Physical World Chapter One PDF

CHAPTER ONE PHYSICAL WORLD 1.1 WHAT IS PHYSICS ? Humans have always been curious about the world around them. The night sky with its bright celestial objects has...

CHAPTER ONE PHYSICAL WORLD 1.1 WHAT IS PHYSICS ? Humans have always been curious about the world around them. The night sky with its bright celestial objects has fascinated humans since time immemorial. The regular 1.1 What is physics ? repetitions of the day and night, the annual cycle of seasons, 1.2 Scope and excitement of the eclipses, the tides, the volcanoes, the rainbow have always physics been a source of wonder. The world has an astonishing variety 1.3 Physics, technology and of materials and a bewildering diversity of life and behaviour. society The inquiring and imaginative human mind has responded 1.4 Fundamental forces in to the wonder and awe of nature in different ways. One kind nature of response from the earliest times has been to observe the 1.5 Nature of physical laws physical environment carefully, look for any meaningful Summary patterns and relations in natural phenomena, and build and Exercises use new tools to interact with nature. This human endeavour led, in course of time, to modern science and technology. The word Science originates from the Latin verb Scientia meaning ‘to know’. The Sanskrit word Vijnan and the Arabic word Ilm convey similar meaning, namely ‘knowledge’. Science, in a broad sense, is as old as human species. The early civilisations of Egypt, India, China, Greece, Mesopotamia and many others made vital contributions to its progress. From the sixteenth century onwards, great strides were made in science in Europe. By the middle of the twentieth century, science had become a truly international enterprise, with many cultures and countries contributing to its rapid growth. What is Science and what is the so-called Scientific Method ? Science is a systematic attempt to understand natural phenomena in as much detail and depth as possible, and use the knowledge so gained to predict, modify and control phenomena. Science is exploring, experimenting and predicting from what we see around us. The curiosity to learn about the world, unravelling the secrets of nature is the first step towards the discovery of science. The scientific method involves several interconnected steps : Systematic observations, controlled experiments, qualitative and 2 PHYSICS quantitative reasoning, mathematical Physics is a basic discipline in the category modelling, prediction and verification or of Natural Sciences, which also includes other falsification of theories. Speculation and disciplines like Chemistry and Biology. The word conjecture also have a place in science; but Physics comes from a Greek word meaning ultimately, a scientific theory, to be acceptable, nature. Its Sanskrit equivalent is Bhautiki that must be verified by relevant observations or is used to refer to the study of the physical world. experiments. There is much philosophical A precise definition of this discipline is neither debate about the nature and method of science possible nor necessary. We can broadly describe that we need not discuss here. physics as a study of the basic laws of nature The interplay of theory and observation (or and their manifestation in different natural experiment) is basic to the progress of science. phenomena. The scope of physics is described Science is ever dynamic. There is no ‘final’ briefly in the next section. Here we remark on theory in science and no unquestioned two principal thrusts in physics : unification authority among scientists. As observations and reduction. improve in detail and precision or experiments In Physics, we attempt to explain diverse yield new results, theories must account for physical phenomena in terms of a few concepts them, if necessary, by introducing modifications. and laws. The effort is to see the physical world Sometimes the modifications may not be drastic as manifestation of some universal laws in and may lie within the framework of existing different domains and conditions. For example, theory. For example, when Johannes Kepler the same law of gravitation (given by Newton) (1571-1630) examined the extensive data on describes the fall of an apple to the ground, the planetary motion collected by Tycho Brahe motion of the moon around the earth and the (1546-1601), the planetary circular orbits in heliocentric theory (sun at the centre of the motion of planets around the sun. Similarly, the solar system) imagined by Nicolas Copernicus basic laws of electromagnetism (Maxwell’s (1473–1543) had to be replaced by elliptical equations) govern all electric and magnetic orbits to fit the data better. Occasionally, phenomena. The attempts to unify fundamental however, the existing theory is simply unable forces of nature (section 1.4) reflect this same to explain new observations. This causes a quest for unification. major upheaval in science. In the beginning of A related effort is to derive the properties of a the twentieth century, it was realised that bigger, more complex, system from the properties Newtonian mechanics, till then a very and interactions of its constituent simpler parts. successful theory, could not explain some of the This approach is called reductionism and is most basic features of atomic phenomena. at the heart of physics. For example, the subject Similarly, the then accepted wave picture of light of thermodynamics, developed in the nineteenth failed to explain the photoelectric effect properly. century, deals with bulk systems in terms of This led to the development of a radically new macroscopic quantities such as temperature, theory (Quantum Mechanics) to deal with atomic internal energy, entropy, etc. Subsequently, the and molecular phenomena. subjects of kinetic theory and statistical Just as a new experiment may suggest an mechanics interpreted these quantities in terms alternative theoretical model, a theoretical of the properties of the molecular constituents advance may suggest what to look for in some of the bulk system. In particular, the experiments. The result of experiment of temperature was seen to be related to the average scattering of alpha particles by gold foil, in 1911 kinetic energy of molecules of the system. by Ernest Rutherford (1871–1937) established the nuclear model of the atom, which then 1.2 SCOPE AND