User:Carchasm/sandbox/Outline of Physics

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to physics:

Physics – natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.

What type of subject is physics?
Physics can be described as all of the following:
 * An academic discipline – one with academic departments, curricula and degrees; national and international societies; and specialized journals.
 * A scientific field (a branch of science) – widely recognized category of specialized expertise within science, and typically embodies its own terminology and nomenclature. Such a field will usually be represented by one or more scientific journals, where peer-reviewed research is published.
 * A natural science – one that seeks to elucidate the rules that govern the natural world using empirical and scientific method.
 * A physical science – one that studies non-living systems.

Types of Physics Research

 * Experimental Physics
 * Computational physics – study and implementation of numerical algorithms to solve problems in physics for which a quantitative theory already exists.
 * Theoretical Physics
 * Mathematical physics – application of mathematics to problems in physics and the development of mathematical methods for such applications and the formulation of physical theories

Classical Mechanics
Classical Mechanics describes the motion of matter

Formulations

 * Kinematics – describes the motion of points, bodies (objects) and systems of bodies (groups of objects) without consideration of the causes of motion.
 * Newtonian Mechanics - formulation of classical mechanics that uses Newton's laws of motion to predict the behavior of a system.
 * Lagrangian Mechanics - reformulation of classical mechanics that uses the Euler-Lagrange equation
 * Hamiltonian Mechanics

Physical Quantities

 * Measurements
 * length,
 * mass
 * space
 * time
 * Density
 * forces
 * gravity
 * Friction


 * energy
 * Kinetic energy
 * Potential energy
 * power
 * work

Types of Motion

 * motion
 * Linear motion
 * displacement
 * velocity
 * mass
 * Linear momentum
 * acceleration
 * Force
 * Rotational motion
 * angular displacement
 * angular velocity
 * angular momentum
 * torque
 * Rotational energy
 * Vibrational motion -
 * harmonic oscillator
 * angular frequency
 * Period (physics)


 * Wave motion - wave


 * Dynamics – the study of the causes of motion and changes in motion
 * Statics – the branch of mechanics concerned with the analysis of loads (force, torque/moment) on physical systems in static equilibrium, that is, in a state where the relative positions of subsystems do not vary over time, or where components and structures are at a constant velocity.

conservation law,

Continuum mechanics
Continuum mechanics - the branch of mechanics that deals with the analysis of the kinematics and the mechanical behavior of materials modeled as a continuous mass rather than as discrete particles.
 * acoustics
 * Fluid mechanics – the study of fluids and the forces on them.
 * Fluid statics – study of fluids at rest
 * Fluid kinematics – study of fluids in motion
 * Fluid dynamics – study of the effect of forces on fluid motion
 * Aerodynamics – study of the motion of air.

Nonlinear Dynamics

Chaos Theory

Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics

 * Thermodynamics
 * Classical thermodynamics
 * Statistical mechanics
 * Non-equilibrium thermodynamics
 * Heat Transfer
 * state function
 * thermodynamic state
 * Boltzmann constant
 * thermodynamic equilibrium
 * Kinetic theory of gases
 * equation of state
 * ideal gas law
 * Van der Waals equation
 * Laws of thermodynamics
 * first law of thermodynamics
 * second law of thermodynamics
 * third law of thermodynamics
 * zeroth law of thermodynamics
 * equipartition theorem
 * Thermodynamic processes - deals with the exchange of heat and work into and out of a system
 * Isobaric process
 * Isochoric process
 * Isothermal process
 * Adiabatic process
 * Isentropic process
 * Isenthalpic process
 * Quasistatic process
 * Polytropic process
 * Free expansion
 * reversible process
 * irreversible process
 * spontaneous process
 * Thermodynamic cycles
 * Heat engine
 * Heat pump and refrigeration cycle
 * Carnot cycle
 * Stirling Cycle
 * Thermodynamic potential
 * Internal energy
 * Enthalpy
 * Helmholtz free energy
 * Gibbs free energy
 * Grand free energy
 * conjugate variables
 * Entropy and Temperature
 * Pressure and Volume
 * Particle number and Chemical potential
 * Thermodynamic Ensembles
 * Microcanonical ensemble
 * Canonical ensemble
 * Grand canonical ensemble
 * Isoenthalpic–isobaric ensemble
 * Isothermal–isobaric ensemble
 * partition function

Electricity and Magnetism

 * Electricity – the study of electrical phenomena.
 * Magnetism – the study of physical phenomena that are mediated by magnetic field.


