Physics Branches and Key Concepts

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

Matter: anything that has mass and occupies space
Energy: ability to do work or cause change
Force: push or pull that causes an object to change its motion
Motion: change in position of an object over time
Work: transfer of energy from one object to another through a force applied over a distance

Energy Transfer: transfer of energy from one object to another
Energy Conversion: change of energy from one form to another
Law of Conservation of Energy: energy cannot be created or destroyed, only converted from one form to another

Joule (J): standard unit of energy
Calorie (cal): unit of energy, often used to measure energy in food
Kilowatt-hour (kWh): unit of energy, often used to measure energy consumption in homes and businesses

Mechanics studies motion, forces, and energy, focusing on how objects move and respond to forces.
Thermodynamics explores heat, temperature, and energy transfer, examining how energy is exchanged between systems.
Electromagnetism delves into electricity, magnetism, and electromagnetic waves, investigating the relationships between these fundamental forces.
Optics examines light, its properties, and behavior, including refraction, reflection, and diffraction.
Quantum Mechanics investigates the behavior of matter and energy at the atomic and subatomic level, exploring the strange and counterintuitive world of the very small.

Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space, including atoms, molecules, and larger objects.
Energy is the ability to do work or cause change, and it comes in various forms, including kinetic, potential, thermal, electrical, chemical, and nuclear.
Force is a push or pull that causes an object to change its motion, and it can be measured in units such as Newtons or pounds.
Motion is a change in position of an object over time, and it can be described in terms of velocity, acceleration, and displacement.
Work is the transfer of energy from one object to another through a force applied over a distance.

Kinetic Energy is the energy of motion, possessed by objects that are moving or in motion.
Potential Energy is the energy of position or stored energy, which can be converted into kinetic energy.
Thermal Energy is the energy of heat, which is transferred from one object to another through conduction, convection, or radiation.
Electrical Energy is the energy of moving charges, such as electrons in a wire or ions in a battery.
Chemical Energy is the energy stored in chemical bonds, which can be released through chemical reactions.
Nuclear Energy is the energy stored in the nucleus of an atom, which can be released through nuclear reactions.

Energy Transfer occurs when energy is transferred from one object to another, such as from a hot stove to a pot of water.
Energy Conversion is the change of energy from one form to another, such as from electrical energy to light energy in a light bulb.
Law of Conservation of Energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only converted from one form to another, which means that the total energy of a closed system remains constant.

Joule (J) is the standard unit of energy, used to measure the amount of energy in a system.
Calorie (cal) is a unit of energy, often used to measure the energy content of food and drinks.
Kilowatt-hour (kWh) is a unit of energy, often used to measure the energy consumption of homes and businesses over a period of time.