What does physics mean

Crossword clues for physics

physics

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

physics

noun

COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES

a branch of mathematics/physics/biology etc

a history/physics/maths etc lesson

▪ I've got a history lesson this afternoon.

nuclear physics

particle physics

COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS

■ ADJECTIVE

atomic

▪ There is a complementarity between life and atomic physics.

▪ Scientists were deeply split on the uses to which the discoveries of atomic physics were being put.

▪ In atomic physics they are represented as Proton, Neutron, Electron, the three elements of all structure throughout nature.

▪ He held a chair in physics from 1937 until his retirement publishing more than 150 papers on atomic and nuclear physics.

classical

▪ Deterministic laws of atomic arrangements in the triumphant years of classical physics seemed to lie behind the phenomena of life.

▪ This is what classical physics has taught us about the nature of physical reality.

▪ Quantum mechanical states, however, differ in two important respects from those of classical physics.

▪ Computability in classical physics: where do we stand?

▪ Our macroscopic world is precise; it is the domain of classical Newtonian physics.

▪ Problems with classical theory How do we know that classical physics is not actually true of our world?

▪ Other western sciences exclude difficult aspects of subjectivity from their portraits of themselves, as in classical physics.

▪ Too negligible to have practical effect in classical physics, it adds up over trillions of years.

experimental

▪ Chemistry was parexcellence the laboratory science of the earlier nineteenth century, but experimental physics and physiology needed similar facilities.

▪ Fukushima describes the relationship between modeling neural networks and neurophysiology as one resembling that between theoretical physics and experimental physics.

high

▪ He identified pharmacy, high energy physics and architecture as being over-represented in the universities.

▪ Mr Horton, my high school physics teacher, has told me much the same thing.

▪ In certain areas of higher education - physics and engineering, for example - they make up a tiny proportion of students.

▪ Her basic theory is one we recognize from high school physics: For every action, there is a reaction.

modern

▪ In older cultures all changes are seen as relative - as in the thinking of modern physics.

▪ Such people often see their lives more effectively framed by the reality metaphors that modern quantum physics and chaos theory provide.

▪ A minority of students took a more thoughtful view of modern physics however.

new

▪ Just think, you could equip a whole new physics laboratory.

▪ You have been doubtful about all of this new physics, Watson.

▪ In the meantime, the study of these collisions is certainly revealing much new and interesting physics.

▪ I was welcomed as the new physics teacher, although I had expressly stated that I was primarily a mathematics teacher.

newtonian

▪ Our macroscopic world is precise; it is the domain of classical Newtonian physics.

▪ Yet another Establishment arose, this time constituted of the practitioners and defenders of Newtonian physics.

▪ It was Newtonian physics again; for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

▪ The hard core of Newtonian physics is comprised of Newton's laws of motion plus his law of gravitational attraction.

▪ In its curriculum the school concentrated on mathematics and science; there were courses in algebra, geometry and Newtonian physics.

nuclear

▪ It's a subject whose passion for diagrams and abbreviations and formulae can give nuclear physics a run for its money.

▪ Tom, this ain't nuclear physics!

▪ New textbooks on nuclear and particle physics are thin on the ground.

▪ The application of nuclear and radiation physics sees a steady increase in the number of titles.

▪ Thermoluminescence dating and environmental radiation monitoring is also pursued within the nuclear physics group.

▪ Like Nicu she studied nuclear physics, but unlike Valentin, she was never considered suitable for study abroad.

▪ He says Harwell has now expanded from dealing solely with the field of nuclear physics.

▪ The other simple analogy is to the chain reaction of nuclear physics.

theoretical

▪ In theoretical physics, the search for logical self-consistency has always been more important in making advances than experimental results.

▪ Fukushima describes the relationship between modeling neural networks and neurophysiology as one resembling that between theoretical physics and experimental physics.

▪ They are predicted by theoretical physics, and there is good experimental evidence in favour of their existence.

▪ So maybe the end is in sight for theoretical physicists, if not for theoretical physics.

▪ Doing theoretical physics is usually a two-step process.

▪ I felt that there were two possible areas of theoretical physics that were fundamental and in which I might do research.

▪ Feynman, who died in 1988, is remembered for his many contributions to theoretical physics.

▪ The ideal candidate will hold a good degree in theoretical physics or physical chemistry and have strong mathematical and computing skills.

■ NOUN

department

▪ The work on producing the polarised atoms is being carried out by William Happer in the physics department at Princeton.

