Branches of Physics

Branches of Physics

• Mechanics: Study of motion, forces, and energy.
• Thermodynamics: Study of heat, temperature, and energy transfer.
• Electromagnetism: Study of electricity, magnetism, and electromagnetic waves.
• Optics: Study of light, its properties, and behavior.
• Quantum Mechanics: Study of the behavior of matter and energy at the atomic and subatomic level.
• Relativity: Study of the nature of space and time.

Key Concepts

• Motion:
  • Displacement: change in position
  • Velocity: rate of change of displacement
  • Acceleration: rate of change of velocity
• Forces:
  • Gravity: force of attraction between objects
  • Friction: force opposing motion
  • Normal force: force exerted by a surface
• Energy:
  • Kinetic energy: energy of motion
  • Potential energy: energy of position or state
  • Conservation of energy: energy cannot be created or destroyed, only converted

Laws of Physics

• Newton's Laws:
  1. Inertia: an object at rest remains at rest, an object in motion remains in motion
  2. Force and acceleration: force is proportional to acceleration
  3. Action and reaction: every action has an equal and opposite reaction
• Einstein's Theory of Relativity:
  • Time dilation: time appears to pass slower for an observer in motion
  • Length contraction: objects appear shorter for an observer in motion
  • Equivalence of energy and mass: E=mc^2

Important Physicists

• Isaac Newton: developed laws of motion and universal gravitation
• Albert Einstein: developed theory of relativity and famous equation E=mc^2
• Marie Curie: discovered radioactive elements and pioneered radioactivity research
• Galileo Galilei: made key contributions to the study of motion and inertia