter and how it moves through space and time. It also looks at ideas like energy and force. Physics helps us understand how the universe works.
Physics looks at many important ideas such as how things move, the different states of matter like solids and liquids, and how energy works. It also studies waves, sound, electricity, magnetism, and light. Some key concepts in physics include how things change over time, the rules that govern motion, and the basic measurements scientists use.
Lists
- List of common physics notations
- Lists of physics equations
- List of important publications in physics
- List of laws in science
- List of letters used in mathematics and science
- List of physicists
- List of physics journals
- List of scientific units named after people
- Variables commonly used in physics
- List of physics awards
Related articles
This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Outline of physics, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.