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physics Definition

phys·ics (fiz′iks)

noun

  1. Obsolete natural philosophy
    1. the science dealing with the properties, changes, interactions, etc. of matter and energy in which energy is considered to be continuous (classical physics), including electricity, heat, optics, mechanics, etc., and now also dealing with the atomic scale of nature in which energy is considered to be discrete (quantum physics), including such branches as atomic, nuclear, and solid-state physics
    2. a specific system of physics
  3. a book or treatise on any of these

Etymology: transl. of L physica, physics < Gr (ta) physika (lit., natural things), name given to the physical treatises of Aristotle: see physic

physical properties or processes the physics of flight

physics Synonyms

physics

n.

natural philosophy, science of the material world, science of matter and motion; see science 1.

Branches of physics include: electronics, mechanics, acoustics, thermodynamics, optics, geophysics, dynamics, kinetics, spectroscopy, hydraulics, pneumatics, aerophysics, astrophysics, chaos theory, theoretical physics, nuclear physics.

physics Telecom Definition

The science of matter and energy, and their properties and interactions in fields including mechanics, acoustics, optics, heat, electricity, magnetism, radiation, and atomic and nuclear science. Physics is the science of how things work.

physics Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • universe: Galaxies and atoms Astronomy is mainly about the physics of the universe - the way stars and galaxies and so on actually work.
  • organism: The Rainbow and the Worm, The Physics of Organisms, by Mae-Wan Ho, World Scientific, Singapore 2 nd ed. , 1998.

Adjective modifier

  • condensed: Web of Science returned the highest number of citations for condensed matter physics 1993 and 2003 ( 22.5 and 3.9 respectively ).
  • elementary: The level is appropriate for students with an understanding of some elementary physics.
  • underlying: Wyn Williams uses powerful computer facilities for intensive numerical modeling of the underlying physics of magnetism in mineral grains.
  • theoretical: Our main content is theoretical high energy physics which is handled by five editors.
  • nuclear: A previous year's slide show introducing atomic and nuclear physics is provided in HTML and PowerPoint formats.

Modifies a noun

  • crystals/solids: Summers et al. , upcoming article in Applied Physics Lett. ) atomic physics crystals/solids DIGITAL MIRRORS.
  • einstein: Rev. Lett. , 30 April 2001. ) atomic physics computers einstein quantum theory COMPLEXITY AT LOW REYNOLDS NUMBER.
  • quantum: Rev. Lett. , 30 April 2001. ) atomic physics computers einstein quantum theory COMPLEXITY AT LOW REYNOLDS NUMBER.
  • professor: Only 15 out of 450 UK physics professors are women.
  • laboratory: Its know-how came from CERN, the particle physics laboratory supported by PPARC.
  • experiment: Plasma physics experiments on START stopped at the end of March 1998 to allow assembly of MAST.

Noun used with modifier

  • particle: They are all part of the GridPP project, which runs the UK particle physics Grid.
  • quantum: In the section on physics Laszlo makes some points about quantum physics, where I have comments.
  • high-energy: This is particularly important for applications like high-energy physics analysis that require access to relatively small subsets of massive, object-oriented physics database files.
  • semiconductor: Students should have an interest in experimental semiconductor physics and/or radiation physics, and in the application of radiation detectors to medical imaging.
  • plasma: Plasma physics experiments on START stopped at the end of March 1998 to allow assembly of MAST.
  • neutrino: Neutrino physics This has been one of the most exciting areas in particle physics in recent years.