 * Electromagnetism – branch of science concerned with the forces that occur between electrically charged particles.
 * Electrostatics
 * electric field
 * electric charge
 * Gaussian surface
 * electric permittivity
 * Capacitance
 * electrical resistance
 * Magnetostatics - magnetic field, electric current, magnetic monopole
 * Ampere's Law
 * magnetic permeability
 * Electrodynamics
 * electromagnetic field
 * electromagnetic induction,magnetic flux
 * electrical conductivity
 * electromagnetic radiation
 * Maxwell's equations
 * Optics – the branch of physics which involves the behavior and properties of light, including its interactions with matter and the construction of instruments that use or detect it.
 * Plasma physics – the study of plasma, a state of matter similar to gas in which a certain portion of the particles are ionized.

Mathematical Formalism

 * Minkowski space
 * Minkowski space

proper length, proper time rest energy, rest mass spacetime speed of light
 * four-vector
 * four-momentum

Thought Experiments
relativity of simultaneity
 * Twin paradox

General Relativity
Covariance, Einstein manifold, equivalence principle,, general principle of relativity, geodesic motion, gravity, gravitoelectromagnetism, inertial frame of reference, invariance, length contraction, Lorentzian manifold, Lorentz transformation, metric, Minkowski diagram, principle of relativity, , reference frame,stress–energy tensor, time dilation, world line
 * Relativity – theory of physics which describes the relationship between space and time.
 * Special Relativity - a theory that describes the propagation of matter and light at high speeds.
 * General Relativity - the geometric theory of gravitation the current description of gravitation in modern physics.
 * Einstein field equations

Quantum Mechanics

 * Quantum Mechanics – branch of physics dealing with physical phenomena where the action is on the order of the Planck constant.
 * Atomic Physics
 * Nuclear physics – field of physics that studies the building blocks and interactions of atomic nuclei.
 * Particle physics – the branch of physics that studies the properties and interactions of the fundamental constituents of matter and energy
 * Quantum Field Theory
 * quantum statistical mechanics

Foundational Experiments

 * Zeeman effect
 * Compton Scattering
 * Geiger–Marsden experiments
 * Franck–Hertz experiment
 * Electron diffraction
 * Oil drop experiment
 * Stern-Gerlach Experiment

Phenomena

 * quantum tunneling
 * quantum entanglement
 * wave–particle duality
 * identical particles
 * scattering theory

Mathematical Tools
Hamiltonian, Hilbert space

correspondence principle, quantization, quantum number, spin, zero-point energy, Pauli exclusion principle,

Physical Constants

 * Planck's constant
 * Fundamental charge
 * Fine-structure constant

Mathematical Formulations

 * Formulations of quantum mechanics
 * Schrödinger picture - Schrödinger equation, wavefunction
 * Heisenberg picture - matrix mechanics, operators, Heisenberg uncertainty principle
 * Interaction picture - Dirac equation
 * Path integral formulation - Feynmann propagator

Model Systems

 * quantum harmonic oscillator
 * free particle

Approximations

 * Adiabatic approximation
 * WKB approximation
 * Perturbation Theory

Interpretations

 * Interpretations of quantum mechanics
 * Copenhagen interpretation - Schrödinger's cat
 * Many-worlds interpretation
 * de-Broglie Bohm

Astrophysics and Physical Cosmology

 * Astrophysics - the study of the physics of stars, galaxies, and larger systems
 * Physical Cosmology - study of the origin, structure, and evolution of the universe.

