This chapter discusses key concepts in physics including:
- Theories are developed to explain observations and make predictions which are then tested through experiments.
- Models are used to help understand phenomena but are not intended to be literally true representations.
- Laws summarize relationships between variables that have been widely observed to be true.
- Dimensional analysis can be used to check calculations by confirming quantities have the correct physical dimensions.
Introduction to Physics
Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its motion, and behavior through space and time, as well as the related entities of energy and force. It seeks to understand the fundamental principles governing the universe, from the smallest subatomic particles to the vastness of space.
Historical Development of Physics
Physics has a rich history that spans millennia. Ancient civilizations, such as the Greeks and Egyptians, made early observations about the natural world, but it was not until the Scientific Revolution in the 16th and 17th centuries that modern physics began to take shape. Pioneering figures like Galileo Galilei, Isaac Newton, and Johannes Kepler laid the groundwork for classical physics, introducing concepts such as the laws of motion, gravity, and planetary motion.
Classical Physics
Classical physics, also known as Newtonian physics, describes the behavior of macroscopic objects moving at everyday speeds. It encompasses Newton's laws of motion, which state that an object will remain at rest or in uniform motion unless acted upon by an external force, and that the force acting on an object is equal to the mass of the object multiplied by its acceleration (F=ma). Classical physics also includes the law of universal gravitation, which describes the gravitational force between two objects.
Modern Physics
Modern physics emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, revolutionizing our understanding of the universe. It includes two major branches: quantum mechanics and relativity.
Quantum Mechanics
Quantum mechanics deals with the behavior of particles on the smallest scales, such as atoms and subatomic particles. It is based on the principle of wave-particle duality, which states that particles exhibit both wave-like and particle-like properties. Quantum mechanics also introduces the concept of quantization, where certain properties, such as energy levels, are restricted to discrete values.
Relativity
Relativity, developed by Albert Einstein, revolutionized our understanding of space and time. It consists of two theories: special relativity and general relativity. Special relativity describes the behavior of objects moving at high speeds, showing that time and space are intertwined in a four-dimensional continuum known as spacetime. General relativity extends this to include gravity, describing it as the curvature of spacetime caused by the presence of mass and energy.
Fundamental Forces
Physics also seeks to understand the fundamental forces that govern the interactions between particles. There are four known fundamental forces: gravity, electromagnetism, the weak nuclear force, and the strong nuclear force. Gravity is responsible for the attraction between objects with mass, while electromagnetism governs the interactions between charged particles. The weak nuclear force is involved in radioactive decay, while the strong nuclear force binds protons and neutrons together in atomic nuclei.
Appl
Introduction to Physics
Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its motion, and behavior through space and time, as well as the related entities of energy and force. It seeks to understand the fundamental principles governing the universe, from the smallest subatomic particles to the vastness of space.
Historical Development of Physics
Physics has a rich history that spans millennia. Ancient civilizations, such as the Greeks and Egyptians, made early observations about the natural world, but it was not until the Scientific Revolution in the 16th and 17th centuries that modern physics began to take shape. Pioneering figures like Galileo Galilei, Isaac Newton, and Johannes Kepler laid the groundwork for classical physics, introducing concepts such as the laws of motion, gravity, and planetary motion.
Classical Physics
Classical physics, also known as Newtonian physics, describes the behavior of macroscopic objects moving at everyday speeds. It encompasses Newton's laws of motion, which state that an object will remain at rest or in uniform motion unless acted upon by an external force, and that the force acting on an object is equal to the mass of the object multiplied by its acceleration (F=ma). Classical physics also includes the law of universal gravitation, which describes the gravitational force between two objects.
Modern Physics
Modern physics emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, revolutionizing our understanding of the universe. It includes two major branches: quantum mechanics and relativity.
Quantum Mechanics
Quantum mechanics deals with the behavior of particles on the smallest scales, such as atoms and subatomic particles. It is based on the principle of wave-particle duality, which states that particles exhibit both wave-like and particle-like properties. Quantum mechanics also introduces the concept of quantization, where certain properties, such as energy levels, are restricted to discrete values.
Relativity
Relativity, developed by Albert Einstein, revolutionized our understanding of space and time. It consists of two theories: special relativity and general relativity. Special relativity describes the behavior of objects moving at high speeds, showing that time and space are intertwined in a four-dimensional continuum known as spacetime. General relativity extends this to include gravity, describing it as the curvature of spacetime caused by the presence of mass and energy.
Fundamental Forces
Physics also seeks to understand the fundamental forces that govern the interactions between particles. There are four known fundamental forces: gravity, electromagnetism, the weak nuclear force, and the strong nuclear force. Gravity is responsible for the attraction between objects with mass, while electromagnetism governs the interactions between charged particles. The weak nuclear force is involved in radioactive decay, while the strong nuclear force binds protons and neutrons together in atomic nuclei.
Appl
Embracing GenAI - A Strategic ImperativePeter Windle
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI, Image Generators and Large Language Models have had a dramatic impact on teaching, learning and assessment over the past 18 months. The most immediate threat AI posed was to Academic Integrity with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) focusing their efforts on combating the use of GenAI in assessment. Guidelines were developed for staff and students, policies put in place too. Innovative educators have forged paths in the use of Generative AI for teaching, learning and assessments leading to pockets of transformation springing up across HEIs, often with little or no top-down guidance, support or direction.