EXCITEMENT OF PHYSICS became the basis of the quantum theory of We can get some idea of the scope of physics by hydrogen atom given in 1913 by Niels Bohr looking at its various sub-disciplines. Basically, (1885–1962). On the other hand, the concept of there are two domains of interest : macroscopic antiparticle was first introduced theoretically by and microscopic. The macroscopic domain Paul Dirac (1902–1984) in 1930 and confirmed includes phenomena at the laboratory, terrestrial two years later by the experimental discovery of and astronomical scales. The microscopic domain positron (antielectron) by Carl Anderson. includes atomic, molecular and nuclear PHYSICAL WORLD 3 phenomena*. Classical Physics deals mainly chemical process, etc., are problems of interest with macroscopic phenomena and includes in thermodynamics. subjects like Mechanics, Electrodynamics, The microscopic domain of physics deals with Optics and Thermodynamics. Mechanics the constitution and structure of matter at the founded on Newton’s laws of motion and the law minute scales of atoms and nuclei (and even of gravitation is concerned with the motion (or lower scales of length) and their interaction with equilibrium) of particles, rigid and deformable different probes such as electrons, photons and bodies, and general systems of particles. The propulsion of a rocket by a jet of ejecting gases, other elementary particles. Classical physics is propagation of water waves or sound waves in inadequate to handle this domain and Quantum air, the equilibrium of a bent rod under a load, Theory is currently accepted as the proper etc., are problems of mechanics. Electrodynamics framework for explaining microscopic deals with electric and magnetic phenomena phenomena. Overall, the edifice of physics is associated with charged and magnetic bodies. beautiful and imposing and you will appreciate Its basic laws were given by Coulomb, Oersted, it more as you pursue the subject. Fig. 1.1 Theory and experiment go hand in hand in physics and help each other’s progress. The alpha scattering experiments of Rutherford gave the nuclear model of the atom. Ampere and Faraday, and encapsulated by You can now see that the scope of physics is Maxwell in his famous set of equations. The truly vast. It covers a tremendous range of motion of a current-carrying conductor in a magnitude of physical quantities like length, magnetic field, the response of a circuit to an ac mass, time, energy, etc. At one end, it studies voltage (signal), the working of an antenna, the phenomena at the very small scale of length propagation of radio waves in the ionosphere, etc., -14 (10 m or even less) involving electrons, protons, are problems of electrodynamics. Optics deals etc.; at the other end, it deals with astronomical with the phenomena involving light. The working phenomena at the scale of galaxies or even the of telescopes and microscopes, colours exhibited entire universe whose extent is of the order of by thin films, etc., are topics in optics. 26 10 m. The two length scales differ by a factor of Thermodynamics, in contrast to mechanics, does 40 not deal with the motion of bodies as a whole. 10 or even more. The range of time scales can Rather, it deals with systems in macroscopic be obtained by dividing the length scales by the –22 equilibrium and is concerned with changes in speed of light : 10 s to 1018 s. The range of internal energy, temperature, entropy, etc., of the masses goes from, say, 10–30 kg (mass of an 55 system through external work and transfer of electron) to 10 kg (mass of known observable heat. The efficiency of heat engines and universe). Terrestrial phenomena lie somewhere refrigerators, the direction of a physical or in the middle of this range. * Recently, the domain intermediate between the macroscopic and the microscopic (the so-called mesoscopic physics), dealing with a few tens or hundreds of atoms, has emerged as an exciting field of research. 4 PHYSICS Physics is exciting in many ways. To some people the excitement comes from the elegance and Hypothesis, axioms and models universality of its basic theories, from the fact that One should not think that everything can be proved a few basic concepts and laws can explain with physics and mathematics. All physics, and also phenomena covering a large range of magnitude mathematics, is based on assumptions, each of of physical quantities. To some others, the challenge which is variously called a hypothesis or axiom or in carrying out imaginative new experiments to postulate, etc. unlock the secrets of nature, to verify or refute For example, the universal law of gravitation theories, is thrilling. Applied physics is equally proposed by Newton is an assumption or hypothesis, demanding. Application and exploitation of which he proposed out of his ingenuity. Before him, there were several observations, experiments and physical laws to make useful devices is the most data, on the motion of planets around the sun, interesting and exciting part and requires great motion of the moon around the earth, pendulums, ingenuity and persistence of effort. bodies falling towards the earth etc. Each of these What lies behind the phenomenal progress required a separate explanation, which was more of physics in the last few centuries? Great or less qualitative. What the universal law of progress usually accompanies changes in our gravitation says is that, if we assume that any two basic perceptions. First, it was realised that for bodies in the universe attract each other with a scientific progress, only qualitative thinking, force proportional to the product of their masses though no doubt important, is not enough. and inversely proportional to the square of the Quantitative measurement is central to the distance between them, then we can explain all growth of science, especially physics, because these observations in one stroke. It not only explains the laws of nature happen to be expressible in these phenomena, it also allows us to predict the precise mathematical equations. The second results of future experiments. most important insight was that the basic laws A hypothesis is a supposition without assuming of physics are universal — the same laws apply that it is true. It would not be fair to ask anybody to prove the universal law of gravitation, because in widely different contexts. Lastly, the strategy