Condensed matter
Condensed matter physics is the study of the physical properties of condensed phases of matter.
 * Solid-state physics
 * Soft matter

low-temperature physics, nanoscale and mesoscopic physics, polymer physics

high pressure physics, , Bloch's theorem, Fermi gas, Fermi liquid, many-body theory Phases (gas, liquid, solid, Bose–Einstein condensate,, superfluid self-organization, spin, spontaneous symmetry breaking

Material Properties

 * Electromagnetic properties
 * Electrical conductivity
 * Thermoelectricity
 * Semiconductivity
 * Superconductivity
 * BCS theory
 * Electric susceptibility
 * Dielectric
 * Ferroelectricity
 * Pyroelectricity
 * Piezoelectricity
 * Magnetic susceptibility
 * Paramagnetism
 * Ferromagnetism
 * Ferrimagnetism
 * Antiferromagnetism
 * Thermal properties

Atomic, molecular, and optical physics

 * Atomic, molecular, and optical physics is the study of how matter and light interact
 * Atomic physics - Atom
 * molecular physics,
 * optics
 * Geometrical optics
 * polarization
 * Physical optics - often called wave optics
 * Diffraction
 * Scattering
 * Interference
 * Quantum optics
 * quantum information science
 * photonics

quantum chemistry, molecule, electromagnetic radiation, laser, spectral line, Casimir effect atomic and molecular astrophysics, chemical physics,

Nuclear Physics

 * Nuclear physics


 * Nuclear structure
 * Liquid drop model
 * Nuclear shell model
 * Interacting boson Model


 * Nuclear reactions
 * Radioactive decay
 * Alpha decay
 * Beta decay
 * Neutron emission
 * Gamma decay
 * cluster decay
 * Nuclear fission
 * Nuclear fusion
 * Nucleosynthesis

Particle Physics

 * Particle physics - the study of subatomic physics, the fundamental nature of the universe, and the development and interpretation of experiments to analyze nuclear physics, particle physics and Physics beyond the standard model
 * Accelerator physics
 * Detector physics
 * Phemonenology

Types of Particles

 * elementary particle
 * Fermion
 * Quark
 * Lepton
 * Electron
 * Muon
 * Tauon
 * Neutrino
 * Boson
 * Photon
 * Gluon
 * W and Z bosons
 * Higgs boson
 * Graviton


 * Composite particles
 * Hadron
 * Baryons
 * Meson


 * Antimatter


 * Quantum gravity
 * String theory
 * string
 * superstring theory
 * M-theory
 * Supersymmetry
 * Quantum loop gravity
 * Grand Unified Theory


 * Fundamental force
 * gravitational
 * electromagnetic
 * weak
 * strong

nuclear astrophysics, particle astrophysics, quantum field theory, quantum chromodynamics, electroweak theory, effective field theory, lattice field theory, lattice gauge theory, gauge theory,

,, spin, antimatter, spontaneous symmetry breaking, brane, , quantum gravity, theory of everything, vacuum energy

Astrophysics and Cosmology
Astrophysics Cosmology, gravitation physics, high-energy astrophysics, planetary astrophysics, plasma physics, space physics, 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

Applied and Interdisciplinary Fields of Physics

 * Astronomy – studies the universe beyond Earth, including its formation and development, and the evolution, physics, chemistry, meteorology, and motion of celestial objects (such as galaxies, planets, etc.) and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth (such as the cosmic background radiation).
 * Atmospheric physics – the study of the application of physics to the atmosphere
 * Biophysics – interdisciplinary science that uses the methods of physics to study biological systems
 * Biomechanics – the study of the structure and function of biological systems such as humans, animals, plants, organs, and cells using the methods of mechanics.
 * Homeokinetics - the physics of complex, self-organizing systems
 * Neurophysics – branch of biophysics dealing with the nervous system.
 * Quantum biology - application of quantum mechanics to biological phenomenon.
 * Chemical physics – the branch of physics that studies chemical processes from physics.
 * Geophysics – the physics of the Earth and its environment in space; also the study of the Earth using quantitative physical methods
 * Psychophysics – quantitatively investigates the relationship between physical stimuli and the sensations and perceptions they affect.
 * Materials physics – use of physics to describe materials in many different ways such as force, heat, light, and mechanics.
 * Polymer physics – field of physics that studies polymers, their fluctuations, mechanical properties, as well as the kinetics of reactions involving degradation and polymerization of polymers and monomers respectively.


