 Environmental
Physics
Environmental
Physicists use the principles and techniques of physics to study the
earth's environment. Scientists often consider factors that have an impact
on the Earth's air, water, and land in their studies of the environment.
Advances in physics have resulted in a number of efforts to keep the
planet clean. Some examples include the application of research in laser
physics and computing techniques, development of techniques to monitor
levels of air pollutants; developments in materials processing and design
resulting in the creation of more efficient energy generation methods and
recycling techniques; and the use of geophysical methods to monitor
radioactivity in the development of new clean-up technologies.
Environmental Physicists have made contributions to understanding global
climate change and the ozone hole.
Related Associations:
 American Institute of Physics
Fluid
Mechanics
Fluid
Mechanics and Fluid Dynamics is
the study of matter in the liquid state. Fluid mechanics is the
sub-discipline of continuum mechanics that studies fluids, that is,
liquids and gases. It can be further subdivided into fluid statics, the
study of fluids at rest, and fluid dynamics, the study of fluids in
motion. Fluids tend to
flow or conform to the boundaries of their containers. Physicists studying
fluids study the physical and flow properties of liquids in order to
understand turbulence, wave motion, and the interactions between
structures (such as wings, ships, ocean platforms) and the flowing fluid
that surrounds them.
Geophysics
Geology
is the study of the origin of the Earth, its history, its shape, the
materials that constitute it, and the processes that are or have
affected it. Geologists depend on knowledge gained in physics as well as
other sciences to understand the materials they are studying. Geophysics
is the application of the investigation of physical phenomena in
the study of the Earth
and its internal composition, e especially by seismic, electromagnetic,
and radioactivity methods.
Related Associations:
American
Geophysical Union
Society
of Exploration Geophysicists
Materials
Science
Materials Science is an
applied science concerned with the relationship between the structure and
properties of materials. Materials science unites applications from many
scientific disciplines that contribute to the development of new
materials. Materials physics has had many practical applications for the
benefit of mankind and the economy; for example, research in the area led
to the development of Teflon which is found in everything from cookware to
apparel to medical transplant materials. Find out more about
Materials Science and Engineering.
Medical
Physics
Medical Physics is the
application of physics research to the medical arts for the design of
equipment and techniques used to safely study the human body and diagnose
and treat diseases. Some examples of the application of developments in
physics to the medical arts are the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI),
computed axial tomography (CAT scan), Positron Emission Tomography (PET),
and x-rays, mammography equipment, and radiation in the treatment of
cancer. Medical physicists also study the health effects of radiation in
non-clinical environments.
Related Associations:
American Association of Physicists
in Medicine
Metallurgy
Metallurgy is the
science and technology of metals - - their characteristics and behavior.
Molecular
Physics
Molecular
Physics is concerned with the interaction of the structure of atoms with
the bonds between the atoms. It is the study of the physical properties
of molecules and of the chemical bonds between atoms that bind them into
molecules. Its most important experimental techniques are the various
types of spectroscopy. The field is closely related to atomic physics
and overlaps greatly with theoretical chemistry, physical chemistry and
chemical physics. Atomic Physics is the study of the structure and
behavior of the atom itself. One important aspect of molecular physics
is that the essential atomic orbital theory in the field of atomic
physics expands to the molecular orbital theory.
Related Associations:
American
Physical Society Division of Atomic, Molecular
and Optical Physics
Nuclear
Physics
Nuclear Physics is the
study of the structure of the atom's nucleus and the relationship of the
properties of the nucleus to the fundamental constituents and laws of
nature. Nuclear physics includes the investigation of the weak and strong
interactions between nuclear particles and the radiation emitted from
unstable nuclei. It also encompasses the study of the splitting of nuclei
into smaller parts and the merger of nuclei into larger nuclei, called
fission and fusion, respectively. The application of nuclear physics in
the generation of electrical power and the treatment of cancer are just
two of many that have had a major impact on mankind. Nuclear physics has
three main aspects: probing the fundamental particles (protons and
neutrons) and their interactions, classifying and interpreting the
properties of nuclei, and providing technological advances. Experiments
with nuclei continue to contribute to the understanding of basic
interactions. Investigation of nuclear properties and the laws governing
the structure of nuclei is an active and productive area of research,
and practical applications, such as nuclear power, smoke detectors,
cardiac pacemakers, and medical imaging devices, have become common.
Related Associations:
American Institute of Physics
American
Nuclear Society
Oceanography
Oceanography deals with
all aspects of the oceans, including the delimitation of their extent and
depth, the physics and chemistry of their waters, marine biology, and the
exploitation of their resources. Oceanography is generally divided into
four major categories of research - - physical being one, along with
chemical, biological, and geological research. Physical oceanographers
provide explanations of the physical state of the oceans, particularly the
distribution of water masses, the conditions that create them, and the
great currents that disperse and mix them.
Optical
Physics
Optical
Physics is the application of physical laws to the study of the
production and transmission of light and its interaction with matter.
Optical physics primarily deals with the nature and properties of light
and seeks to explain the optical phenomena that cannot be explained in
terms of rays (behavior of light as a wave as opposed to behavior as a
particle). Optical physics is the study of the generation of
electromagnetic radiation, the properties of that radiation, and the
interaction of that radiation with matter, especially its manipulation
and control. It differs from general optics and optical engineering in
that it is focused on the discovery and application of new phenomena.
