Tuesday 12 July 2011

~ Chapter 1 - Introduction to physics ~ =_=


What is Physics?

What is Physics?

Physics is a branch of science which studies physical and natural phenomena around us.
Examples of natural phenomena are formation of rainbow, solar eclipse, the fall of things from up to down, the cause of sunset and sunrise, formation of shadow and many more.

Physics mostly answers whys rather than what and it gives scientific, systematic and consistent explanation based on the concepts of physics.

Physics knowledge will increase as the flow of time; new concepts will replace old concepts if proven to be accurate.

The word physics evolved from ‘physikos’ a Greek word for nature.

There are two main divisions of physics which are:a. Classical physics: motion and energy, mechanics, force and motion, heat, sound, electricity, magnetism and light.
b. Modern physics: atomic, molecular and electron physics, nuclear physics, relativity, origin of universe, astrophysics.

Several discoveries and contributions based on the knowledge of physics:

1911 –New Zealand-born British physicist Ernest Rutherford (UK, New Zealand), proposed that an atom has a positively charged nucleus called Proton.
1957 –Sputnik I, first satellite to orbit the earth (Soviet Union).
1969 –Man landed on the moon – Neil Armstrong became the first human being to set foot on the moon (US).
1989 –www was launched by British Engineer Tim Berners-Lee and his colleague (UK).
1990 –The Hubble Space Telescope was built and launched into orbit by NASA (US).

Among the important figures in Physics:
Galileo Galilei
Isaac Newton
Charles Augustin de Coulomb
Albert Einstein
Stephen William Hawking

Study of Physics

1. As the other branches of science, scientific skills is necessary in the process of undertaking research and analysis in physics.

2. Research or Experiments are done systematically and step by step based on scientific method.

3. Scientific method

Identifying Problem ---- Making Hypothesis -----Planning investigation ------Identifying and controlling variables ----conducting experiment ----collecting data ----recording data----making conclusions---writing reports.


Careers in Physics included (examples)
1. Engineering
2. Computer Science
3. Industry
4. Communication
5. Electronics
6. Medicine – X ray
7. Environmental Science
8. Basic Research