Have you ever wondered what connects a falling apple, the glowing screen of your smartphone, and the countless stars twinkling in the night sky? At first glance, they seem completely unrelated — one is an everyday fruit, another a piece of modern technology, and the last an ancient cosmic wonder. So, what could be the thread that connects them all? Its Physics.
It’s not just about equations on a blackboard or scientists in a lab. It’s about understanding the world, its rules, and mysteries. It's the story of how the Universe works.
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| Credit: Stellar_speck on Unsplash |
What is Physics?
Physics studies matter, energy, and their interaction, to understand how everything in the universe works.
Why Study Physics?
The main goal of studying Physics is to learn how the Universe works at the most fundamental level, and also to discover the laws by which everything operates.
Why Physics Feel Hard? But It's Not Impossible
Physics is hard.
That’s what I heard growing up. Maybe you’ve felt that too. I definitely did. Actually, more than once. And I still remember how overwhelming it felt. But I knew that Physics is an interesting field.
Why does Physics need Mathematics?
When you think of Physics at a very basic level, you might grasp a few things very easily. But in actual, Physics as a subject has a lot of abstract concepts in it. And it is very math-heavy subject. A lot of you can think "Why do we need mathematics to learn physics? Maths is hard". Let me tell you that "Mathematics is the language of Physics".
From a very early stage of our life, we were conditioned to focus on memorization, and that's why we find it difficult to apply the knowledge we gain to solve problems. Problem solving is the main thing in Physics just after learning the concepts.
How can we learn to solve problems? Let's think it like this: playing chess may sound intimidating at first. But its rules are simple to learn and start playing. Similarly, the laws and rules of physics are also simple to start playing with Physics. But mastery in both the skills comes when you practice it more often.
But let me assure you that Physics can be learned with curiosity, persistence, and disciplined mindset.
A Brief History of Physics
The story of physics is really the story of human curiosity that has been going on for centuries.
- In ancient times, great thinkers like Aristotle in Greece and Aryabhatta in India tried to explain the nature of motion, stars, and reality. Their ideas were philosophical, but it was because of them that the groundwork of physics was set. After all, you have to start somewhere.
- The scientific revolution of the 16th - 17th centuries changed everything. Galileo tested many laws of nature with the help of telescopes and experiments. On the other hand, Newton gave his laws of motion and gravity. He showed that the force that makes an apple fall is the same force that keeps the Moon in its orbit.
- Then came the 19th century, when scientists like Faraday and Maxwell discovered phenomena like electricity and magnetism, along with the beginning of thermodynamics.
- The 20th century was quite revolutionary. Einstein's theory of relativity reshaped space and time. On the other hand, Planck and Bohr discovered a new field of microscopic world called quantum mechanics, where particles behave like waves.
- And today Physics is exploring things like black holes, dark matter, quantum computers, and the Big Bang.
Why is Physics called as the “Fundamental Science”?
Physics is considered the fundamental science because it explains the basic laws and concepts of nature. This understanding forms the foundation on which other fields of science and technology are built.
According to Feynman, physics is present-day equivalent to the natural philosophy from which most of our modern sciences arose.
- Chemistry depends on Physics to explain and understand the behaviour of atoms, molecules, and their bonding, etc.
- Biology relies on physics for processes like blood circulation (fluid mechanics), nerve signals (electricity), vision and hearing (optics and waves).
- Earth Science uses physics to study earthquakes (seismology), weather patterns, magnetism, and the motion of planets.
- Astronomy is deeply rooted in physics — from Newton’s gravity to Einstein’s relativity and modern astrophysics.
- Medicine applies physics in X-rays, MRI, ultrasound, radiation therapy, and biomechanics.
- All Engineering fields are dependent on Physics because it provides the laws that engineers apply to design and build technology.
We can say that Physics provides the tools that helps in the working of other sciences.
Branches of Physics
Physics is a vast field which can be divided into many branches. But mainly it is divided into two divisions: Classical Physics, and Modern Physics.
Although these two divisions can be further divided into many sub-fields of Physics. But we are going to see the main core branches of Physics, which includes:
- Classical Mechanics – Investigates motion, forces, and energy. Describes why cars travel, bridges remain upright, and balls curve when thrown.
- Electromagnetism – Addresses electricity, magnetism, and light. Charges your mobile phone, Wi-Fi, electric motors, and even the lightning in the air.
- Thermodynamics & Statistical Mechanics – Concentrates on heat, energy, and randomness. Describes why ice melts, refrigerators function, and engines require fuel.
- Optics – The study of light and vision. From glasses to cameras, fiber optics to rainbows, it demonstrates how light bends, reflects, and enables us to see.
- Quantum Mechanics – Opens up the world of atoms and particles' behavior. It's what makes lasers, MRI machines, semiconductors, and the very processor that runs your computer.
- Atomic Physics – Examines the structure and behavior of atoms. It accounts for neon signs, atomic clocks, and the chemical reactivity of elements.
- Nuclear Physics – Concerned with the nucleus of the atom. It drives nuclear power, medical diagnostics, and radiation treatment for battling cancer.
Physics and Technology: How They Drive Each Other
Physics and technology always go side by side. Physics is the knowledge that innovate and build new technologies. Semiconductors and transistors work and build upon the knowledge of Physics, which ultimately becomes the basis of all electronic products.
According to M.Dosanjh (2016) in his article, he said principles of particle physics are used as the foundation of cutting-edge radiotherapy technique for cancer treatment: hadron therapy, at CERN.
Moreover, NASA's innovations are deeply rooted in physics itself. Tech enables discoveries through Hubble telescope, Large Hadron Collider, etc. Since the 20th century, many technologies developed by NASA found their way into civilian life, such as memory foam, water purifier filters, scratch-resistant lenses, and many more.
Can the Laws of Physics Be Broken?
The fundamental laws of physics cannot be broken. Never. Being said that I must clarify that the written laws are not commands but tested models. Experimentation and observation results in forming laws and principles. But if any law is found to be broken, it means that the previous experimentation and results were not accurate or we can rather say, incomplete.
For example, Newton's laws were never replaced or broken by Einstein's relativity. Newton's laws are applicable in our daily life, but in extreme cases, relativity comes to rescue.
New discoveries are studied, and experimentations are done regularly, results in breaking previously given laws and establishing new ones.
Physics in Everyday Life
I always think that Physics is not just about the equations and labs, its a way of seeing things with a new perspective.
- Rainbows form because sunlight bends and splits when it passes through raindrops.
- Smartphones work because of quantum mechanics inside microchips and electromagnetism powering the circuits.
- Airplanes fly thanks to lift and drag, forces explained by classical mechanics and fluid dynamics.
- GPS is accurate only because satellites account for Einstein’s relativity. Otherwise, time runs slightly differently in orbit than on Earth!
Physics is not distant, it’s in your coffee cup, your headphones, and the stars above. Just think about as many Physics you can see in your daily life and notice them in a new way.
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