▪ Just transferred to the medical physics department.

▪ A given physics department may have money from all three of these, as well as the general physics pool.

particle

▪ The particle physics is cutting-edge.

▪ The explanations were so arcane I would have made more headway with a textbook on particle physics.

▪ Recent developments in particle physics suggest that every nucleon may itself have a nucleus.

▪ New textbooks on nuclear and particle physics are thin on the ground.

▪ Such calculations also provide an insight into particle physics.

▪ Members of three such generations have been discovered; until recently there was no evidence from particle physics to rule out more.

▪ But the model isn't from magic but particle physics.

▪ In an attempt to get data from this natural laboratory, particle physics has become ever more entwined with cosmology.

professor

▪ Three days after the wedding, Gardner, the physics professor, joined the merchant marines and was never seen again.

▪ Then I saw that Phagu was not a physics professor at all but a painting I had seen somewhere.

▪ So what happened when the daughter of Applejack and the son of the physics professor met?

quantum

▪ Microchips aid quantum physics Technology from the semiconductor industry has allowed an experiment in fundamental physics previously possible only in theory.

▪ Such people often see their lives more effectively framed by the reality metaphors that modern quantum physics and chaos theory provide.

▪ Tried to explain the real implications of quantum physics as we crossed Kensington Road.

▪ This is because, in the wacky world of quantum physics, light is wavy as well as particulate.

student

▪ I think chemistry and physics students are quite a good thing to be at the moment.

▪ Or, following Chernobyl, for physics students not to develop a sensitivity to the biological and environmental dimensions of their studies.

▪ Many physics students, and almost all physical science students, had an instrumental attitude towards their degree courses.

▪ However, this was far less significant for physics students than it was for the physical science and materials students.

▪ Only one of the physics students, had, for example, considered taking a degree in chemistry.

teacher

▪ I was welcomed as the new physics teacher, although I had expressly stated that I was primarily a mathematics teacher.

▪ Mr Horton, my high school physics teacher, has told me much the same thing.

■ VERB

study

▪ Jack said he had no wish to study physics and chemistry.

▪ He went to the University of Chicago to study the physics of electricity.

▪ Like Nicu she studied nuclear physics, but unlike Valentin, she was never considered suitable for study abroad.

▪ At 18, he joined the Navy, which sent him to the University of Michigan to study engineering and physics.

▪ It is precisely this need to conform that causes tensions and difficulties for women studying physics.

▪ He is studying physics under me.

teach

▪ I could see Phagu standing at a blackboard teaching particle physics.

understand

▪ In the past, Livermore scientists studied those mini-explosions to better understand the physics of nuclear weapons blasts.

PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES

applied science/physics/linguistics etc

▪ If applied linguistics is left exclusively to an elite band of researchers, then the whole object of the exercise disappears.

▪ Introduction to nonlinear problems with emphasis on practical modelling, illustrative examples from pure and applied science, and use of computers.

▪ Since then, there has been a steady output of research within this branch of applied linguistics.

▪ Supported by four applied science courses covering the biology, entomology and pathology of seeds, and plant breeding.

▪ There is a very pervasive belief that it is research in theoretical and applied linguistics which provides the solutions.

▪ These four key elements are well developed and widely shared within the research communities of every natural and applied science.

▪ These will include basic skills as well as specialised competences in areas of applied physics.

▪ Why are engineering, medicine and agriculture not all grouped together as applied sciences?

the frontiers of knowledge/physics etc

▪ Use concepts across the frontiers of knowledge.

EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS

▪ Chemistry and physics books revealed the same patterns.

▪ Deterministic laws of atomic arrangements in the triumphant years of classical physics seemed to lie behind the phenomena of life.

▪ Home-schooled by his parents until age sixteen, Tsiolkovskii read voraciously and developed a lifelong fascination with mathematics and physics.

▪ I would probably think of that as physics, in a complex way.

▪ In either case, the chemistry and physics of the products are very similar.

▪ Jones explores each in turn, calling on other metaphors to illustrate his points, but never strays far from mainstream physics.

▪ She is redoing her A-levels in chemistry, physics and biology in the sixth form of a London girls' school.

▪ The poetry of physics has become the stuff of novels.

The Collaborative International Dictionary

physics

Natural \Nat"u*ral\ (?; 135), a. [OE. naturel, F. naturel, fr. L. naturalis, fr. natura. See Nature.]

