Physics Is For You!
Physics Is For You!
and it's not just equations anymore...
An exciting introduction to physics and your world taken from the American Institute of Physics
Question: What can a person not leave home without, not play sports without, and not eat dinner without?
Answer: Physics!
What is Physics?
Physics is an organized way of conversing with nature. Physicists ask questions; nature responds. For many questions, the answers are almost predictable, but when the question is a particularly good one, the answer can be unexpected and give us new knowledge of the way the world works. These are the moments physicists live for.
The fundamental ideas of physics underlie all basic science - astronomy, biology, chemistry, and geology. Physics also is essential to the applied science and engineering that has taken our world from the horse and buggy to the supersonic jet, from the candle to the laser, from the pony express to the fax, from live smoke signals to live satellite transmission, and from the beads of an abacus to the chips of a computer.
Today physics is as exciting as ever. The animated conversation between physicists and nature goes on and it shows no signs of stopping.
Fiber optics used in telecommunications work on the principle of total internal reflection, a concept frequently discussed in physics courses.
Physics in everyday life
The most basic of the sciences, physics is all around us every day. If you've ever wondered what makes lightning, why a boomerang returns, how ice skaters can spin so fast, why waves crash on the beach, how that tiny computer can do complicated problems, or how long it takes light from a star to reach us, you have been thinking about some of the same things physicists study every day.
Physicists like to ask questions. They try to find answers for almost everything - from when the universe began to why soda fizzes. If you like to explore and figure out why things are the way they are, you might like physics. If you've had a back-row seat at a rock concert, and could still hear, you experienced physics at work. Physicists studying sound contribute to the design of concert halls and the amplification equipment. Knowing more about how things move and interact can be used to manage the flow of traffic and help cities avoid gridlock. Lasers and radioactive elements are tools in the war on cancer and other diseases. Geophysicists are developing methods to give advance warning of earthquakes. The work of physicists made possible the computer chips that are in your digital watch, iPod, electronic games, and hand-held calculator. In short, physics is everywhere!
A skateboarder performs the "Ollie", the aerial maneuver on which many skateboard tricks are based. The "Ollie" depends on a rapid compression and decompression of the skater's legs.
Physicists at work
The laboratory of the physicist extends from the edge of the universe to inside the nucleus of an atom. A physicist may work in a laboratory designing materials for the computer chips of tomorrow, or smashing atomic particles against one another in a quest to find new particles. Physicists have orbited the Earth as astronauts, and plumbed the oceans' depths. Individuals who have studied physics seek to make instruments that diagnose and cure disease, to develop safer and cleaner fuels for our cars and homes, to harness the power of the sea, to calculate the movement of arctic glaciers, and to create smaller and faster electronic components and integrated circuits.
Research physicists work in industry and government, in laboratories and hospitals, and on university campuses. Some physicists serve in the military, teach in high schools and colleges, design science museum exhibits, write books and news articles about science, give advice to federal, state, local and foreign governments, run businesses, and some even become artists. Students not interested in 
pursuing a science career can still benefit from courses in physics! The study of physics helps you acquire very special problem-solving skills and teaches you to better observe and understand the world. We all employ physical concepts in everyday life. Pole vaulters and drummers aren't research physicists, but they make use of physical concepts such as elasticity, momentum, conservation of energy, vibration, reverberation, and reflection to hone their skills.
NASA astronauts in weightless space conditions. The
weightless conditions of spaceflight can be simulated by
flying an airplane in a special arc.
Physics in Careers
ELEMENTARY OR MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER
It has been said that children are born scientists. This is best illustrated by the questions they constantly ask. Teaching at the elementary or middle school level presents the challenge of keeping that curiosity alive while teaching new ideas. Why do you get electric shocks in cold, dry weather? Does a stick of dynamite contain force? What makes rainbows form? How cold can it get? Individuals who themselves appreciate science often have a special gift for teaching young children. Curiosity out the world around us is a common bond of children and scientists.
ATHLETE
When you watch an athlete, you are seeing the principles of physics in motion. The bat hitting the baseball, the spiralling football, the bend in the vaulter's pole, and the tension of muscles as a weight is lifted illustrate some of the basic laws of physics, like momentum, equilibrium, velocity, kinetic energy, center of gravity, projectile motion, and friction. Knowing these principles of physics helps an athlete or coach improve performance.
IMAGING TECHNICIAN
Looking inside the body without surgery is one of medicine's most important tools. X rays, computed tomography, CT scans, and magnetic resonance imaging are used to determine bone damage, diagnose disease, and develop treatment for various illnesses. Technicians who use imaging equipment need to be familiar with the concepts of x rays and magnetic resonance, and be able to determine how much of this powerful technology to use. Imaging technicians work at hospitals, medical colleges, and clinics.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the brain. MRI was formerly called NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) but due to public misunderstanding and fear of the word "nuclear" the technique was given its present name. The actual technique and technology used remained unchanged. Physics courses aim to educate all students about scientific topics so that they can become well-informed citizens.
ENVIRONMENTALIST
Environmental physicists are studying ozone depletion and other problems involving the atmosphere. They use acoustics to try to reduce noise pollution. They search for cleaner forms of fuel, study how smog forms and how to reduce it, and devise ways in which to dispose of and store nuclear waste safely.
JOURNALIST
Science is one of the most exciting assignments a reporter can have. New discoveries, controversial findings, space research, medical breakthroughs, natural disasters, technological competitiveness, and the environment make up a big part of the news. Reporters who have a background in physics have an advantage in being able to grasp technical issues quickly and communicate easily with researchers. Many major daily newspapers in the country have science sections; in addition, science reporting is featured on radio and television.
Did You Know?
Did you know that an amusement park is a life-size physics lab? You can feel the physical forces in action. Concepts like acceleration, momentum, gravitational potential energy, and weightlessness become real as you experience the rollercoaster, the colliding bumper car, the swinging cages, or the fall-away floor. These are concepts explained in physics courses.
Did you know that a karate strike aimed slightly BEHIND the target achieves the most force? The idea of momentum is the key, a topic found in physics courses.
Did you know a knuckle ball can flutter up and down as much as a foot on its way to the batter? The erratic flow of air around the baseball's stitching causes this effect. Air turbulence is another subject covered in physics courses.Did you know that shaking a ketchup bottle before opening it will produce a smoother flow? Ketchup is a plastic solid. It is thicker when resting than when agitated. Rheology - a field that uses physics - is the study of how matter flows.