 * Other
 * Agrophysics – the study of physics applied to agroecosystems
 * Soil physics – the study of soil physical properties and processes.
 * Cryogenics – cryogenics is the study of the production of very low temperature (below −150 °C, −238 °F or 123K) and the behavior of materials at those temperatures.
 * Econophysics – interdisciplinary research field, applying theories and methods originally developed by physicists to solve problems in economics

Studies of Physics

 * Philosophy of physics - deals with conceptual and interpretational issues in modern physics, many of which overlap with research done by certain kinds of theoretical physicists.
 * Physics education
 * History of physics – history of the physical science that studies matter and its motion through space-time, and related concepts such as energy and force
 * History of astrophysics – history of the study of the physical aspects of celestial objects
 * History of electromagnetism – history of the branch of science concerned with the forces that occur between electrically charged particles.
 * History of classical mechanics – history of the one of the two major sub-fields of mechanics, which is concerned with the set of physical laws describing the motion of bodies under the action of a system of forces.
 * History of fluid mechanics – history of the study of fluids and the forces on them.
 * History of quantum mechanics – history of the branch of physics dealing with physical phenomena where the action is on the order of the Planck constant.
 * History of thermodynamics – history of the branch of physical science concerned with heat and its relation to other forms of energy and work.
 * History of nuclear physics – history of the field of physics that studies the building blocks and interactions of atomic nuclei.
 * History of optics – history of the branch of physics which involves the behavior and properties of light, including its interactions with matter and the construction of instruments that use or detect it.
 * History of particle physics – history of the branch of physics that studies the existence and interactions of particles that are the constituents of what is usually referred to as matter or radiation.
 * History of special relativity - history of the study of the relationship between space and time in the absence of gravity
 * History of general relativity - history of the non-quantum theory of gravity

Basic principles of physics
Physics – branch of science that studies matter and its motion through space and time, along with related concepts such as energy and force. Physics is one of the "fundamental sciences" because the other natural sciences (like biology, geology etc.) deal with systems that seem to obey the laws of physics. According to physics, the physical laws of matter, energy and the fundamental forces of nature govern the interactions between particles and physical entities (such as planets, molecules, atoms or the subatomic particles). Some of the basic pursuits of physics, which include some of the most prominent developments in modern science in the last millennium, include:

Gravity, light, physical system, physical observation, physical quantity, physical state, physical unit, physical theory, physical experiment
 * Describing the nature, measuring and quantifying of bodies and their motion, dynamics etc.
 * Newton's laws of motion
 * Mass, force and weight (Mass versus weight)
 * Momentum and conservation of energy
 * Gravity, theories of gravity
 * Energy, work, and their relationship
 * Motion, position, and energy
 * Different forms of Energy, their inter-conversion and the inevitable loss of energy in the form of heat (Thermodynamics)
 * Energy conservation, conversion, and transfer.
 * Energy source the transfer of energy from one source to work in another.
 * Kinetic molecular theory
 * Phases of matter and phase transitions
 * Temperature and thermometers
 * Energy and heat
 * Heat flow: conduction, convection, and radiation
 * The three laws of thermodynamics
 * The principles of waves and sound
 * The principles of electricity, magnetism, and electromagnetism
 * The principles, sources, and properties of light
 * Basic quantities
 * Acceleration
 * Electric charge
 * Energy
 * Entropy
 * Force
 * Length
 * Mass
 * Matter
 * Momentum
 * Potential energy
 * Space
 * Temperature
 * Time
 * Velocity

Theoretical concepts Mass–energy equivalence, particle, physical field, physical interaction, physical law, fundamental force, physical constant, wave

Measurement

 * Measurement
 * SI units
 * Conversion of units
 * Length
 * Time
 * Mass
 * Density

Motion

 * Motion
 * Velocity
 * Speed
 * Acceleration
 * Constant acceleration
 * Newton's laws of motion

Lists
Index of physics articles
 * List of common physics notations
 * Lists of physics equations
 * List of important publications in physics
 * List of laws in science
 * List of letters used in mathematics and science
 * List of physicists
 * List of physics journals
 * List of scientific units named after people
 * Variables commonly used in physics
 * List of physics awards