it cannot be proved. It can be verified and of approximation turned out to be very substantiated by experiments and observations. successful. Most observed phenomena in daily An axiom is a self-evident truth while a model life are rather complicated manifestations of the is a theory proposed to explain observed basic laws. Scientists recognised the importance phenomena. But you need not worry at this stage of extracting the essential features of a about the nuances in using these words. For phenomenon from its less significant aspects. example, next year you will learn about Bohr’s model It is not practical to take into account all the of hydrogen atom, in which Bohr assumed that an complexities of a phenomenon in one go. A good electron in the hydrogen atom follows certain rules strategy is to focus first on the essential features, (postutates). Why did he do that? There was a large discover the basic principles and then introduce amount of spectroscopic data before him which no corrections to build a more refined theory of the other theory could explain. So Bohr said that if we phenomenon. For example, a stone and a feather assume that an atom behaves in such a manner, dropped from the same height do not reach the we can explain all these things at once. ground at the same time. The reason is that the Einstein’s special theory of relativity is also based on two postulates, the constancy of the speed essential aspect of the phenomenon, namely free of electromagnetic radiation and the validity of fall under gravity, is complicated by the physical laws in all inertial frame of reference. It presence of air resistance. To get the law of free would not be wise to ask somebody to prove that fall under gravity, it is better to create a the speed of light in vacuum is constant, situation wherein the air resistance is independent of the source or observer. negligible. We can, for example, let the stone and In mathematics too, we need axioms and the feather fall through a long evacuated tube. hypotheses at every stage. Euclid’s statement that In that case, the two objects will fall almost at parallel lines never meet, is a hypothesis. This means the same rate, giving the basic law that that if we assume this statement, we can explain acceleration due to gravity is independent of the several properties of straight lines and two or three mass of the object. With the basic law thus dimensional figures made out of them. But if you found, we can go back to the feather, introduce don’t assume it, you are free to use a different axiom corrections due to air resistance, modify the and get a new geometry, as has indeed happened in existing theory and try to build a more realistic the past few centuries and decades. PHYSICAL WORLD 5 theory of objects falling to the earth under A most significant area to which physics has gravity. and will contribute is the development of alternative energy resources. The fossil fuels of 1.3 PHYSICS, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY the planet are dwindling fast and there is an The connection between physics, technology urgent need to discover new and affordable and society can be seen in many examples. The sources of energy. Considerable progress has discipline of thermodynamics arose from the already been made in this direction (for need to understand and improve the working of example, in conversion of solar energy, heat engines. The steam engine, as we know, geothermal energy, etc., into electricity), but is inseparable from the Industrial Revolution in much more is still to be accomplished. England in the eighteenth century, which had Table1.1 lists some of the great physicists, great impact on the course of human their major contribution and the country of civilisation. Sometimes technology gives rise to origin. You will appreciate from this table the new physics; at other times physics generates multi-cultural, international character of the new technology. An example of the latter is the scientific endeavour. Table 1.2 lists some wireless communication technology that followed important technologies and the principles of the discovery of the basic laws of electricity and physics they are based on. Obviously, these magnetism in the nineteenth century. The tables are not exhaustive. We urge you to try to applications of physics are not always easy to add many names and items to these tables with foresee. As late as 1933, the great physicist the help of your teachers, good books and Ernest Rutherford had dismissed the possibility websites on science. You will find that this of tapping energy from atoms. But only a few exercise is very educative and also great fun. years later, in 1938, Hahn and Meitner And, assuredly, it will never end. The progress discovered the phenomenon of neutron-induced of science is unstoppable! fission of uranium, which would serve as the Physics is the study of nature and natural basis of nuclear power reactors and nuclear phenomena. Physicists try to discover the rules weapons. Yet another important example of that are operating in nature, on the basis of physics giving rise to technology is the silicon observations, experimentation and analysis. ‘chip’ that triggered the computer revolution in Physics deals with certain basic rules/laws the last three decades of the twentieth century. governing the natural world. What is the nature Table 1.1 Some physicists from different countries of the world and their major contributions Name Major contribution/discovery Country of Origin Archimedes Principle of buoyancy; Principle of the lever Greece Galileo Galilei Law of inertia Italy Christiaan Huygens Wave theory of light Holland Isaac Newton Universal law of gravitation; Laws of motion; U.K. Reflecting telescope Michael Faraday Laws of electromagnetic induction U.K. James Clerk Maxwell Electromagnetic theory; Light-an U.K. electromagnetic wave Heinrich Rudolf Hertz Generation of electromagnetic waves Germany J.C. Bose Ultra short radio waves India W.K. Roentgen X-rays Germany J.J. Thomson Electron U.K. Marie Sklodowska Curie Discovery of radium and polonium; Studies on Poland natural radioactivity Albert Einstein Explanation of photoelectric effect; Germany Theory of relativity 6 PHYSICS Name Major contribution/discovery Country of Origin Victor Francis Hess Cosmic radiation Austria R.A. Millikan Measurement of electronic charge