Branches of Physics – Introduction to fundamental concepts of Biological Science including the organization and common characteristics of living matters, cell structures and functions, food production by photosynthesis, harvesting energy, mechanism of cells reproduction, genetics, evolutions, and Human Biology. Introduction to general chemistry including basic concepts about matter, atomic structure, chemical bonds, gases, liquid, and solids, solutions, chemical reactions, acid, bases, and salt;
organic and biochemistry including hydrocarbons and their derivatives, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals, nucleic acids; principles of physics and applications to nursing including gravity and mechanics, pressure, heat and electricity; nuclear chemistry and nuclear physics, effects of radiation on human beings, and protection and disposal. The aim of the course is to acquire knowledge and skills in general biological science, general chemistry and physics.
Concept about Physics
The word physics is derived from the Latin word physica, which means “natural thing. Physics is the natural science that studies matter and 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 behaves.
Physics is one of the oldest academic disciplines and, through its inclusion of astronomy, perhaps the oldest.
Over the last two millennia, physics, chemistry, biology, and certain branches of mathematics were a part of natural philosophy, but during the scientific revolution in the 17th century, these natural sciences emerged as unique research endeavors in their own right.
Physics intersects with many interdisciplinary areas of research, such as biophysics and quantum chemistry, and the boundaries of physics are not rigidly defined. New ideas in physics often explain the fundamental mechanisms studied by other sciences and suggest new avenues of research in academic disciplines such as mathematics and philosophy.
Definition of Physics:
“The branch of science concerned with the nature and properties of matter and energy. The subject matter of physics includes mechanics, heat, light and other radiation, sound, electricity, magnetism, and the structure of atoms.”
or
Physics is the natural science that studies matter and its motion and behavior through space and time and that studies the related entities of energy and force.
Branches of Physics
While there are more branches sprouting up as science and technology progresses, there are generally 11 branches of physics. These are as follows.
1. Classical physics
2. Modern physics
3. Nuclear physics
4. Atomic physics
5. Geophysics
6. Biophysics
7. Mechanics
8. Acoustics
9. Optics
10. Thermodynamics
11. Astrophysics
1. Classical Physics
This branch of physics is mainly concerned with the laws of motion and gravitation as outlined in Sir Isaac Newton and James Clark Maxwell’s kinetic theory and thermodynamics, respectively. This branch of physics deals mostly with matter and energy. Often, physics which date before 1900 are considered classical physics, whereas physic which date after 1900 are considered modern physics.
2. Modern Physics
Modern physics is a branch of physics that is mainly concerned with the theory of relativity and quantum mechanics. Albert Einstein and Max Plank were the pioneers of modern of physics as the first scientists to introduce the theory of relativity and quantum mechanics, respectively.
3. Nuclear Physics
Nuclear physics is a branch of physics that deals with the constituents, structure, behaviour and interactions of atomic nuclei. This branch of physics should not be confused with atomic physics, which studies the atom as a whole, including its electrons.
4. Atomic Physics
Atomic physics is a branch of physics that deals with the composition of the atom apart from the nucleus. It is mainly concerned with the arrangement and behaviour of electrons in the shells around the nucleus. Thus, atomic physics mostly examines electrons, ions, and neutral atoms.
5. Geophysics
Geophysics is a branch of physics that deals with the study of the Earth. It is mainly concerned with the shape, structure and composition of the Earth, but geophysicists also study gravitational force, magnetic fields, earthquakes, magma, and more.
Geophysics was only recognized as a separate discipline in the 19th century, but its origins date back to ancient times. The first magnetic compasses were made from.
6. Biophysics
“The interdisciplinary study of biological phenomena and problems, using the principles and techniques of physics.”
Biophysics studies biological problems and the structure of molecules in living organisms using techniques derived from physics. One of the most groundbreaking achievements of biophysics is the discovery of the structure of DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) by James Watson and Francis Crick.
7. Mechanical Physics
Mechanical physics is a branch of physics that deals with the motion of material objects under the influence of forces.
