List of basic physics topics
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:''For a more comprehensive list, see the [[List of physics topics]].''
This '''list of basic physics topics''' covers much of [[physics]], the [[science]] concerned with the [[discovery (observation)|discovery]] and [[understanding]] of the fundamental laws which govern [[matter]], [[energy]], [[space]], and [[time]]. Physics deals with the elementary constituents of the [[Universe]] and their [[fundamental interaction|interactions]], as well as the analysis of systems best understood in terms of these fundamental principles. Because physics treats the core workings of the universe, including the [[quantum mechanics|quantum mechanical]] details which underpin all [[atom]]ic interactions, it can be thought of as the foundational science, upon which stands "[[the central science]]" of [[chemistry]], the [[earth sciences]], [[biological sciences]], and [[social sciences]]. Discoveries in basic physics have important ramifications for all of science.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and introduction to '''physics''':
==Where to start==
:''See: [[Portal:Physics]]''.
:''For those seeking an overview of the fundamental categories of physics, see the subcategories of [[:Category:Fundamental physics concepts]].''
For students, there is a school course which starts with [[Physics First]]. The [[Physical Science Study Committee]] (1956) committed to production of the textbook PSSC ''Physics'' (1960). Other efforts include the Berkeley physics series and the ''[[Feynman Lectures on Physics]]''.
In addition, it is helpful to prepare for the act of study. See [[Study skills]] in the [[:category:Learning methods]].
== Essence of physics ==
: ''Main article: [[Physics]]''
Physics started with a philosophical commitment to [[simplicity]]. It should not be considered a difficult subject (although it is deep); one can learn classical physics on a [[playground]], which describes the motion of balls, swings, slides and [[merry-go-round]]s.
{| class="wikitable"
!Theory || Major subtopics || Concepts
|-
| [[Classical mechanics]]
| [[Newton's laws of motion]], [[Lagrangian mechanics]], [[Hamiltonian mechanics]], [[Kinematics]], [[Statics]], [[Dynamics (mechanics)|Dynamics]], [[Chaos theory]], [[Acoustics]], [[Fluid dynamics]], [[Continuum mechanics]]
| [[Density]], [[Dimension]], [[Law of universal gravitation|Gravity]], [[Space]], [[Time]], [[Motion (physics)|Motion]], [[Length]], [[Position]], [[Velocity]], [[Acceleration]], [[Mass]], [[Momentum]], [[Force (physics)|Force]], [[Energy]], [[Angular momentum]], [[Torque]], [[Conservation law]], [[Harmonic oscillator]], [[Wave]], [[Mechanical work|Work]], [[Power (physics)|Power]]
|-
| [[Electromagnetism]]
| [[Electrostatics]], [[Electrodynamics]], [[Electricity]], [[Magnetism]], [[Maxwell's equations]], [[Optics]]
| [[Capacitance]], [[Electric charge]], [[Current (electricity)|Current]], [[Electrical conductivity]], [[Electric field]], [[Permittivity|Electric permittivity]], [[Electrical resistance]], [[Electromagnetic field]], [[Electromagnetic induction]], [[Electromagnetic radiation]], [[Gaussian surface]], [[Magnetic field]], [[Magnetic flux]], [[Magnetic monopole]], [[Magnetic permeability]]
|-
| [[Theory of relativity]]
| [[Special relativity]], [[General relativity]], [[Einstein field equations]]
| [[Covariant|Covariance]], [[Einstein manifold]], [[Equivalence principle]], [[Four-momentum]], [[Four-vector]], [[General principle of relativity]], [[Geodesic (general relativity)|Geodesic motion]], [[Gravity]], [[Gravitoelectromagnetism]], [[Inertial frame of reference]], [[Invariant (physics)|Invariance]], [[Length contraction]], [[Lorentzian manifold]], [[Lorentz transformation]], [[Metric (mathematics)|Metric]], [[Minkowski diagram]], [[Minkowski space]], [[Principle of Relativity]], [[Proper length]], [[Proper time]], [[Reference frame]], [[Rest energy]], [[Rest mass]], [[Relativity of simultaneity]], [[Spacetime]], [[Special principle of relativity]], [[Speed of light]], [[Stress-energy tensor]], [[Time dilation]], [[Twin paradox]], [[World line]]
|-