There is no strong distinction, however, between optical physics,
applied optics, and optical engineering, since the devices of optical
engineering and the applications of applied optics are necessary for
basic research in optical physics, and that research leads to the
development of new devices and applications. Often the same people are
involved in both the basic research and the applied technology
development. Researchers in optical physics use and develop light
sources that span the electromagnetic spectrum from microwaves to
X-rays. The field includes the generation and detection of light, linear
and nonlinear optical processes, and spectroscopy. Lasers and laser
spectroscopy have transformed optical science. Major study in optical
physics is also devoted to quantum optics and coherence, and to
femtosecond optics. In optical physics, support is also provided in
areas such as the nonlinear response of isolated atoms to intense,
ultra-short electromagnetic fields, the atom-cavity interaction at high
fields, and quantum properties of the electromagnetic field. Other
important areas of research include the development of novel optical
techniques for nano-optical measurements, diffractive optics,
low-coherence interferometry, optical coherence tomography, and
near-field microscopy.
Related Associations:
Optical Society of America
Particle
Physics
Particle Physics, also
referred to as high-energy physics, is the study of the most fundamental
particles of which matter is made. It is also called "high energy physics"
because many elementary particles do not occur under normal
circumstances in nature, but can be created and detected during
energetic collisions of other particles, as is done in particle
accelerators. A large number of elementary particles have been discovered in the
last few decades and are still believed to be comprised of still more
fundamental particles. Theoretical physicists working in this area are
currently trying to discover a single unifying concept that relates all
fundamental forces and elementary particles. Particle physics is being
called the frontier of contemporary physics. Particle physicists
internationally agree on the most important goals of particle physics
research in the near and intermediate future. Approached in several
distinct ways, the overarching goal is to find and understand what
physics may lie beyond the standard model. There are several powerful
experimental reasons to expect new physics, including dark matter and
neutrino mass.
Related Associations:
American Institute of Physics
Plasma
Physics
Plasmas
are the most common phase of matter. Some estimates suggest that up to
99% of matter in the entire visible universe is plasma. Since the space
between the stars is filled with a plasma, albeit a very sparse one (see
interstellar medium and intergalactic space), essentially the entire
volume of the universe is plasma. Plasma Physics
deals with the study of the physics of plasma (a high-temperature gas of
electrically charged particles), which has been called the fourth state
of matter because plasmas possess properties not found in ordinary
solids, liquids, and gases. Plasma is a state of matter found in stars
and can be hot enough for thermonuclear reactions to occur in them.
Plasma physicists have been attempting to initiate nuclear fusion by the
production and manipulation of plasma in the laboratory.
Related Associations:
American Institute of Physics
IEEE
Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Society
Rheology
Rheology applies
physics to the study of the deformation and flow of matter. In practice,
rheology is principally concerned with extending the "classical"
disciplines of elasticity and (Newtonian) fluid mechanics to materials
whose mechanical behaviour cannot be described with the classical
theories. It is also concerned with establishing predictions for
mechanical behaviour (on the continuum mechanical scale) based on the
micro- or nanostructure of the material, e.g. the molecular size and
architecture of polymers in solution or the particle size distribution
in a solid suspension. An example of rheology is the application of the principles behind the observation in
the differences in the flow of ketchup from a bottle before and after
shaking the bottle.
Solid
State Physics
Solid State Physics is
the branch of physics that deals with the internal structure and
properties of solids in which physicists determine how the behavior of
atoms and molecules within solids gives rise to their observed properties.
Products of solid state physics include the transistor, which was based on
theories and experiments about the electrical properties of semiconductor
solids; the photoelectric cell; and the light-emitting diode. The bulk of
solid-state physics theory and research is focused on crystals, largely
because the periodicity of atoms in a crystal -- its defining
characteristic -- facilitates mathematical modeling, and also because
crystalline materials often have electrical, magnetic, optical, or
mechanical properties that can be applied to engineering functions.
Related Associations:
American Institute of Physics
Space
Physics
Space Physics is the
study of the physical properties and phenomena of the region beyond the
Earth's atmosphere. Exploration of space is conducted to extend knowledge
about the Earth, the solar system, and the universe beyond. Practical
applications of space research includes the development of meteorological
satellites that aid in weather forecasting; communications satellites that
increase the number of international communications channels available and
make possible the intercontinental transmission of television; navigation
satellites that guide ships; military satellites that perform vital
reconnaissance; geodetic satellites that allow the creation of maps of
unprecedented accuracy; and many other products of space technology that
are utilized on Earth. Space Physics encompasses a far-ranging number of
topics, including the sun, solar wind, planetary magnetospheres and
ionospheres, auroras, cosmic rays, and synchrotron radiation. Space
physics is a fundamental part of the study of space weather and has
important implications not only to understanding the universe, but also
to practical every-day life, including the operation of communications
and weather satellites.
Related Associations:
American Institute of Physics
Thermal
Physics
Thermal Physics deals
with the mechanical action or relationship between heat, work,
temperature, and energy. It is the study of the statistical nature of
physical systems from an energetic perspective. Starting with the basics
of heat and temperature, thermal physics analyzes the first law of
thermodynamics and second law of thermodynamics from the statistical
perspective, in terms of the number of microstates corresponding to a
given macrostate. In addition, the concept of entropy is studied via
quantum theory. A central topic in thermal physics is the canonical
probability distribution. The electromagnetic nature of photons and
phonons are studied which show that the oscillations of electromagnetic
fields and of crystal lattices have much in common.
Related Associations:
American Institute of Physics
Vacuum
Physics
Vacuum Physics is the
study of matter in an environment at low pressure with little or no
surrounding gas. Physicists can control and study a single particle
without interference by passing the particle through a vacuum, using
electrical and magnetic fields to guide particles to a particular target.
This type of study aids in the investigation of molecular structure.
Applications of vacuum science and technology lead to advances in solid
state physics and other fields.
Related Associations:
American
Vacuum Society (AVS)
Note: Some resources in this section are provided by the
American Institute of Physics.
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