Physics

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2. How does physics serve to improve our understanding of physical systems?

I could answer most of your questions with this: physics describes EVERYTHING. It is the study of the natural world. But here goes: How does physics serve to improve our understanding of physical systems? Because physics tells us exactly what happens in these systems, it's more than just equations. Behind it all, physics can teach you everything you need to know about the system in question. How do the principles of physics effect your daily life? The most basic physical principles deal with particles and atoms and energy.... that's pretty much everything in the known universe... so I think that accounts for ALL the events in your life. People underestimate how basic physics really is. All other sciences are built off of it, ALL of chemistry is encompassed in physics, even biology (just at a higher level). Describe something in nature that has become more compelling because of an understanding of physics principles Describe something that HASN'T become more compelling! lol j/k. seriously though this is an opinion question. I guess I would just say space and time in general. Is it possible to describe the whole natural world (chemical and biological) with a small number of physical principles? If so, how? Oops, I already answered this :) Yes it is possible, because as I have said, everything is made from matter and energy, and physics is the only real tool we have to understanding these things at the most basic level. Everything else (from the neurons in your brain) to trees animals, it's all built off of these basic principles. Is physics a redundant science? Do we now have a clear understanding of the interactions between matter and energy on all scales? Is technological application the main thrust of physics research today? Hell no. I for one (and probably all physicists) will never stop developing our current understanding of the universe until I can stand back and say with absolute certainty that I know exactly how the universe works. There is a famous quote by richard feynman Physics is like sex: sure, it may give some practical results, but that's not why we do it What I'm trying to say is... i guess that ordinary people might only care about the applications of science research. But the scientists/physicists themselves care about the principles. and no we don't have a clear understanding of the interactions between matter and energy on all scales. In fact I would say that we have a poor understanding. Although we do have some fairly excellent ways to describe mathematically and predict WHAT will happen, we don't understand very well HOW it happens.

3. What parts of Physics are very difficult to comprehend?

QUANTUMMMMMMMMM PHYSICS. people have to be smart enough to understand bcoz 1. d abstract complex theories n equations. 2. they must understand Higher Advanced Math to do physics. 3. n if u go deep inside physics its about understanding of Natural Phenomenon n why, how things happen n d reason behind things happen is not common to common senses , u have to work it out by using tools n math, not by ur eyes, nose, ears alone . n the theories u learn is not exactly absolute n can be wrong too, so wats is the truth u have to decide for ur own. pretty tough compare to other subjects.

4. I have forgotten physics in which I have done my Masters.Can anyone help how to start again?Any Online course?

If you especially want an online course, I don't know if there are any actual revision courses for people who've previously done physics to that level and are just looking to re-acquaint themselves with the material. There are heaps of online High School level courses available from the cyber-schools but I'm guessing you'd probably get very bored, very quickly if you were to return to that level of simplicity. There are universities that offer their programmes online that might suit your level of previous knowledge better but anything like that would probably be expensive! I do know though that ACS (Australian Correspondence School) allows people to buy everything they need to complete any of their courses at half price - providing they don't want any of their assignments marked by ACS; don't want to take the tests, exams; aren't looking for a formal qualification at the end of it etc. I don't know if they have physics courses or if you could find another distance education provider who does offer physics and would be willing to just sell you the course materials, study programme etc at a reduced cost. You could also check with your local college/uni to see if they offer any bespoke courses in physics. Maybe better than you looking online though, there is a series of books called 'X de-mystified'. They are written especially for people, like yourself, who have studied a subject in the past but not for many years and now want to re-visit that subject. Yes, there is a 'Physics De-mystified' book in the series. You don't say where you are but they are definitely available here in Australia. I have no idea if the books are available wherever you are (assuming you're not a fellow Aussie!) but, with the web etc, I'd imagine it'd be possible for you/your local library to get hold of a copy. Or maybe if you poked around a bit, you could find something similar which is freely available in your locale. Or you could just try getting hold of a couple of physics texts (my personal starting points would be a copy of the Physics Course Companion for the IB [International Baccalaureate], a copy of the text: 'Physics for the IB' and maybe an undergraduate level text [or two] offering a general overview of physics. Go and have a chat with your local Educational Librarian if you don't know what are the best books currently available locally to you. You might also want to see if you can join the library at your local university (if you're not already a member!) because obviously they'll have a wider range of texts than your local council library. I belong to our state university's library, it was literally as easy as calling them and asking if membership of their library is available to members of the community. You might want to try calling your local uni library and asking a similar question!

5. What is the difference between physics and engineering physics?

I have an Engineering Physics degree. The only difference between the 2 as far as classes went was that I took engineering courses in a field of my choice in place of technical elective classes like foreign language and free electives. In engineering physics, at least where I went, you take all the same stuff as physics with the exception of foreign language and you take engineering classes as kind of a minor. As an important side note, it's hard to get a job with a just a bachelors degree in either field, but you might be able to talk your self into some engineering jobs with the engineering physics degree. My advice would be, if you are going to get a Masters or a PhD, go with the straight Physics degree. But if you need to make a living after your first degree and you are smart enough to get a physics degree, then find something you like where there is a demand for it at the Bachelors level and apply yourself to that. PS: The first year of many degrees are the same (Calculus, Physics, Chemistry), so if you are trying to narrow it down between like Physics, Engineering Physics, or something in Engineering, then you can just pick 1 and figure out what you like the first year and then make a switch without really loosing any time. The best way is to get the actual class requirements for each major and compare them.

