What is Physics?

Chapter 1

Physics is the branch of knowledge that studies the physical world. Physicists use equations and mathematics to describe the world around them in scientific terms.

Physics: The Search for Understanding

The History of Physics

Archemides: (287 BC – 212 BC) Ancient Greece

Could have invented calculusDiscovered buoyancyInvented many instruments

Copernicus: (1473-1543) PolandHeliocentric theory

Brahe: (1546-1601) DenmarkCaptain of observationInvented the Uraniborg (Observatory)

Francis Bacon: Creator of the Scientific Method

Heliocentric Theory

Theory introduced by Copernicus which stated that the Sun was the center of the Solar System. This theory went against the dogma of the church and he was persecuted and excommunicated for his findings and support of his beliefs.

The Scientific Method

• Observe: What’s going on?• Hypothesis: What might happen?• Experiment: Test what happens and record data• Analyze: What happened?• Conclude: What does this mean?

History of Physics cont..

Newton: (1642-1727) Invented Calculus

Wrote Principia.

Made discoveries by age of 18.

Head of Royal Society

Came up with the Law of Gravitation

Doppler: (1803-1853)The lower the sound the farther apart

the wavelengths were (Doppler Shift)

He measured the brightness of stars according to

color of wavelengths.

Ben Franklin

• (1706-1790)

• Came up with the theory of electric fluid

• Had it right except that he had the flow backwards, lighting just a big spark

• Built Franklin stove, bifocals, and many other inventions

• Wrote under the pen name “Poor Richard”

Marconi

• In 1909, Marconi succeeded in sending a morse code telegraph from Wales to Australia

• Won a noble prize for it

• Led to the first commercial radio station in Pittsburgh, PA named KDKA

Law of Gravitation

• The more massive the two objects are, the more attraction there will be between them but it also depends on the distance between them.

The End

By: Mike Zemrak, Brittany Morin, Alisha Albert, and Mike Thorp