U.S.A. Ernest Rutherford Nuclear model of atom New Zealand Niels Bohr Quantum model of hydrogen atom Denmark C.V. Raman Inelastic scattering of light by molecules India Louis Victor de Borglie Wave nature of matter France M.N. Saha Thermal ionisation India S.N. Bose Quantum statistics India Wolfgang Pauli Exclusion principle Austria Enrico Fermi Controlled nuclear fission Italy Werner Heisenberg Quantum mechanics; Uncertainty principle Germany Paul Dirac Relativistic theory of electron; U.K. Quantum statistics Edwin Hubble Expanding universe U.S.A. Ernest Orlando Lawrence Cyclotron U.S.A. James Chadwick Neutron U.K. Hideki Yukawa Theory of nuclear forces Japan Homi Jehangir Bhabha Cascade process of cosmic radiation India Lev Davidovich Landau Theory of condensed matter; Liquid helium Russia S. Chandrasekhar Chandrasekhar limit, structure and evolution India of stars John Bardeen Transistors; Theory of super conductivity U.S.A. C.H. Townes Maser; Laser U.S.A. Abdus Salam Unification of weak and electromagnetic Pakistan interactions of physical laws? We shall now discuss the ideas about it. The correct notion of force was nature of fundamental forces and the laws that arrived at by Isaac Newton in his famous laws of govern the diverse phenomena of the physical motion. He also gave an explicit form for the force world. for gravitational attraction between two bodies. We shall learn these matters in subsequent 1.4 FUNDAMENTAL FORCES IN NATURE* chapters. We all have an intuitive notion of force. In our In the macroscopic world, besides the experience, force is needed to push, carry or gravitational force, we encounter several kinds throw objects, deform or break them. We also of forces: muscular force, contact forces between experience the impact of forces on us, like when bodies, friction (which is also a contact force a moving object hits us or we are in a merry-go- parallel to the surfaces in contact), the forces round. Going from this intuitive notion to the exerted by compressed or elongated springs and proper scientific concept of force is not a trivial taut strings and ropes (tension), the force of matter. Early thinkers like Aristotle had wrong buoyancy and viscous force when solids are in * Sections 1.4 and 1.5 contain several ideas that you may not grasp fully in your first reading. However, we advise you to read them carefully to develop a feel for some basic aspects of physics. These are some of the areas which continue to occupy the physicists today. PHYSICAL WORLD 7 Table 1.2 Link between technology and physics Technology Scientific principle(s) Steam engine Laws of thermodynamics Nuclear reactor Controlled nuclear fission Radio and Television Generation, propagation and detection of electromagnetic waves Computers Digital logic Lasers Light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation Production of ultra high magnetic Superconductivity fields Rocket propulsion Newton’s laws of motion Electric generator Faraday’s laws of electromagnetic induction Hydroelectric power Conversion of gravitational potential energy into electrical energy Aeroplane Bernoulli’s principle in fluid dynamics Particle accelerators Motion of charged particles in electromagnetic fields Sonar Reflection of ultrasonic waves Optical fibres Total internal reflection of light Non-reflecting coatings Thin film optical interference Electron microscope Wave nature of electrons Photocell Photoelectric effect Fusion test reactor (Tokamak) Magnetic confinement of plasma Giant Metrewave Radio Detection of cosmic radio waves Telescope (GMRT) Bose-Einstein condensate Trapping and cooling of atoms by laser beams and magnetic fields. contact with fluids, the force due to pressure of to the net attraction/repulsion between the a fluid, the force due to surface tension of a liquid, neighbouring atoms of the spring when the and so on. There are also forces involving charged spring is elongated/compressed. This net and magnetic bodies. In the microscopic domain attraction/repulsion can be traced to the again, we have electric and magnetic forces, (unbalanced) sum of electric forces between the nuclear forces involving protons and neutrons, charged constituents of the atoms. interatomic and intermolecular forces, etc. We In principle, this means that the laws for shall get familiar with some of these forces in later ‘derived’ forces (such as spring force, friction) parts of this course. are not independent of the laws of fundamental A great insight of the twentieth century forces in nature. The origin of these derived physics is that these different forces occurring forces is, however, very complex. in different contexts actually arise from only a At the present stage of our understanding, small number of fundamental forces in nature. we know of four fundamental forces in nature, For example, the elastic spring force arises due which are described in brief here : 8 PHYSICS Albert Einstein (1879-1955) Albert Einstein, born in Ulm, Germany in 1879, is universally regarded as one of the greatest physicists of all time. His astonishing scientific career began with the publication of three path-breaking papers in 1905. In the first paper, he introduced the notion of light quanta (now called photons) and used it to explain the features of photoelectric effect that the classical wave theory of radiation could not account for. In the second paper, he developed a theory of Brownian motion that was confirmed experimentally a few years later and provided a convincing evidence of the atomic picture of matter. The third paper gave birth to the special theory of relativity that made Einstein a legend in his own life time. In the next decade, he explored the consequences of his new theory which included, among other things, the mass-energy equivalence enshrined in his famous equation E = mc2. He also created the general version of relativity (The General Theory of Relativity), which is the modern theory of gravitation. Some of Einstein’s most significant later contributions are: the notion of stimulated emission introduced in an alternative derivation of Planck’s blackbody radiation law, static model of the universe which started modern cosmology, quantum statistics of a gas of massive bosons, and a critical analysis of the foundations of quantum mechanics. The year 2005 was declared as International Year of Physics, in recognition of Einstein’s monumental contribution to physics, in year 1905, describing revolutionary scientific ideas that have since influenced all of modern physics. 