This Gasta posits a strategic approach to integrating AI into HEIs to prepare staff, students and the curriculum for an evolving world and workplace. We will highlight the advantages of working with these technologies beyond the realm of teaching, learning and assessment by considering prompt engineering skills, industry impact, curriculum changes, and the need for staff upskilling. In contrast, not engaging strategically with Generative AI poses risks, including falling behind peers, missed opportunities and failing to ensure our graduates remain employable. The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates a proactive and strategic approach if we are to remain relevant.
Francesca Gottschalk - How can education support child empowerment.pptxEduSkills OECD
Francesca Gottschalk from the OECD’s Centre for Educational Research and Innovation presents at the Ask an Expert Webinar: How can education support child empowerment?
Introduction to AI for Nonprofits with Tapp NetworkTechSoup
Dive into the world of AI! Experts Jon Hill and Tareq Monaur will guide you through AI's role in enhancing nonprofit websites and basic marketing strategies, making it easy to understand and apply.
Read| The latest issue of The Challenger is here! We are thrilled to announce that our school paper has qualified for the NATIONAL SCHOOLS PRESS CONFERENCE (NSPC) 2024. Thank you for your unwavering support and trust. Dive into the stories that made us stand out!
Model Attribute Check Company Auto PropertyCeline George
In Odoo, the multi-company feature allows you to manage multiple companies within a single Odoo database instance. Each company can have its own configurations while still sharing common resources such as products, customers, and suppliers.
2024.06.01 Introducing a competency framework for languag learning materials ...Sandy Millin
http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/iateflwebinar2024
Published classroom materials form the basis of syllabuses, drive teacher professional development, and have a potentially huge influence on learners, teachers and education systems. All teachers also create their own materials, whether a few sentences on a blackboard, a highly-structured fully-realised online course, or anything in between. Despite this, the knowledge and skills needed to create effective language learning materials are rarely part of teacher training, and are mostly learnt by trial and error.
Knowledge and skills frameworks, generally called competency frameworks, for ELT teachers, trainers and managers have existed for a few years now. However, until I created one for my MA dissertation, there wasn’t one drawing together what we need to know and do to be able to effectively produce language learning materials.
This webinar will introduce you to my framework, highlighting the key competencies I identified from my research. It will also show how anybody involved in language teaching (any language, not just English!), teacher training, managing schools or developing language learning materials can benefit from using the framework.
Unit 8 - Information and Communication Technology (Paper I).pdfThiyagu K
This slides describes the basic concepts of ICT, basics of Email, Emerging Technology and Digital Initiatives in Education. This presentations aligns with the UGC Paper I syllabus.
Over the course of human history, people have developed many interconnected and validated ideas about the physical, biological, psychological, and social worlds. Those ideas have enabled successive generations to achieve an increasingly comprehensive and reliable understanding of the human species and its environment. The means used to develop these ideas are particular ways of observing, thinking, experimenting, and validating. These ways represent a fundamental aspect of the nature of science and reflect how science tends to differ from other modes of knowing.
In science, a model is a representation of an idea, an object or even a process or a system that is used to describe and explain phenomena that cannot be experienced directly. Models are central to what scientists do, both in their research as well as when communicating their explanations.
Models are a mentally visual way of linking theory with experiment, and they guide research by being simplified representations of an imagined reality that enable predictions to be developed and tested by experiment.
A theory presents a systematic way of understanding events or situations. It is a set of concepts, definitions, and propositions that explain or predict these events or situations by illustrating the relationships between variables.
A law in science is a generalized rule to explain a body of observations in the form of a verbal or mathematical statement.
Measurement is a process of detecting an unknown physical quantity by using standard quantity. For example: Take a book and use ruler (scale) to find its length. Suppose the length was 20 cm. You underwent through a process called Measurement where:
The unknown physical quantity was the length of book.
There are two types of measurement errors:
Random Errors
Systematic Errors
Random Errors
Random errors occur when measurements are being made; as a result, the measurements may vary in unpredictable ways, which could result in a significant deviation from the true value.
The ruler was the standard quantity.
20 was the magnitude.
cm was the unit of the book-length.
The interval in which the true value lies is called the uncertainty in the measurement.
Absolute Uncertainty or ± value
The absolute uncertainty in the mean value of measurements is half the range of the measurements.
E.g.
Suppose the measurements of the diameter of a pin by a Vernier Calliper are as follows:
0.25mm; 0.24mm;0.26mm; 0.23mm;0.27mm;
The mean = (0.25 + 0.24 + 0.26 + 0.23 + 0.27)/5 =125/5 = 0.25mm
The range = 0.27 - 0.23 = 0.04mm
Absolute Uncertainty = ± 0.04/2 = ± 0.02
So, the mean value = mean ± range/2 = 25 ± 0.04/2= 25 ± 0.02
Accuracy:
This is the closeness of the measured values to the true value.
Precision:
This is the closeness of the measured values to each other: the closer they are to each other, the more precise they are.
Units provide specific meaning to the magnitude of a substance. Units of measurement provide standard to identify measurement of a physical quantify. For example: If you say that, the volume of your notebook is 25, it provides no exact meaning because it could be 25 mm3 or 25 cm3 or 25 dm3 and many more. But if you use units cm3, it provides accurate meaning that the volume of the notebook is 25 cm3.