9.2 FIELDS OF PHYSICS

1. Importance of Physics

  • Considered most fundamental of all sciences
  • Essential for understanding other natural sciences

2. Interdisciplinary Applications

  • Biology: Fluid dynamics in blood flow
  • Chemistry: Subatomic particle interactions
  • Geology: Seismic wave analysis
  • Astronomy/Cosmology: Universal laws application

3. Major Fields of Physics

Biophysics

Study of living body systems. Applications: Blood flow dynamics, radiation in medicine

Astronomy

Study of celestial objects and universe beyond Earth'satmosphere. Requires nighttime observation with telescopes

Astrophysics

Physical nature of celestial bodies. Investigates formation of stars, planets, galaxies

Cosmology

Origin, development, structure, and future of the universe

Thermal Physics

Encompasses statistical mechanics, thermodynamics, kinetic theory of gases

Optics

Nature and properties of light. Light-matter interactions. Optical instrument construction

Nuclear Physics

Structure and behavior of atomic nuclei. Studies radiation from unstable nuclei

Particle Physics

Study of fundamental particles and forces

Electromagnetism

Forces between electrically charged particles

Acoustics

Production, transmission, and effects of sound

Computational Physics

Numerical analysis for complex physics problems. Combines computer science, physics, and applied mathematics

Geophysics

Earth'sstructure and physical phenomena

Climate Physics

Study of Earth'sclimate

Classical Mechanics

Motion of macroscopic objects under forces

Quantum Mechanics

Behavior of microscopic particles

Relativistic Mechanics

Systems with velocities approaching light speed. High kinetic energies relative to rest mass

4. Role of Physicists

  • Specialize in various fields of physics
  • Conduct in-depth research on diverse topics
  • Study matter-energy interactions across all scales