6. How hard would a correspondence course in Physics 112 be for someone who has never taken physics before?

Given that every university has different numbering systems, telling us that it is Physics 112 is meaningless. If it is an introductory class for non-science majors, then it should not be too hard. If it is an introductory class for science majors, it may require you to know calculus to do the work. If it is not an introductory class, then it could be very difficult for you. I doubt that knowing physics will help much in doing respiratory therapy. However, the skills that you use in learning physics will be valuable in any field.

7. Is it ok to take Physics (Calculus based) with a background of only College Algebra and Trigonometry?

Depends on the difficulty of the University. If you're at MIT, University of Michigan, Virginia Tech or another top ranked science university then i would never go into a class under prepared. If it's in a community college there should be enough people that don't know what's going on anyway that you can get away with not knowing all of the calculus background for a calc based physics class

8. What's the difference between college physics and university physics?

university physics is usually calculus-based and will require calculus as a prerequisite (or sometimes co-requisite). college physics is usually more algebra-based and the math is not quite as intensive. I majored in physics.

9. What is the relationship between Calculus and Physics?

It just so happens in our universe that the universe can be explained and understood in terms of mathematics. Why this should be the case, nobody knows- that is a meta-physical question. Perhaps we humans need something like mathematics to help us understand the universe, we have used mathematics to analyse, axplain and understand the universe. Or maybe there is a more fundamental connection. Maybe Mother Nature is a mathematician... Acceleration doesn't need to be taught in calculus. A calculus course could be completely abstract, without reference to the real world. But, calculus has found an extremely wide range of application, so it makes sense to bring in the applications in a calculus course, not least because those taking the course may want to apply to real world problems (physicists, engineers, even business men), but it also helps heuristically if it relates to the real world, things that are tangible and 'knowable'. That is to say, calculus does not depend on physics. Calculus to be completely abstract. But it is quite unlikely that physics would have gotten far without calculus. Just about every branch of physics can be dealt with within the framework of calculus- dynamics, kinematics, hydraulics...- you name it. Some topics in physics would even be impossible without calculus, such as variable acceleration. Even in quantum mechanics, where (almost) everything is discrete, calculus plays an important role. But, one could say that certain physics problems which required an analysis with calculus, sort of spurred on the developement of calculus, in a similar way that engineering problems pushed physics forward (think Fourier Series etc.). Why does calculus find so much application in physics? Calculus basically deals with infinitesimal changes- changes that are not zero, but smaller than any imaginable real number. In physics (reality) the universe operates with infinitesimal changes. So calculus (specifically, infinitesimal calculus) works splenidly with the real world where things can be analysed infinitesimally. And such infinitesimal analyses covers the (usual) situation where the quantity in question is not constant, or not even changing at a constant rate, which would not be possible without calculus. And that would explain why calculus and physics are difficult. Calculus requires thinking about infinitesimal changes, which sound quite contradictory and mind-boggling. Calculus is unlike any other branch in mathematics. Also, physics requires a sort of visualisation and intuition about physical reality. One must also remember that the topics covered in one physics or calculus course (at university) may have taken thinkers and scientists centuries, and even millenia, to come to grips with, and all that thought is condensed into a semester or one year. It makes you think....

10. What can I do to go to a regular physics and calculus class?

Talk to your teacher, especially if he/she teaches the other class. The point is learning the concept, rather than an equation, but your teacher should be able to help you, either learn the difference between classes (and whether you probably can jump or help focus your independent study). Then you might want to talk to your guidance counselor at school. If you are in geometry, you might want to add another math class at the semester to catch up with other college bound students at the semester. Or see if you can prove you can test out of the material (better have As). Another option might be taking a class by correspondence or at a local college. If your parents can financially handle it, it could give you more time to get in more classes. But make sure you aren't skipping things you find boring, there's a reason geometry is before calculus (logic and proofs are fundamental to higher math). Also be sure to interact with your teachers in a positive manner. Teachers love students that want to learn more, and can likely give suggestions better suited to the options at your school. As for Lorentz Transformations and QM - there are great books on the topics, and I suggest reading some of those. Knowing all of math - especially recognizing equivalences to other expressions (Taylor's Series for example) is one of the harder parts of QM, especially since the old log math tricks tend not to be taught today with calculators in the classroom.

