Leo Mendel D. Rosario, M.Sc.

Natural Sciences Department, College of Arts and Sciences,

San Beda College Manila, Philippines

July 14,

2015

Outline: PHYSICS FOR DUMMIES

o Definition of Physics
o History of Development
o Branches of Physics Education

What is Physics?
o Physics deals with the behavior and structure of matter
and energy.

*The universe consists of only matter and energy

MATTER is anything that has

mass and occupies space.
MASS is the amount
of matter.

SPACE is the 3D place of

where matter resides.

Atom

Plasmas

Phases of Matter

PHYSICS is the study of the interaction

between MATTER and ENERGY.
ENERGY is the ability
to do work.

WORK is when a force is

used to move objects.

o Physics is the study of the fundamental laws of nature.

Fundamental
laws of nature

Understanding the
natural laws that
govern the universe

Belief that all events

follow a set of laws
that do not change

PHYSICS is an exact science.

MATH is the
language of
physics.

Measurement is
knowing the
amount of
something.

Ancient Greece

Rational Thinking

(650-100 BC)

Scientific
Revolution
(1600-1800)

Birth of
Modern Physics
(1900)

Applied Physics
(Present)

Classical Mechanics
Electromagnetism
Thermodynamics
Optics
Astronomy

Quantum Mechanics
Relativity
Nuclear Physics

Biophysics
Medical Physics
Geophysics
Econophysics
Materials Physics

Ancient Greece
(650-100 BC)

Guess who?

Thales
of Miletus

dubbed "the Father of

Science" for refusing to
accept various
supernatural, religious or
mythological
explanations for natural
phenomena, proclaimed
that every event had a
natural cause.

Aristotle

Promoted the concept

that observation of
physical phenomena
could ultimately lead to
the discovery of the
natural laws governing
them.

Ptolemy

presented his
astronomical models
in convenient tables,
which could be used
to compute the future
or past position of
the planets.

Archimedes' principle
Archimedes

laid the foundations

of hydrostatics, statics and
calculated the underlying
mathematics of the lever.

indicates that the upward buoyant force that is

exerted on a body immersed in a fluid, whether fully
or partially submerged, is equal to the weight of the
fluid that the body displaces.

Dark Ages
the concept of a period of intellectual darkness and economic regression that
occurred in Europe following the collapse of the Western Roman Empire.
1. The Bible

Main source of info

Teachings were taken literally
Ex: if a story stated that the world stopped spinning, Europeans believed
that the world actually did stop spinning)

2. Aristotle

Considered the greatest philosopher of ancient times

He was viewed as the absolute authority on physics (even though
some of his theories were wrong)
Ex: no movement without a mover- fit in with church belief philosophy
that God was necessary to move the Earth
Believed in teleological (idea that everything is made for a purpose)

3. Ptolemy

Stated the earth was the center of the universe and the sun and all the
planets moved around in circles.

4. Galen

Medical and anatomical theories dominated the scientific world for

years even though they were proved wrong by dissections

Scientific
Revolution
(1600-1800)

What Nationality?
Rene
Descartes

Gottfried
Leibniz

Galileo
Galilee

Isaac
Newton

Galileo
Galilee
The contributions that Galileo made to
observational astronomy include the
telescopic confirmation of the phases
of Venus, the 1609 discovery of the
four largest satellites of Jupiter (named
the Galilean moons in his honour), and
the observation and analysis
of sunspots.

Isaac Newton
Newton formulated three laws of motion and
the law of universal gravitation, the latter of which
could be used to explain the behavior not only of
falling bodies on the earth but also planets and
other celestial bodies in the heavens.

Newtons Laws of Motion

Newtons First Law

(Law of Inertia)
A body remains at rest or
moves in a straight line at a
constant speed unless acted
upon by an unbalanced force.

Examples

Newtons Second Law

(Law of Acceleration)
The Sum of the Forces acting on a body is
proportional to the acceleration that the body
experiences

F a; a 1/m
F = ma

Examples

Newtons Third Law

(Law of ActionAction-Reaction)

For every action force there is

an equal and opposite reaction
force.

Causes of the Scientific Revolution

Medieval Intellectual Life
and Medieval Universities
The Italian Renaissance
Renewed emphasis on
mathematics
Renaissance system of
patronage
Navigational problems of
long sea voyages
Better scientific instruments

Consequences of the Scientific Revolution

Output

Rise of the Scientific Community

Outcome
Increased knowledge

- Royal Society of London (1662)

- Academy of Royal Sciences (1666)

Greater toleration
(scientific and religious)

The modern scientific method

A universe ordered according to

Freedom to deviate from

natural laws

established theories which

Less superstition

increased new developments

Birth of
Modern Physics
(1900)

5th International Conference,

October 1927, Belgium