Fixed or determined by nature; pertaining to the constitution of a thing; belonging to native character; according to nature; essential; characteristic; innate; not artificial, foreign, assumed, put on, or acquired; as, the natural growth of animals or plants; the natural motion of a gravitating body; natural strength or disposition; the natural heat of the body; natural color.

With strong natural sense, and rare force of will.
--Macaulay.
Conformed to the order, laws, or actual facts, of nature; consonant to the methods of nature; according to the stated course of things, or in accordance with the laws which govern events, feelings, etc.; not exceptional or violent; legitimate; normal; regular; as, the natural consequence of crime; a natural death; anger is a natural response to insult.

What can be more natural than the circumstances in the behavior of those women who had lost their husbands on this fatal day?
--Addison.
Having to do with existing system to things; dealing with, or derived from, the creation, or the world of matter and mind, as known by man; within the scope of human reason or experience; not supernatural; as, a natural law; natural science; history, theology.

I call that natural religion which men might know . . . by the mere principles of reason, improved by consideration and experience, without the help of revelation.
--Bp. Wilkins.
Conformed to truth or reality; as:
1. Springing from true sentiment; not artificial or exaggerated; -- said of action, delivery, etc.; as, a natural gesture, tone, etc.
2. Resembling the object imitated; true to nature; according to the life; -- said of anything copied or imitated; as, a portrait is natural.
Having the character or sentiments properly belonging to one's position; not unnatural in feelings.

To leave his wife, to leave his babes, . . . He wants the natural touch.
--Shak.
Connected by the ties of consanguinity. especially, Related by birth rather than by adoption; as, one's natural mother. ``Natural friends.''
--J. H. Newman.
Hence: Begotten without the sanction of law; born out of wedlock; illegitimate; bastard; as, a natural child.
Of or pertaining to the lower or animal nature, as contrasted with the higher or moral powers, or that which is spiritual; being in a state of nature; unregenerate.

The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God.
--1 Cor. ii. 14.
(Math.) Belonging to, to be taken in, or referred to, some system, in which the base is 1; -- said of certain functions or numbers; as, natural numbers, those commencing at 1; natural sines, cosines, etc., those taken in arcs whose radii are 1.
(Mus.)
1. Produced by natural organs, as those of the human throat, in distinction from instrumental music.
2. Of or pertaining to a key which has neither a flat nor a sharp for its signature, as the key of C major.
3. Applied to an air or modulation of harmony which moves by easy and smooth transitions, digressing but little from the original key.
4. Neither flat nor sharp; -- of a tone.
5. Changed to the pitch which is neither flat nor sharp, by appending the sign [natural]; as, A natural.
  --Moore (Encyc. of Music).
Existing in nature or created by the forces of nature, in contrast to production by man; not made, manufactured, or processed by humans; as, a natural ruby; a natural bridge; natural fibers; a deposit of natural calcium sulfate. Opposed to artificial, man-made, manufactured, processed and synthetic. [WordNet sense 2]
Hence: Not processed or refined; in the same statre as that existing in nature; as, natural wood; natural foods.

Natural day, the space of twenty-four hours.
--Chaucer.

Natural fats, Natural gas, etc. See under Fat, Gas. etc.

Natural Harmony (Mus.), the harmony of the triad or common chord.

Natural history, in its broadest sense, a history or description of nature as a whole, including the sciences of botany, zo["o]logy, geology, mineralogy, paleontology, chemistry, and physics. In recent usage the term is often restricted to the sciences of botany and zo["o]logy collectively, and sometimes to the science of zoology alone.

Natural law, that instinctive sense of justice and of right and wrong, which is native in mankind, as distinguished from specifically revealed divine law, and formulated human law.

Natural modulation (Mus.), transition from one key to its relative keys.

Natural order. (Nat. Hist.) See under order.

Natural person. (Law) See under person, n.

Natural philosophy, originally, the study of nature in general; the natural sciences; in modern usage, that branch of physical science, commonly called physics, which treats of the phenomena and laws of matter and considers those effects only which are unaccompanied by any change of a chemical nature; -- contrasted with mental philosophy and moral philosophy.

Natural scale (Mus.), a scale which is written without flats or sharps.

Note: Model would be a preferable term, as less likely to mislead, the so-called artificial scales (scales represented by the use of flats and sharps) being equally natural with the so-called natural scale.

Natural science, the study of objects and phenomena existing in nature, especially biology, chemistry, physics and their interdisciplinary related sciences; natural history, in its broadest sense; -- used especially in contradistinction to social science, mathematics, philosophy, mental science or moral science.