1.4.1 Gravitational Force electric force between two protons, for example, 36 The gravitational force is the force of mutual is 10 times the gravitational force between attraction between any two objects by virtue of them, for any fixed distance. their masses. It is a universal force. Every object Matter, as we know, consists of elementary experiences this force due to every other object charged constituents like electrons and in the universe. All objects on the earth, for protons. Since the electromagnetic force is so example, experience the force of gravity due to much stronger than the gravitational force, it the earth. In particular, gravity governs the dominates all phenomena at atomic and motion of the moon and artificial satellites around molecular scales. (The other two forces, as we the earth, motion of the earth and planets shall see, operate only at nuclear scales.) Thus around the sun, and, of course, the motion of it is mainly the electromagnetic force that bodies falling to the earth. It plays a key role in governs the structure of atoms and molecules, the large-scale phenomena of the universe, such the dynamics of chemical reactions and the as formation and evolution of stars, galaxies and mechanical, thermal and other properties of galactic clusters. materials. It underlies the macroscopic forces 1.4.2 Electromagnetic Force like ‘tension’, ‘friction’, ‘normal force’, ‘spring force’, etc. Electromagnetic force is the force between Gravity is always attractive, while charged particles. In the simpler case when electromagnetic force can be attractive or charges are at rest, the force is given by Coulomb’s law : attractive for unlike charges and repulsive. Another way of putting it is that mass repulsive for like charges. Charges in motion comes only in one variety (there is no negative produce magnetic effects and a magnetic field mass), but charge comes in two varieties : gives rise to a force on a moving charge. Electric positive and negative charge. This is what and magnetic effects are, in general, makes all the difference. Matter is mostly inseparable – hence the name electromagnetic electrically neutral (net charge is zero). Thus, force. Like the gravitational force, electric force is largely zero and gravitational electromagnetic force acts over large distances force dominates terrestrial phenomena. Electric and does not need any intervening medium. It force manifests itself in atmosphere where the is enormously strong compared to gravity. The atoms are ionised and that leads to lightning. PHYSICAL WORLD 9 Satyendranath Bose (1894-1974) Satyendranath Bose, born in Calcutta in 1894, is among the great Indian physicists who made a fundamental contribution to the advance of science in the twentieth century. An outstanding student throughout, Bose started his career in 1916 as a lecturer in physics in Calcutta University; five years later he joined Dacca University. Here in 1924, in a brilliant flash of insight, Bose gave a new derivation of Planck’s law, treating radiation as a gas of photons and employing new statistical methods of counting of photon states. He wrote a short paper on the subject and sent it to Einstein who immediately recognised its great significance, translated it in German and forwarded it for publication. Einstein then applied the same method to a gas of molecules. The key new conceptual ingredient in Bose’s work was that the particles were regarded as indistinguishable, a radical departure from the assumption that underlies the classical Maxwell- Boltzmann statistics. It was soon realised that the new Bose-Einstein statistics was applicable to particles with integers spins, and a new quantum statistics (Fermi-Dirac statistics) was needed for particles with half integers spins satisfying Pauli’s exclusion principle. Particles with integers spins are now known as bosons in honour of Bose. An important consequence of Bose-Einstein statistics is that a gas of molecules below a certain temperature will undergo a phase transition to a state where a large fraction of atoms populate the same lowest energy state. Some seventy years were to pass before the pioneering ideas of Bose, developed further by Einstein, were dramatically confirmed in the observation of a new state of matter in a dilute gas of ultra cold alkali atoms - the Bose-Eintein condensate. If we reflect a little, the enormous strength strength. It is charge-independent and acts of the electromagnetic force compared to equally between a proton and a proton, a gravity is evident in our daily life. When we neutron and a neutron, and a proton and a hold a book in our hand, we are balancing the neutron. Its range is, however, extremely small, –15 gravitational force on the book due to the huge of about nuclear dimensions (10 m). It is mass of the earth by the ‘normal force’ responsible for the stability of nuclei. The provided by our hand. The latter is nothing electron, it must be noted, does not experience but the net electromagnetic force between the this force. charged constituents of our hand and Recent developments have, however, the book, at the surface in contact. If indicated that protons and neutrons are built electromagnetic force were not intrinsically so out of still more elementary constituents called much stronger than gravity, the hand of the quarks. strongest man would crumble under the 1.4.4 Weak Nuclear Force weight of a feather ! Indeed, to be consistent, in that circumstance, we ourselves would The weak nuclear force appears only in certain crumble under our own weight ! nuclear processes such as the β-decay of a nucleus. In β-decay, the nucleus emits an 1.4.3 Strong Nuclear Force electron and an uncharged particle called The strong nuclear force binds protons and neutrino. The weak nuclear force is not as weak neutrons in a nucleus. It is evident that without as the gravitational force, but much weaker some attractive force, a nucleus will be than the strong nuclear and electromagnetic unstable due to the electric repulsion between forces. The range of weak nuclear force is its protons. This attractive force cannot be exceedingly small, of the order of 10-16 m. gravitational since force of gravity is negligible compared to the electric