Classical Physics And Modern Physics example essay topic

Once in while, students are assigned to write about a certain subject in school. Today's topic is a science called physics, more specifically, what exactly is physics. In this essay, I am going to attempt to answer that question. Well in helping us define this science, we must know its history. Physics dates back to prehistoric times.

The first people to leave written records of their discoveries and inventions were the Sumerians, Babylonians, and Egyptians. By 3000 BC, the Sumerians had developed a number system, and they used algebraic formulas for following and predicting movements of the stars, sun, moon, and planets. Although the Sumerians, Babylonians, and Egyptians discovered many new things pertaining to physics, the Greeks appeared to have been the first people to develop general theoretical systems of natural sciences. The Greeks were sharp observers of the physical world. In the 200's, the astronomer Eratosthenes calculated the circumference of the earth, and Aristarchus, another astronomer, estimated the relative distances to the moon and sun. Also during the 200's, the mathematician and inventor Archimedes discovered several basic scientific principles and developed ways of calculating areas and volumes.

And in the 300's, the philosopher Aristotle provided proof, based on physical evidence, of the spherical shape of the earth. Now you know the history of physics, yet you do not know what it is. Well, the word physics actually comes from a Greek word meaning natural things. Thus, physics would be and is a science that deals with matter and energy and their interactions in nature.

What physics is suppose to answer is basic questions about the world, how it is put together, and how it changes. Many people think of Isaac Newton and movement when they hear the word "physics", but that is not even half of what it covers. Physics can be separated into two categories, classical physics and modern physics. Classical physics deals with motion and energy such as mechanics, heat, sound, electricity and magnetism, and light. Modern physics deals with scientific beliefs about the basic structure of the material world.

It focuses on atomic physics, molecular physics, electron physics, nuclear physics, fluid and plasma physics, and solid-state physics. Physics can be found everywhere such as in simple everyday things like cars, toasters, refrigerators, computers, vacuums, and many other things. Physics continues to be one of the most active and important sciences. The ongoing research of the nature of matter has led to and will continue to lead into many important discoveries.