Natural selection (Biol.), the operation of natural laws analogous, in their operation and results, to designed selection in breeding plants and animals, and resulting in the survival of the fittest; the elimination over time of species unable to compete in specific environments with other species more adapted to survival; -- the essential mechanism of evolution. The principle of natural selection is neutral with respect to the mechanism by which inheritable changes occur in organisms (most commonly thought to be due to mutation of genes and reorganization of genomes), but proposes that those forms which have become so modified as to be better adapted to the existing environment have tended to survive and leave similarly adapted descendants, while those less perfectly adapted have tended to die out through lack of fitness for the environment, thus resulting in the survival of the fittest. See Darwinism.

Natural system (Bot. & Zo["o]l.), a classification based upon real affinities, as shown in the structure of all parts of the organisms, and by their embryology.

It should be borne in mind that the natural system of botany is natural only in the constitution of its genera, tribes, orders, etc., and in its grand divisions.
--Gray.

Natural theology, or Natural religion, that part of theological science which treats of those evidences of the existence and attributes of the Supreme Being which are exhibited in nature; -- distinguished from revealed religion. See Quotation under Natural, a., 3.

Natural vowel, the vowel sound heard in urn, furl, sir, her, etc.; -- so called as being uttered in the easiest open position of the mouth organs. See Neutral vowel, under Neutral and Guide to Pronunciation, [sect] 17.

Syn: See Native.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary

physics

1580s, "natural science," from physic in sense of "natural science." Also see -ics. Based on Latin physica (neuter plural), from Greek ta physika, literally "the natural things," name of Aristotle's treatise on nature. Specific sense of "science treating of properties of matter and energy" is from 1715.\n

Wiktionary

physics

n. The branch of science concerned with the study of properties and interactions of space, time, matter and energy. vb. (en-third-person singular of: physic)

WordNet

physics

n. the science of matter and energy and their interactions [syn: physical science, natural philosophy]

Wikipedia

Physics

Physics (from , from phúsis "nature" ) is the natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through space and time, along with related concepts such as energy and force. One of the most fundamental scientific disciplines, the main goal of physics is to understand how the universe behaves.

Physics is one of the oldest academic disciplines, perhaps the oldest through its inclusion of astronomy. Over the last two millennia, physics was a part of natural philosophy along with chemistry, biology, and certain branches of mathematics, but during the scientific revolution in the 17th century, the natural sciences emerged as unique research programs in their own right. Physics intersects with many interdisciplinary areas of research, such as biophysics and quantum chemistry, and the boundaries of physics are not rigidly defined. New ideas in physics often explain the fundamental mechanisms of other sciences while opening new avenues of research in areas such as mathematics and philosophy.

Physics also makes significant contributions through advances in new technologies that arise from theoretical breakthroughs. For example, advances in the understanding of electromagnetism or nuclear physics led directly to the development of new products that have dramatically transformed modern-day society, such as television, computers, domestic appliances, and nuclear weapons; advances in thermodynamics led to the development of industrialization, and advances in mechanics inspired the development of calculus.

Physics (Aristotle)

The Physics ( Greek: Φυσικὴ ἀκρόασις Phusike akroasis; Latin: Physica, or Physicae Auscultationes, meaning " lectures on nature") of Aristotle is one of the foundational books of Western science and philosophy. As Martin Heidegger once wrote;

Bertrand Russell, however, says of Physics and On the Heavens that they were:

It is a collection of treatises or lessons that deal with the most general (philosophical) principles of natural or moving things, both living and non-living, rather than physical theories (in the modern sense) or investigations of the particular contents of the universe. The chief purpose of the work is to discover the principles and causes of (and not merely to describe) change, or movement, or motion (κίνησις kinesis), especially that of natural wholes (mostly living things, but also inanimate wholes like the cosmos). In the conventional Andronicean ordering of Aristotle's works, it stands at the head of, as well as being foundational to, the long series of physical, cosmological and biological treatises, whose ancient Greek title, τὰ φυσικά, means "the [writings] on nature" or " natural philosophy".