11. What is the best physics textbook for undergraduate students?

1. Feynman, Richard; Leighton, Robert; Sands, Matthew (1989). Feynman Lectures on Physics. Addison-Wesley. ISBN 0-201-51003-0 2. Halliday, David; Resnick, Robert; Walker, Jearl. Fundamentals of Physics 7th ed. ISBN 0-471-21643-7 3. Serway, Raymond A.; Jewett, John W. (2004). Physics for Scientists and Engineers (6th ed.). Brooks/Cole. ISBN 0-534-40842-7 4. H. C. Verma (2005). Concepts of Physics. Bharti Bhavan. ISBN 81-7709-187-5 The first book I listed is best, according to me, but only to a certain extent, since it has some casual/unofficial explanations. Halliday/Resnick is a best choice for serious students seeking to gain mastery of the topic.

12. What does a minor in physics really tell you about an individual?

WELL, I don't know what to tell you here. If I had to answer the question from a outside perspective (i.e. not having a B.S. in math and a physics minor myself), I would say having the physics minor is a sign that not only are you able to conquer the rigid world of mathematics, but that you are flexible enough to apply the math to a specific discipline, in your case physics, rather than just having a pure logic style of thinking that turns math majors into math Ph.Ds. From my personal perspective, it hasn't meant much. I'm headed into the education field since I haven't been able to solidify a job doing anything I'm interested in related to math or physics. I hope you have a better student services/job placement program at your school.

13. How important is high school physics for a bio major in college?

high school physics are useful for math and engineering majors. furthermore, it is interesting. i loved it so much i took physics 2. i am going into neuroscience, which is centered in biology. it will look good to a college because physics is challenging. but if you dont want it, then dont take it, cause you dont really need it for biology. =)

14. Why is it important to study Physics?

Physics is about the study of the laws of nature. It is important for advancing theoretical models of physical phenomena, or experimental materials and equipment (involving some chemistry/biology/computerscience/engineering) which could significantly impact or deliver increased value to current technologies. That said if you want to study it, make sure you get practical experience along the way and already know what you want to study, or else it will prove worthless because there are relatively extremely few jobs available for physics grads. People who do succeed in their studies go on to graduate studies, become research assistants or teaching assistants. You can direct students to the websites of universities to see current areas of research (most popular is condensed matter physics - involving nanotech/electronics/materials) Check out: http://www.spsnational.org/cup/advice/life.html

15. What are the physics concept involved in a catapult?

It uses the elastic potential energy of the rope tied around that main axle. the flight of the trajectory is kinematics. Both catapults and ballistas work by storing tension either in twisted ropes or in a flexed piece of wood (in the same way an archery bow does, but on a larger scale). all of it is at the following site: good site: http://science.howstuffworks.com/question127.htm http://www.physicsforums.com/archive/index.php/t-72543.html

16. What US Universities (public or private) offer the best physics programs for undergraduates?

Think of any big name school and their program will be good. Physics is about the same anywhere for undergraduate. Caltech, MIT are bit tougher than the rest though. Just go to US News.com and look at their college rankings list.

17. What field of physics should I go into?

Most of these are branches under applied physics. 1. Soil physics and Geophysics. Not so much a hot field anymore. Many still love this kind of work though. 2. Space physics. Space is probably the future it seems to be where we are going. 3. Communication physics. There will be tons of work in this field for at least the next 40-60 years at least. We thrive on communication, especially internet based. 4. Agrophysics. Not a lot of work in this field, but the work is very rewarding, what little there is. 5. Biophysics, Medical physics, and Sports physics. This seems to be very popular right now. Lots of work in this area, but the work is sometimes hard to find.

18. From a chemistry andor physics point of view. How do you explain pepper repelling from dish soap?

The answer is on this site: http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/gen06/gen06174.htm The simple answer is that the surface tension of the pepper particles is less than pure water (about 72 ergs/cm^2), so the pepper particles tend to float on the water's surface. When you add a drop of soap, you greatly reduce the surface tension of the water near the point at which you add the soap. Initially, this causes a repulsion of the pepper particles and the particles tend to follow the high surface tension areas. If you shake the solution, you will find that the pepper particles get wetted by the soap solution and the pepper will disperse in the soap solution.

19. How do I solve this physics problems involving acceleration?

First, let's find out how long it will take for the boulder to reach the bottom of the cliff: 1225=(9.8/2)*(t^2)=4.9*t^2 1225/4.9=t^2 sqrt(1225/4.9)=t=15.81 seconds Our hero must reach her in under 15.81 seconds. Now, let's figure out how long it will take him to cover the 307.5 meters. First, how much time and distance are needed to reach his top speed: Clearly, he accelerates to his top speed in 2.5 seconds. The distance covered during his acceleration is: d=a/2*t^2=10/2*2.5^2=5*6.25=31.25 meters. Decelerating will take an equal time and distance. So, Noah runs the remaining 245 meters at a constant rate of 25 meters/second. This will take 9.8 seconds: 245/25=9.8 seconds. His total run takes 14.8 seconds: 9.8+(2.5*2)=14.8 Yes, Noah save our hapless damsel with a huge 1.01 seconds to spare. (rah rah)

20. What is the most fascinating unsolved problem in physics?

Where does the gravitational force actually come from, is there a gravitron (partical of gravity), why is it such a weak force compared to the other 3 fundamental forces. String theory tries to explain some of this, but no one actually knows why yet.