| [[Thermodynamics]] and [[Statistical mechanics]]
| [[Heat engine]], [[Kinetic theory]]
| [[Boltzmann's constant]], [[Conjugate variables (thermodynamics)|Conjugate variables]], [[Enthalpy]], [[Entropy]], [[Equation of state]], [[Equipartition theorem]], [[First Law of Thermodynamics]], [[Thermodynamic free energy|Free energy]], [[Heat]], [[Ideal gas law]], [[Internal energy]], [[Non-equilibrium thermodynamics|Irreversible process]], [[Partition function (statistical mechanics)|Partition function]], [[Pressure]], [[Reversible process (thermodynamics)|Reversible process]], [[Second Law of Thermodynamics]], [[Spontaneous process]], [[State function]], [[Statistical ensemble (mathematical physics)|Statistical ensemble]], [[Temperature]], [[Thermodynamic equilibrium]], [[Thermodynamic potential]], [[Thermodynamic processes]], [[Thermodynamic state]], [[System (thermodynamics)|Thermodynamic system]], [[Third Law of Thermodynamics]], [[Viscosity]], [[Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics]]
|-
| [[Quantum mechanics]]
| [[Path integral formulation]], [[Scattering theory]], [[Schrödinger equation]], [[Quantum field theory]], [[Quantum statistical mechanics]]
| [[Born-Oppenheimer Approximation|Adiabatic approximation]], [[Correspondence principle]], [[Free particle]], [[Hamiltonian (quantum mechanics)|Hamiltonian]], [[Hilbert space]], [[Identical particles]], [[Matrix Mechanics]], [[Planck's constant]], [[Operators]], [[Quantum|Quanta]], [[Quantization (physics)|Quantization]], [[Quantum entanglement]], [[Quantum harmonic oscillator]], [[Quantum number]], [[Quantum tunneling]], [[Schrödinger's cat]], [[Dirac equation]], [[Spin (physics)|Spin]], [[Wavefunction]], [[Wave mechanics]], [[Wave-particle duality]], [[Zero-point energy]], [[Pauli Exclusion Principle]], [[Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle]]
|}
== Branches of physics ==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
*[[Astrophysics]]
*[[Atomic physics]]
*[[Biophysics]]
*[[Chemical Physics]]
{{col-break}}
*[[Classical physics]]
*[[Condensed matter physics]]
*[[Molecular physics]]
*[[Nuclear Physics]]
{{col-break}}
*[[Optical physics]]
*[[Particle Physics]]
*[[Quantum Physics]]
*[[Thermodynamics]]
{{col-end}}
{| class="wikitable"
!Field ||Subfields || Major theories || Concepts
|-
| [[Astrophysics]]
| [[Physical cosmology|Cosmology]], [[Gravitation|Gravitation physics]], [[High-energy astronomy|High-energy astrophysics]], [[Planetary science|Planetary astrophysics]], [[Plasma (physics)|Plasma physics]], [[Space physics]], [[Astronomy#Stellar astronomy|Stellar astrophysics]]
| [[Big Bang]], [[Lambda-CDM model]], [[Cosmic inflation]], [[General relativity]], [[Law of universal gravitation]]
| [[Black hole]], [[Cosmic background radiation]], [[Cosmic string]], [[Cosmos]], [[Dark energy]], [[Dark matter]], [[Galaxy]], [[Gravity]], [[Gravitational radiation]], [[Gravitational singularity]], [[Planet]], [[Solar system]], [[Star]], [[Supernova]], [[Universe]]
|-
| [[Atomic, molecular, and optical physics]]
| [[Atomic physics]], [[Molecular physics]], [[Atomic and Molecular astrophysics]], [[Chemical physics]], [[Optics]], [[Photonics]]
| [[Quantum optics]], [[Quantum chemistry]], [[Quantum information science]]
| [[Atom]], [[Molecule]], [[Diffraction]], [[Electromagnetic radiation]], [[Laser]], [[Polarization]], [[Spectral line]], [[Casimir effect]]
|-
| [[Particle physics]]
| [[Accelerator physics]], [[Nuclear physics]], [[Nuclear astrophysics]], [[Particle astrophysics]], [[Particle physics phenomenology]]
| [[Standard Model]], [[Quantum field theory]], [[Quantum chromodynamics]], [[Electroweak interaction|Electroweak theory]], [[Effective field theory]], [[Lattice field theory]], [[Lattice gauge theory]], [[Gauge theory]], [[Supersymmetry]], [[Grand unification theory]], [[Superstring theory]], [[M-theory]]
| [[Fundamental force]] ([[gravity|gravitational]], [[electromagnetism|electromagnetic]], [[weak interaction|weak]], [[strong interaction|strong]]), [[Elementary particle]], [[Spin (physics)|Spin]], [[Antimatter]], [[Spontaneous symmetry breaking]], [[Brane]], [[String (physics)|String]], [[Quantum gravity]], [[Theory of everything]], [[Vacuum energy]]
