The universe is made up of energy and matter, elements that maintain the balance in everything known and also in the unknown. Physics deals with finding the answers to those hidden things. Here in this article you will find what are the branches of physics? And everything you need to know about each of them
What are the branches of physics?
Talking about physics is already a fairly extensive topic, because all the events that occur in the universe must be mentioned. That is, movements, radiation, force, light, energy, speed, among others.
But it would be very complicated for a single structure to deal with, to give answers to all what happens around us. For this reason, specialized study units called branches of physics were created.
There are three branches of physics and they emerged in a harmonious way, from which the different questions in humanity were generated. Then we have the following order:
- Classical physics, corresponds to the period of ancient Greece.
- Modern Physics arises at the beginning of the XNUMXth century.
- Contemporary, it begins its action at the end of the XNUMXth century.
Classical physics
This branch of physics has the objective of studying events whose speeds are lower, if compared to that of light. In addition, that their spatial distances are above those presented by the molecules and the atom.
Classical physics studies various fields, to delegate functions it was divided into different categories, which are mentioned below:
classical mechanics
It is the subdivision of classical physics, which is responsible for studying and analyzing all the displacements of bodies and the forces that exert changes on them. Its point of support are the different theories of Isaac Newton that can be applied to the development of space rockets.
Electromagnetism
Branch of classical physics, covering all phenomena related to electricity and magnetism. Through it, the relationships between the different electric fields and their charges can be described.
Its area of application is related to the improvement of electronic devices and electricity.
Optics
Within branches of physics classic, there is the optics. This has to do with all the phenomena related to light, how it affects the bodies in its presence, the properties of luminous events, among others.
Of all the branches, it is one of the oldest, due to the fact that refraction and reflection are phenomena studied since the beginning of modern civilization.
The application of this branch of physics to the development of humanity is the invention of optical fibers and the significant leap in improving communications.
Acoustics
It is responsible for knowing everything related to sound, how it spreads and how they originate. It also spends time getting to know, how it affects objects and how it is heard.
Thanks to this branch of physics, important advances have been made in the design and improvement of different musical instruments.
Thermodynamics
Its field of action focuses on knowing the different forms of energy, emphasizing those that come from heat and temperature. He develops mechanisms that allow him to describe how heat is transferred and its effect on bodies.
It is frequently used in the development of improvements for the mechanical, metalworking and automotive industries.
modern physics
Modern physics is responsible for studying and finding the answers to events that, during their occurrence, can reach speeds close to or similar to that of light.
This stage begins with the need to learn more about energy and the tiny particles that were housed in it. The German scientist Max Planck wanted to get out of the classical research patterns and began to study the quantum.
The branches of modern physics direct their efforts in two areas of study. These are quantum mechanics and the theory of relativity.
Quantum mechanics
Physics is based on it, to analyze the events of nature that occur on very small scales. For example, the behavior of atoms, protons and electrons.
One of the investigations for the advance, in the study of the branches of mechanical physics, was the Planck's quantum theory. Because of his interest in knowing what effects the impact of radiation generated on a black body.
The application of quantum mechanics in everyday life is oriented towards the knowledge of how solid bodies act, in the face of various events.
Relativity
Relativity is part of the set of theories that were developed by Einstein, in order to know all the events related to time and space.
The contributions that this scientist made to science are diverse and important.
He was the first to develop theories related to gravity, astrophysics, study of the cosmos, in addition to using the definitions of time and space for the first time.
Contemporary Physics
The perspective of contemporary physics is oriented to the knowledge of nature and its complicated operating structures. It also tries to know the processes that are out of the schemes of thermodynamic stability, among others.
Faced with the need to provide answers to the questions that arose and because of the straitjacket that modern physics had, this new current of research arose, almost ending in the XNUMXth century. The branches of contemporary physics are those mentioned below.
Statistical mechanics
It is part of the branches of contemporary physics and through the application of probabilities, it can infer a certain behavior of macroscopic spaces, of the elements that make it up and the interactions that occur.
Fluid mechanics
The study area of fluid mechanics focuses on knowing how liquids and gases behave when they are in a state of inactivity.
It is frequently used in research associated with the knowledge of hydraulic or combustion processes.
nonlinear dynamics
Part of physics that is responsible for investigating the behaviors of nature, which do not follow a predictable pattern. These study objects may include not very complex mechanical schemes, up to the displacements that are generated in the universe.
Chaos theory
Like nonlinear dynamics, in which not everything repeats exactly the same and exactly. Chaos theory seeks to find the logic to these natural events, such as those that originate in the atmosphere.
One of the most common phenomena studied by this branch of physics is climate change. Because they are extraordinarily dynamic, it is almost impossible to make weather forecasts for more than five days.
Another area, where this theory can be used, is in the observations of social events, which never maintain a linear pattern of the causes that generate them and the effect that they will have on behavior or behavior. Physical changes of people.
Curiosities of physics, which accompany you in daily life
Physics and its different branches are present in the life of all living beings on the planet. Even if you don't notice her, she is there day and night, acting, intervening in each one of your lives.
Stop for a moment, in the center of your homes and observe everything that is around you. For example, they can hear the noise of your refrigerator, the light that comes from the lamp, how cold they feel because they have the cooling system in the house on.
There are millions of examples that can be named at this precise moment and in each of them, physics and each of the branches are present. Next, some of the facts of daily life are mentioned, where physics is manifested.
Once they start reading, they probably won't believe it!
Action-reaction principle
The action-reaction principle is found worked on in Newton's 3rd Law. This law states that when a body exerts a certain force on another, the body that initially prints the impact reacts in the opposite direction.
To understand it better, try to imagine that you are on the beach. Trying to push the fellow traveler, they tend to fall on their back once they have put pressure on the friend's chest.
One more example, of how you can find physics in everyday life, is when you try to jump, the first thing you usually do is lean on the surface, in order to get jump momentum.
The ball never stops rolling
Some may think that the ball or the ball at some point stops rolling. But according to the law of inertia, if a body is not exposed to external forces, it continues its trajectory with a constant speed and in a straight line.
Although it seems hard to believe, it is what happens with a ball. She will continue to roll in a straight line, until someone or something stops her. The same thing happens in a soccer game, when kicking the ball it will be fired and the players have to go after it, to be able to stop it and score the goal.
Food stays cold, in the fridge but hot
The conservation of food in a refrigerated way, has its principle in thermodynamics. This principle establishes that bodies do not give off heat spontaneously.
The theory is based on the fact that to transfer all the heat from a cold mass to a hot one, there must necessarily be an expenditure of work.
An example of this principle is refrigeration equipment or refrigerators. These devices use electrical energy to produce heat and be able to pass it to the food and keep it in good condition.
It seems contradictory, that to keep an ice cream frozen, it has to receive heat, but that is how the phenomena of physics work.