force. A new basic force 1.4.5 Towards Unification of Forces must, therefore, be invoked. The strong nuclear We remarked in section 1.1 that unification is a force is the strongest of all fundamental forces, basic quest in physics. Great advances in about 100 times the electromagnetic force in physics often amount to unification of different 10 PHYSICS Table 1.3 Fundamental forces of nature Name Relative Range Operates among strength Gravitational force 10–39 Infinite All objects in the universe –13 Weak nuclear force 10 Very short, Sub-nuclear Some elementary particles, size (∼10–16m) particularly electron and neutrino Electromagnetic force 10–2 Infinite Charged particles Strong nuclear force 1 Short, nuclear Nucleons, heavier size (∼10–15m) elementary particles theories and domains. Newton unified terrestrial 1.5 NATURE OF PHYSICAL LAWS and celestial domains under a common law of Physicists explore the universe. Their gravitation. The experimental discoveries of investigations, based on scientific processes, Oersted and Faraday showed that electric and range from particles that are smaller than magnetic phenomena are in general atoms in size to stars that are very far away. In inseparable. Maxwell unified electromagnetism addition to finding the facts by observation and and optics with the discovery that light is an experimentation, physicists attempt to discover electromagnetic wave. Einstein attempted to the laws that summarise (often as mathematical unify gravity and electromagnetism but could equations) these facts. not succeed in this venture. But this did not In any physical phenomenon governed by deter physicists from zealously pursuing the different forces, several quantities may change goal of unification of forces. with time. A remarkable fact is that some special Recent decades have seen much progress on physical quantities, however, remain constant this front. The electromagnetic and the weak in time. They are the conserved quantities of nuclear force have now been unified and are nature. Understanding these conservation seen as aspects of a single ‘electro-weak’ force. principles is very important to describe the What this unification actually means cannot observed phenomena quantitatively. be explained here. Attempts have been (and are For motion under an external conservative being) made to unify the electro-weak and the force, the total mechanical energy i.e. the sum strong force and even to unify the gravitational of kinetic and potential energy of a body is a force with the rest of the fundamental forces. constant. The familiar example is the free fall of Many of these ideas are still speculative and an object under gravity. Both the kinetic energy inconclusive. Table 1.4 summarises some of the of the object and its potential energy change milestones in the progress towards unification continuously with time, but the sum remains of forces in nature. fixed. If the object is released from rest, the initial Table 1.4 Progress in unification of different forces/domains in nature PHYSICAL WORLD 11 potential energy is completely converted into the the other end, all kinds of violent phenomena kinetic energy of the object just before it hits occur in the universe all the time. Yet the total the ground. This law restricted for a conservative energy of the universe (the most ideal isolated force should not be confused with the general system possible !) is believed to remain law of conservation of energy of an isolated unchanged. system (which is the basis of the First Law of Until the advent of Einstein’s theory of Thermodynamics). relativity, the law of conservation of mass was The concept of energy is central to physics regarded as another basic conservation law of and the expressions for energy can be written nature, since matter was thought to be for every physical system. When all forms of indestructible. It was (and still is) an important energy e.g., heat, mechanical energy, electrical principle used, for example, in the analysis of energy etc., are counted, it turns out that energy chemical reactions. A chemical reaction is is conserved. The general law of conservation of basically a rearrangement of atoms among energy is true for all forces and for any kind of different molecules. If the total binding energy transformation between different forms of of the reacting molecules is less than the total energy. In the falling object example, if you binding energy of the product molecules, the include the effect of air resistance during the difference appears as heat and the reaction is fall and see the situation after the object hits exothermic. The opposite is true for energy the ground and stays there, the total absorbing (endothermic) reactions. However, mechanical energy is obviously not conserved. since the atoms are merely rearranged but not The general law of energy conservation, however, destroyed, the total mass of the reactants is the is still applicable. The initial potential energy same as the total mass of the products in a of the stone gets transformed into other forms chemical reaction. The changes in the binding of energy : heat and sound. (Ultimately, sound energy are too small to be measured as changes after it is absorbed becomes heat.) The total in mass. energy of the system (stone plus the According to Einstein’s theory, mass m is surroundings) remains unchanged. equivalent to energy E given by the relation 2 The law of conservation of energy is thought E= mc , where c is speed of light in vacuum. to be valid across all domains of nature, from In a nuclear process mass gets converted to the microscopic to the macroscopic. It is energy (or vice-versa). This is the energy which routinely applied in the analysis of atomic, is released in a nuclear power generation and nuclear and elementary particle processes. At nuclear explosions. Sir C.V. Raman (1888-1970) Chandrashekhara Venkata Raman was born on 07 Nov 1888 in Thiruvanaikkaval. He finished his schooling by the age of eleven. He graduated from Presidency College, Madras. After finishing his education he joined financial services of the Indian Government. While in Kolkata, he started working on his area of interest at Indian Asso- ciation for Cultivation of Science founded by Dr. Mahendra Lal Sirkar, during his evening hours. His area of interest included vibrations, variety of musical instru- ments, ultrasonics, diffraction and so on. In 1917 he was offered Professorship at Calcutta University. In 1924 he was elected ‘Fellow’ of the Royal Society of London and received Nobel prize in Physics in 1930 for his discovery, now known as Raman Effect. The Raman Effect deals with scattering of light by molecules of a medium when they are excited to vibrational energy levels. This work opened totally new avenues for research for years to come. He spent his later years at Bangalore, first at Indian Institute of Science and then at Raman Re- search Institute. His work has inspired generation of young students. 