Physics (band)

Physics was an instrumental band from San Diego, California, USA started by John Goff and Denver Lucas in late 1993 out of the ashes of Johnny Superbad & the Bulletcatchers and closely involved with Crash Worship. Featuring a rotating cast of musicians from the San Diego experimental underground but mainly composed of Denver Lucas on drums, Jfre Coad on synths, John Goff, Jason Soares, Rob Crow, and Travis Nelson on guitars. Also Ryan Jencks on guitar/violin/visuals, and Matt Lorenz on live film collage/projections. This early incarnation came to be known as the "Black Period". Mainly inspired by theories in quantum theory and Eastern Mysticism, Physics was musically influenced by Krautrock, Minimalism, early Doom/ Drone and Electronic Kosmische, though were often associated with the Math Rock genre. After the untimely death of Denver Lucas in the mid 90s, the Physics personnel underwent numerous changes until resulting in Will Goff on bass and Cameron Jones on drums which was later known as the "Gray Period" then ultimately the "White Period".

After Physics dissolved in 2000, Jason Soares and Jeff Coad went on to form the more electronic-based Aspects Of Physics also with Matt Lorenz. Will and John Goff went on to form the electronic band SSI. Rob Crow started Pinback (co-led by Zach Smith from Three Mile Pilot) and Ryan Jencks continued playing with Crash Worship while simultaneously starting / playing with a myriad of experimental Industrial noise and metal projects including Dispirit

In 2015 coinciding with the release of the documentary "It's Gonna Blow!!! San Diego's Music Underground 1986-1996", Physics reformed in select cities including Portland and Los Angeles for the film premiere featuring John, Jason Rob on guitars. Will, Jfre, on synths and Cameron on drums.

Physics (American Physical Society magazine)

Physics is an open access online publication containing commentaries on the best of the peer-reviewed research published in the journals of the American Physical Society. The editor-in-chief of Physics is Gene D. Sprouse. It highlights papers in Physical Review Letters and the Physical Review family of journals. The magazine was established in 2008.

Physics (disambiguation)

Physics is the science of all phenomena.

Physics may also refer to:

Physics (Aristotle), a key text in the philosophy of Aristotle
Physics (band), an American rock music group
Physics (American Physical Society journal), a scientific journal published by the American Physical Society from 2008
Physics (Chinese Physical Society journal), a scientific journal published by the Chinese Physical Society

Usage examples of "physics".

Through its principle of relativity, the special theory of relativity declares a democracy of observational vantage points: the laws of physics appear identical to all observers undergoing constant-velocity motion.

There are other physicists, however, who are deeply unsettled by the fact that the two foundational pillars of physics as we know it are at their core fundamentally incompatible, regardless of the ultramicroscopic distances that must be probed to expose the problem.

But as shall become clear, when seen in its proper context, string theory emerges as a dramatic yet natural outgrowth of the revolutionary discoveries of physics during the past hundred years.

I hope that, by explaining the major achievements of physics going back to Einstein and Heisenberg, and describing how their discoveries have grandly flowered through the breakthroughs of our age, this book will both enrich and satisfy this curiosity.

For science students and teachers, I hope this book will crystallize some of the foundational material of modern physics, such as special relativity, general relativity, and quantum mechanics, while conveying the contagious excitement of researchers closing in on the long-sought unified theory.

Since the theory unifies the laws of the large and of the small, laws that govern physics out to the farthest reaches of the cosmos and down to the smallest speck of matter, there are many avenues by which one can approach the subject.

The problem is this: There are two foundational pillars upon which modern physics rests.

This quixotic quest isolated Einstein from the mainstream of physics, which, understandably, was far more excited about delving into the newly emerging framework of quantum mechanics.

And a sizeable part of the physics and mathematics community is becoming increasingly convinced that string theory may provide the answer.

Although it would be hard to explain the properties of a tornado in terms of the physics of electrons and quarks, I see this as a matter of calculational impasse, not an indicator of the need for new physical laws.

The laws of physics that each deduces from the experiments will likewise be identical.

With an audacious step in the service of scientific hegemony, Newton united the physics governing both heaven and earth and declared the force of gravity to be the invisible hand at work in each realm.

He felt that probability was turning up in fundamental physics because of a subtle version of the reason it turns up at the roulette wheel: some basic incompleteness in our understanding.

Heisenberg discovered the uncertainty principle, physics turned a sharp corner, never to retrace its steps.

That is, without the strong force, physics would change under the kinds of shifts of color charges indicated above.

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What is "physics"

Crossword clues for physics

physics

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

The Collaborative International Dictionary

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary

Wiktionary

WordNet

Wikipedia

Usage examples of "physics".

Find the word definition

What is "physics"

Crossword clues for physics

physics

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

Related phrases:

The Collaborative International Dictionary

Related phrases:

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary

Wiktionary

Related phrases:

WordNet

Related phrases:

Wikipedia

Related phrases:

Usage examples of "physics".