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Physics
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Why is physics important? Studying the way things moves and interact in the world is fundamentally useful in all sorts of way. In some cases it is crucial to our survival. Interestingly our own brains have needed to develop an automatic understanding of physics, for example being able to walk or balance requires our brains to make lots of calculations about friction and forces.

Physics is crucial to virtually all of our modern technology, conveniences and infrastructure. from computers to cameras and everyday appliances. But physics is useful in everyday situations. Having an awareness of physics can help explain: Friction, breaks and crashes How water boils or freezes How simple machines work. Working out how fast or slow things go Predicting where things go and when they get there.

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News about physics Physics is often reported in the news, most commonly as a new discovery in either the very large, very small, or the very fast or in a new way that matter interacts with things. Google News search physics The ABC online science news Did you know that 2005 is set to be the Year of Physics?

Some reliable and quality assured sources of general information about physics include: Australia: The Australian Institute of Physics The New Zealand Institute of Physics US: American Institute of Physics Physics central : American Physical Society UK/Europe: The UK Royal Society for Science Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council German Physical Society

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How is physics classified? The science/nature of physics The technology of physics The culture of physics Typically physics is classified into traditional areas of study. These include: Atomic/nuclear- the study of the very small Mechanics/Dynamics - how things move Electromagentics- including light and radio waves. Thermodynamics - heat and temperature Quantum physics - movements of single atoms or particles Light/sound (Acoustics)- waves But often these areas overlap each other. In some cases all use similar principles to describe special circumstances. reference Hyperphysics   How does Physics work? One way that physicists currently study things is by measuring the basic forces that exist in the universe. These forces are: The Strong Force ( forces inside the nucleus of atoms) The Weak Force ( relates to how atoms decay) The Electromagnetic Force ( forces created by moving electrons and includes light) The Gravitational Force ( how things fall) reference Most everyday physics is a result of the electromagnetic force and the gravitational force.

How is physics studied? The basic principle of studying physics is to measure things. for example how fast is it moving and in which direction or angle? Once things have been measured usually these results are analysed using mathematics. Though sometimes maths is used to make a prediction or educated guess and then scientists go and test the theory by measuring what they think should happen.   Physics is also used in other scientific fields like biology and chemistry. For example: The physics of biology becomes biophysics. Physics of astronomy becomes astro physics and physics of the earth becomes geophysics. Physics can be studied as part of almost any topic. For example "the physics of washing machines" or "the physics of sports"

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What is the history of physics? Physics was probably one of the first things to be thought about in any detail. It dates back to the Ancient Greeks and a philosopher called Aristotle. He basically proposed the first logical proposal for cause and effect situations. Other cultures also studied physics, although most commonly it was studying the movement of the stars. Although there have been a wide number of physicists some of the most notable include: Galileo Galilei (1564 - 1642), who discovered the laws of uniform and accelerated motion. more     Isaac Newton (1643 - 1727) who analysed similar effects but came up with more complex mathematics to describe things including the particular laws of universal gravitation. more

Then came Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955) who realised that there's a maximum speed in the universe . The speed of light. When things get close to that speed weird things happen to clocks. more     Werner Heisenberg ( 1901- 1976) discovered the uncertainty principle which is the basis of quantum mechanics. This showed that very small objects like electrons can't really be pinned down and can be in several places at once. more Of course there were many others that have contributed to physics in many different ways

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The future of physics What are the laws of physics yet to be discovered? This is perhaps the age old question for physics. One big future goal in physics is to somehow unify the basic forces of nature. There has been some success unifying the weak force with the electromagnetic force.

One of the main future goals in physics is to unify Gravity with Quantum mechanics.

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About the Author

Richard, has worked explaining science for the past 10 years, including at Questacon, Mount Stromlo, CSIRO, the Maritime Museum in Greenwich, and various schools in South East London. He studied immunology and biochemistry at ANU.