12 PHYSICS Energy is a scalar quantity. But all conserved Conservation laws in physics quantities are not necessarily scalars. The total linear momentum and the total angular Conservation of energy, momentum, angular momentum, charge, etc are considered to be momentum (both vectors) of an isolated system fundamental laws in physics. At this moment, are also conserved quantities. These laws can there are many such conservation laws. Apart from be derived from Newton’s laws of motion in the above four, there are others which mostly deal mechanics. But their validity goes beyond with quantities which have been introduced in mechanics. They are the basic conservation nuclear and particle physics. Some of the laws of nature in all domains, even in those conserved quantities are called spin, baryon number, strangeness, hypercharge, etc, but you where Newton’s laws may not be valid. need not worry about them. Besides their great simplicity and generality, A conservation law is a hypothesis, based on the conservation laws of nature are very useful observations and experiments. It is important to in practice too. It often happens that we cannot remember that a conservation law cannot be solve the full dynamics of a complex problem proved. It can be verified, or disproved, by involving different particles and forces. The experiments. An experiment whose result is in conformity with the law verifies or substantiates conservation laws can still provide useful the law; it does not prove the law. On the other results. For example, we may not know the hand, a single experiment whose result goes complicated forces that act during a collision against the law is enough to disprove it. of two automobiles; yet momentum It would be wrong to ask somebody to prove conservation law enables us to bypass the the law of conservation of energy. This law is an complications and predict or rule out possible outcome of our experience over several centuries, and it has been found to be valid in all outcomes of the collision. In nuclear and experiments, in mechanics, thermodynamics, elementary particle phenomena also, the electromagnetism, optics, atomic and nuclear conservation laws are important tools of physics, or any other area. analysis. Indeed, using the conservation laws Some students feel that they can prove the of energy and momentum for β-decay, Wolfgang conservation of mechanical energy from a body Pauli (1900-1958) correctly predicted in 1931 falling under gravity, by adding the kinetic and potential energies at a point and showing that it the existence of a new particle (now called turns out to be constant. As pointed out above, neutrino) emitted in β-decay along with the this is only a verification of the law, not its proof. electron. Conservation laws have a deep connection with symmetries of nature that you will explore because of differing conditions at different in more advanced courses in physics. For locations. For example, the acceleration due to example, an important observation is that the gravity at the moon is one-sixth that at the earth, laws of nature do not change with time! If you but the law of gravitation is the same both on perform an experiment in your laboratory today the moon and the earth.) This symmetry of the and repeat the same experiment (on the same laws of nature with respect to translation in objects under identical conditions) after a year, space gives rise to conservation of linear the results are bound to be the same. It turns momentum. In the same way isotropy of space out that this symmetry of nature with respect to (no intrinsically preferred direction in space) translation (i.e. displacement) in time is underlies the law of conservation of angular equivalent to the law of conservation of energy. momentum*. The conservation laws of charge and Likewise, space is homogeneous and there is no other attributes of elementary particles can also (intrinsically) preferred location in the universe. be related to certain abstract symmetries. To put it more clearly, the laws of nature are the Symmetries of space and time and other abstract same everywhere in the universe. (Caution : the symmetries play a central role in modern theories phenomena may differ from place to place of fundamental forces in nature. * See Chapter 7 PHYSICAL WORLD 13 SUMMARY 1. Physics deals with the study of the basic laws of nature and their manifestation in different phenomena. The basic laws of physics are universal and apply in widely different contexts and conditions. 2. The scope of physics is wide, covering a tremendous range of magnitude of physical quantities. 3. Physics and technology are related to each other. Sometimes technology gives rise to new physics; at other times physics generates new technology. Both have direct impact on society. 4. There are four fundamental forces in nature that govern the diverse phenomena of the macroscopic and the microscopic world. These are the ‘gravitational force’, the ‘electromagnetic force’, the ‘strong nuclear force’, and the ‘weak nuclear force’. Unification of different forces/domains in nature is a basic quest in physics. 5. The physical quantities that remain unchanged in a process are called conserved quantities. Some of the general conservation laws in nature include the laws of conservation of mass, energy, linear momentum, angular momentum, charge, parity, etc. Some conservation laws are true for one fundamental force but not for the other. 6. Conservation laws have a deep connection with symmetries of nature. Symmetries of space and time, and other types of symmetries play a central role in modern theories of fundamental forces in nature. EXERCISES Note for the student The exercises given here are meant to enhance your awareness about the issues surrounding science, technology and society and to encourage you to think and formulate your views about them. The questions may not have clear-cut ‘objective’ answers. Note for the teacher The exercises given here are not for the purpose of a formal examination. 