Physics and Other Fields
Physics
is the foundation of many disciplines and contributes directly to chemistry,
astronomy, engineering, and most scientific fields.
LEARNING OBJECTIVE
·
Explain why the study of physics is
integral to the study of other sciences
KEY POINTS
·
Many scientific disciplines, such as
biophysics, are hybrids of physics and other sciences.
·
The application of physics is fundamental towards significant
contributions in new technologies that arise from theoretical breakthroughs.
TERM
·
application the act of
putting something into operation
FULL TEXT
Physics and Other Disciplines
Physics
is the foundation of many important disciplines and contributes directly to
others. Chemistry deals with the interactions of atoms and molecules, so it is rooted in atomic and
molecular physics . Most branches of engineering are applied physics. In
architecture, physics is at the heart of structural stability and is involved
in acoustics, heating, lighting, and the cooling of buildings. Parts of geology
rely heavily on physics, such as the radioactive dating of rocks, earthquake
analysis, and heat transfer in the Earth. Some disciplines, such as
biophysics and geophysics, are hybrids of physics and other disciplines.
Physics
has many applications in the biological sciences. On the microscopic level, it
helps describe the properties of cell walls and cell membranes. On the macroscopic level, it can explain the
heat, work, and power associated with the human body. Physics is involved
in medical diagnostics, such as X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and ultrasonic blood flow
measurements. Medical therapy sometimes directly involves physics: cancer
radiotherapy uses ionizing radiation, for instance. Physics can also explain sensory
phenomena, such as how musical instruments make sound, how the eye detects
color, and how lasers can transmit information.
The
boundary between physics and the other sciences is not always clear. For
instance, chemists study atoms and molecules, which are what matter is built
from, and there are some scientists who would be equally willing to call
themselves physical chemists or chemical physicists. It might seem that the
distinction between physics and biology would be clearer, since physics seems
to deal with inanimate objects. In fact, almost all physicists would agree that
the basic laws of physics that apply to molecules in a test tube
work equally well for the combination of molecules that constitutes a
bacterium. What differentiates physics from biology is that many of the
scientific theories that describe living things ultimately result
from the fundamental laws of physics, but cannot be rigorously derived from
physical principles.
It is not necessary to formally study
all applications of physics. What is most useful is the knowledge of the basic
laws of physics and skill in the analytical methods for applying them. The
study of physics can also improve your problem-solving skills. Furthermore,
physics has retained the most basic aspects of science, so it is used by all of
the sciences. The study of physics makes other sciences easier to understand.
Sources:wikipedia via:boundless.com
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