Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its motion and behavior through space and time, and that studies the related entities of energy and force. Physics is one of the most fundamental scientific disciplines, and its main goal is to understand how the universe behave
Mechanics velocity v̅ = Δ s Δ t v = d s dt acceleration a̅ = Δ v Δ t a = d v dt equations of motion v = v 0 + at s = s 0 + v 0 t + ½ at 2 v 2 = v 0 2 + 2 a ( s − s 0 ) v̅ = ½( v + v 0 ) newton's 2nd law ∑ F = m a ∑ F = d p dt weight W = m g dry friction f s ≤ μ s N f k = μ k N centripetal accel. a c = v 2 r a c = − ω 2 r momentum p = m v impulse J = F̅ Δ t J = ⌠ ⌡ F dt impulse-momentum F̅ Δ t = m Δ v ⌠ ⌡ F dt = Δ p work W = F̅ Δ s cos θ W = ⌠ ⌡ F · d s work-energy F̅ Δ s cos θ = Δ E ⌠ ⌡ F · d s ...
Anaximander Lived c. 610 BC – c. 546 BC. Anaximander is responsible for the idea that the earth needs nothing below it to support it. He said that the earth floats in the center of infinity, held in position because it is an equal distance from all the other parts of the universe. In doing so, he transformed the way we think of our planet and simultaneously introduced the idea of a force of attraction between the earth and the planets and stars in the heavens. “In my opinion this idea of Anaximander’s is one of the boldest, most revolutionary, and most portentous ideas in the whole history of human thought.” KARL POPPER, 1902 – 1994 Philosopher of Science Archimedes Lived c. 287 BC – 212 BC. The greatest scientist of ancient times, Archimedes pushed mathematics, physics, and engineering to new heights. He created the physical sciences of mechanics and hydrostatics, discovered the laws of levers and pulleys, and discovered one of the mos...
credits: wikimedia There are good reasons to say that PAM Dirac is indeed the greatest physicist. He was present at the birth of quantum theory and took part in the debates as to the merits of the wave theory formulation due to Schroedinger, and the matrix formulation due to Heisenberg. Dirac managed to show that they were two aspects of the same thing. This alone would make him a giant. It is not clear to me that there is any similar achievement elsewhere in physics. Like Einstein he went seeking for a new theory, and managed to produce it by himself in under two years, resulting in the Dirac equation that some think is the most beautiful equation there is. Although Dirac did not realise at the time, this theory predicted the positron and so antimatter. This prediction alone would make him a giant. It is comparable to the bending of light prediction of General Relativity. The Dirac equation also accounted for the fine structure of the hydrogen atom, ranking as one of the greatest expl...
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