1.1 Some of the most profound statements on the nature of science have come from Albert Einstein, one of the greatest scientists of all time. What do you think did Einstein mean when he said : “The most incomprehensible thing about the world is that it is comprehensible”? 1.2 “Every great physical theory starts as a heresy and ends as a dogma”. Give some examples from the history of science of the validity of this incisive remark. 1.3 “Politics is the art of the possible”. Similarly, “Science is the art of the soluble”. Explain this beautiful aphorism on the nature and practice of science. 1.4 Though India now has a large base in science and technology, which is fast expanding, it is still a long way from realising its potential of becoming a world leader in science. Name some important factors, which in your view have hindered the advancement of science in India. 1.5 No physicist has ever “seen” an electron. Yet, all physicists believe in the existence of electrons. An intelligent but superstitious man advances this analogy to argue that ‘ghosts’ exist even though no one has ‘seen’ one. How will you refute his argument ? 1.6 The shells of crabs found around a particular coastal location in Japan seem mostly to resemble the legendary face of a Samurai. Given below are two explanations of this observed fact. Which of these strikes you as a scientific explanation ? (a) A tragic sea accident several centuries ago drowned a young Samurai. As a tribute to his bravery, nature through its inscrutable ways immortalised his face by imprinting it on the crab shells in that area. 14 PHYSICS (b) After the sea tragedy, fishermen in that area, in a gesture of honour to their dead hero, let free any crab shell caught by them which accidentally had a shape resembling the face of a Samurai. Consequently, the particular shape of the crab shell survived longer and therefore in course of time the shape was genetically propagated. This is an example of evolution by artificial selection. [Note : This interesting illustration taken from Carl Sagan’s ‘The Cosmos’ highlights the fact that often strange and inexplicable facts which on the first sight appear ‘supernatural’ actually turn out to have simple scientific explanations. Try to think out other examples of this kind]. 1.7 The industrial revolution in England and Western Europe more than two centuries ago was triggered by some key scientific and technological advances. What were these advances ? 1.8 It is often said that the world is witnessing now a second industrial revolution, which will transform the society as radically as did the first. List some key contemporary areas of science and technology, which are responsible for this revolution. 1.9 Write in about 1000 words a fiction piece based on your speculation on the science and technology of the twenty-second century. 1.10 Attempt to formulate your ‘moral’ views on the practice of science. Imagine yourself stumbling upon a discovery, which has great academic interest but is certain to have nothing but dangerous consequences for the human society. How, if at all, will you resolve your dilemma ? 1.11 Science, like any knowledge, can be put to good or bad use, depending on the user. Given below are some of the applications of science. Formulate your views on whether the particular application is good, bad or something that cannot be so clearly categorised : (a) Mass vaccination against small pox to curb and finally eradicate this disease from the population. (This has already been successfully done in India). (b) Television for eradication of illiteracy and for mass communication of news and ideas. (c) Prenatal sex determination (d) Computers for increase in work efficiency (e) Putting artificial satellites into orbits around the Earth (f ) Development of nuclear weapons (g) Development of new and powerful techniques of chemical and biological warfare). (h) Purification of water for drinking (i) Plastic surgery (j ) Cloning 1.12 India has had a long and unbroken tradition of great scholarship — in mathematics, astronomy, linguistics, logic and ethics. Yet, in parallel with this, several superstitious and obscurantistic attitudes and practices flourished in our society and unfortunately continue even today — among many educated people too. How will you use your knowledge of science to develop strategies to counter these attitudes ? 1.13 Though the law gives women equal status in India, many people hold unscientific views on a woman’s innate nature, capacity and intelligence, and in practice give them a secondary status and role. Demolish this view using scientific arguments, and by quoting examples of great women in science and other spheres; and persuade yourself and others that, given equal opportunity, women are on par with men. 1.14 “It is more important to have beauty in the equations of physics than to have them agree with experiments”. The great British physicist P. A. M. Dirac held this view. Criticize this statement. Look out for some equations and results in this book which strike you as beautiful. 1.15 Though the statement quoted above may be disputed, most physicists do have a feeling that the great laws of physics are at once simple and beautiful. Some of the notable physicists, besides Dirac, who have articulated this feeling, are : Einstein, Bohr, Heisenberg, Chandrasekhar and Feynman. You are urged to make special efforts to get PHYSICAL WORLD 15 access to the general books and writings by these and other great masters of physics. (See the Bibliography at the end of this book.) Their writings are truly inspiring ! 1.16 Textbooks on science may give you a wrong impression that studying science is dry and all too serious and that scientists are absent-minded introverts who never laugh or grin. This image of science and scientists is patently false. Scientists, like any other group of humans, have their share of humorists, and many have led their lives with a great sense of fun and adventure, even as they seriously pursued their scientific work. Two great physicists of this genre are Gamow and Feynman. You will enjoy reading their books listed in the Bibliography.