|-
| [[Condensed matter physics]]
| [[Solid state physics]], [[High pressure physics]], [[Cryogenics|Low-temperature physics]], [[Nanotechnology|Nanoscale and mesoscopic physics]], [[Polymer physics]]
| [[BCS theory]], [[Bloch wave]], [[Fermi gas]], [[Fermi liquid]], [[Many-body theory]]
| [[Phase (matter)|Phases]] ([[gas]], [[liquid]], [[solid]], [[Bose-Einstein condensate]], [[superconductivity|superconductor]], [[superfluid]]), [[Electrical conduction]], [[Magnetism]], [[Self-organization]], [[Spin (physics)|Spin]], [[Spontaneous symmetry breaking]]
|}
== History of physics ==
: ''Main article: [[History of physics]]''
== Basic physics concepts ==
* General concepts
:[[Gravity]] - [[Light]] - [[Physical system]] - [[Physical observation]] - [[Physical quantity]] - [[State of matter|Physical state]] - [[Physical unit]] - [[Physical theory]] - [[Physical experiment]] -
* Theoretical concepts
:[[Mass-energy equivalence]] - [[Elementary particle|Particle]] - [[Physical field]] - [[Physical interaction]] - [[Physical law]] - [[Fundamental force]] - [[Physical constant]] - [[Wave]]
* Basic quantities
:[[Space]] - [[Length]] - [[Time]] - [[Mass]] - [[Electric charge]] - [[Energy]] - [[Matter]] - [[Potential]] - [[Force (physics)|Force]] - [[Momentum]] - [[Velocity]] - [[Acceleration]] - [[Entropy]] - [[Temperature]]
* Subfields
:[[Acoustics]] - [[Aerodynamics]] - [[Classical mechanics]] - [[Condensed matter physics]] - [[physical cosmology|Cosmology]] - [[Dynamics (mechanics)|Dynamics]] - [[Electromagnetism]] - [[Hydrodynamics]] - [[Kinematics]] - [[Mathematical physics]] - [[Mechanics]] - [[Optics]] - [[plasma physics]] - [[Quantum mechanics]] - [[Theory of relativity|Relativity]] - [[Statics]] - [[Thermodynamics]]
== Famous physicists ==
: ''Main list: [[List of physicists]]''
* [[Archimedes]] - Laid down the laws of flotation and developed [[Buoyancy|Archimedes' principle]].<ref>Eminent scientists, Published by scholastic India pvt. Ltd.</ref>
* [[Niels Bohr]] - made fundamental contributions to understanding [[atom]]ic structure and [[quantum mechanics]]. Widely considered one of the greatest physicists of the twentieth century.
* [[Albert Einstein]] - Greatest scientist of the 20th century, and possibly of all time. Developed both the [[special relativity|Special]] and [[general relativity|General]] [[Theory of relativity|Theories of Relativity]].
* [[Richard Feynman]] - Expanded the theory of [[quantum electrodynamics]], and developed the tool known as [[Feynman diagram]]s.
* [[Isaac Newton]] - Laid the groundwork for [[classical mechanics]].
* [[Robert Oppenheimer]] - "Father of the atomic bomb."
== Physics lists ==
: ''Main article: [[List of physics topics]]''
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
* [[List of Common Physics Abbreviations]]
* [[List of games using physics engines]]
* [[List of important publications in physics]]
* [[List of noise topics]]
{{col-break}}
* [[List of optical topics]]
* [[List of physicists]]
* [[List of physics-based computer and video games]]
* [[List of scientific journals in physics]]
{{col-end}}
== See also ==
{{portal|Physics}}
* [[Glossary of classical physics]]
* [[:Category:Physics lists]]
* [[:Category:Fundamental physics concepts]]
== Notes ==
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
{{sisterlinks|Physics}}
* [http://www.aip.org/index.html AIP.org] is the website of the [[American Institute of Physics]]
* [http://www.iop.org IOP.org] is the website of the [[Institute of Physics]]
* [http://www.aps.org APS.org] is the website of the [[American Physical Society]]
* [http://www.spsnational.org SPS National] is the website of the American [[Society of Physics Students]]
* [http://www.cap.ca/ CAP.ca] is the website of the [[Canadian Association of Physicists]]
* [http://www.eps.org/ EPS.org] is the website of the [[European Physical Society]]
{{List resources}}
[[Category:Introductory physics| ]]
[[Category:Fundamental physics concepts| ]]
[[Category:Basic topic lists|Physics]]
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[[Category:Physics lists|*]]
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