Often called just mechanics, mechanical physics falls under two main branches:
- Classical mechanics
- Quantum mechanics
8. Acoustics
The word “acoustics” is derived from a Greek word akouen, meaning “to hear.”
Hence, we can define acoustics as a branch of physics that studies how sound is produced, transmitted, received and controlled. Acoustics also deals with the effects of sounds in various mediums (i.e. gas, liquid, and solids).
9. Optics
Optics is a branch of physics that studies electromagnetic radiation (for example, light and infrared radiation), its interactions with matter, and instruments used to gather information due to these interactions. Optics includes the study of sight.
10. Thermodynamics
Thermodynamics is a branch of physics that deals with heat and temperature and their relation to energy and work. The behaviour of these quantities is governed by the four laws of thermodynamics.
11. Astrophysics
The word “astrophysics” is a combination of two Latin-derived words: astro, which means “star,” and phisis, which means “nature.”
Thus, astrophysics can be defined as a branch of astronomy which is concerned with the study of universe (i.e., stars, galaxies, and planets) using the laws of physics.
Importance/Applications of Physics in Nursing:
Vital Statistics
- A patient has a few statistics that medical personnel use to determine their health. These statistics are body temperature, pulse rate, respiration rate and blood pressure.
- Proper knowledge about vital signs will help the nurses to understand the health status of a patient.
- All four vital statistics (vital sign) are related to physics.
Radiography
- Another basic tool for diagnosing a patient is an X-ray, which are high-energy particles harnessed for medical usage.
- Without X-rays, health care personnel wouldn’t be able to see inside a person without surgery.
- Similarly, more recent developments, such as magnetic resonance imager (MRI) technology, owe their development and existence to the thorough understanding and application of advanced physics.
Needles
- Another common object most people don’t realize uses complex physics is the hypodermic needle.
- Through pressure changes, health care professionals can apply medicine directly into a patient’s bloodstream.
- Without this ability, for example, diabetics couldn’t take insulin.
Biology Uses Physics
- Biology is not the most fundamental natural science; it involves assumptions taken from physics and chemistry.
- Therefore, to properly understand biology, a fundamental understanding of physics is required.
- For example, the reason you put pressure on a wound is it constricts the blood vessels and makes the required amount of pressure for blood to escape greater.
- Without physics, this technique wouldn’t be well-understood, and other life-saving techniques that derive from it might not have been developed or utilized.
Greater Understanding of the World
- Finally, it is important to know such a topic not necessarily for reasons we can foresee, but because a greater knowledge of a topic as fundamental as physics can be useful.
- For example, imagine a patient had been pierced by a long rod. You would want to remove the rod. In order to do this, you may want to cut off one side and pull it out from the other side. However, the weight of the rod must be properly balanced, or it could suddenly drop and damage the patient more. Resolving this situation would involve a counterbalance. It may seem obvious, but the proper weight and procedure would be dictated by physical principles. If you know at least the basics, that knowledge can be applied to help patients.
The Three Laws of Physics
The three laws of physics, as they are commonly referred to, are known formally as Newton’s laws of motion. They are considered the basis of classical mechanics. Newton’s laws describe the motion of a body upon which forces may act and which may exert forces on other bodies.
Newton’s Laws of Motion (The Three Laws of Physics)
- 1. Law of Inertia: A body remains at rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless acted upon by a force.
- 2. Force Mass x Acceleration: A body’s rate of change of momentum is proportional to the force causing it.
- 3. Action Reaction: When a force acts on a body due to another body, then an equal and opposite force acts simultaneously on that body.
The Theory of Relativity
Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity is one of the most important discoveries of the contemporary age, and states that the laws of physics are the same for all non-accelerating observers. As a result of this discovery, Einstein was able to confirm that space and time are interwoven in a single continuum known as space-time. As such, events that occur at the same time for one observer could occur at different times for another.
Einstein’s theory of relativity is summarized in the formula:
E = mc²
In this equation, “E” represents energy, “m” represents mass, and “c” represents the speed of light.
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