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What Is Physics?
Objectives
1. Identify activities and fields that involve the major areas within physics.
2. Describe the role of models and diagrams in physics.
What is physics?
Physics is the study of the physical world, that is, the world of matter and energy.
Physics is everywhere; any problem that deals with temperature, size, motion, position, shape, or color involves physics.
Areas Within Physics
Name Subjectsmotion and its causesheat and temperaturespecific types of repetitive motionlightelectricity, magnetism, and light
Areas Within Physics
Name Subjectsmechanics motion and its
causesheat and temperaturespecific types of repetitive motionlightelectricity, magnetism, and light
Areas Within Physics
Name Subjectsmechanics motion and its
causesthermodynamics heat and
temperaturespecific types of repetitive motionlightelectricity, magnetism, and light
Areas Within Physics
Name Subjectsmechanics motion and its
causesthermodynamics heat and
temperaturevibrations and waves
specific types of repetitive motionlightelectricity, magnetism, and light
Areas Within Physics
Name Subjectsmechanics motion and its
causesthermodynamics heat and
temperaturevibrations and waves
specific types of repetitive motion
optics lightelectricity, magnetism, and light
Areas Within Physics
Name Subjectsmechanics motion and its
causesthermodynamics heat and
temperaturevibrations and waves
specific types of repetitive motion
optics lightelectromagnetism electricity,
magnetism, and light
Areas Within Physics
Name Subjectsrelativity Particles moving at
any speed, including very high speedBehavior of submicroscopic atomic particles
Areas Within Physics
Name Subjectsrelativity Particles moving at
any speed, including very high speed
quantum mechanics Behavior of submicroscopic atomic particles
What area of physics is most relevant to:
A high school football game? Food preparation for the prom? Playing in the school band? Lightning in a thunderstorm? Wearing a pair of sunglasses
outside in the sun?
How Physicists Simplify Reality
System – a set of items or interactions considered a distinct physical entity for the purpose of study; usually, this involves a single object and the items that immediately affect it.
Model- a replica or description designed to show the structure or workings of an object, system or concept.
Scientific Method Using models can help to build
hypotheses. Hypothesis –
a possible answer, based on background information available.
provides a plan or model for investigation or experimentation.
Controlled experiment – an experiment involving the manipulation of a single variable or factor.
Scientific Methods Independent variable- the quantity that
is manipulated by the experimenter in an experiment in order to determine its effect on another quantity.
Dependent variable- the quantity that is being measured; the experimenter tries to determine how the dependent variable is affected by changes in the independent variable.
Graphing experimental results When graphing
the results of an experiment, the independent variable is graphed on the horizontal axis, and the dependent variable is graphed on the vertical axis.
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Independent Variable (varied by experimenter)
Dependent
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easu
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experi
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