Lecture 1: Introduction to

Physics

Introduction

https://sites.google.com/a/fmcsd.ab.ca/mr-hurley--physics/

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https://www.miniphysics.com/should-i-study-physics-in-university.html

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Gadgets

Nature of Science
Science-Latin

scientia meaning
knowledge
- a system of acquiring
knowledge that uses
observation
and
experimentation
to
describe and explain
natural phenomenon

Characteristics of Scientific
Explanation
Empirical

- based on evidence
-tested using observation and experiment
- can be verified by others
Rational
-based on or in accordance with reason or logic
- consistent with known facts
Testable
- measurable
-counterexamples to the hypothesis are logically possible (falsifiable)
Tentative
-not certain or fixed; provisional.
Rigorously Evaluated
- compared against other explanation

Testing Hypothesis
CONTROLLED EXPERIMENT

-one variable is manipulated at a time

-establish a cause/effect relationship
2 Setups
CONTROL SETUP
- no variables are tested
-provides a baseline for which to compare the results with the
experimental setup
EXPERIMENTAL SETUP
- one variable is tested
- independent variable (cause) (what you change) which
determines the dependent variable
- dependent variable (effect)/(responds to the experimental setup

Peer Review
For research validation
Peer

- other researchers/scientists of the same

field
Review
- examine against accepted standards
- gives positive criticism
Research paper is either accepted, accepted
with conditions or rejected

Peer Review Process

https://www.elsevier.com/reviewers/what-is-peer-review

Scientific Misconduct/ Scientific

FRAUD
Scientific misconduct is defined as "the

violation of the standard codes of

scholarly conduct and ethical behavior in
professional scientific research".

The code of scholarly conduct is written by each

institution to reflect their values but always
contains certain universal ideas:
The treatment ofhuman subjects.
Honesty
Maintaining integrity of allexperimentsand

research
Publishing the research andresults
Granting access to others to allow
reproductionof the testing
Personal responsibility for the research
https://explorable.com/scientific-misconduct
Acknowledgingothers contributions

Falsification

of
data:
ranges
from
fabrication to deceptive selective reporting of
findings and omission of conflicting data, or
willful suppression and/or distortion of data.
Plagiarism:
The
appropriation
of
the
language, ideas, or thoughts of another
without crediting their true source, and
representation of them as one's own original
work.

Scientific Modeling
Scientific modeling
generation of a physical, conceptual, or

mathematical representation of a real

phenomenon that is difficult to observe
directly
explain and predict the behaviour of real
objects or systems
not exact replicas; scientists constantly are
working to improve and refine models
http://www.britannica.com/science/scientific-modeling

Key words in Science

Fact-observable phenomenon in a particular

situation.
Law rule, a principle, concise but general
statements which is universally true in nature
or as found by observation and
experimentation.
Hypotheses- educated guess, a statement
based on the problem and observations;
possible solution; can be tested;
Theories- based concepts that make sense of
a large body of observations and
experimentation; explanation of why
something happens; evolves through time

Physics
is a branch of science which deals with the

study of matter, energy and its interaction

- everything in the universe represents
matter and therefore everything in the
universe is simply Physics in itself.
Goal: 1. Describing Physics through
empirical equations, models, etc.
2. Understanding Physics through
laws and theories

Why study Physics

Most fundamental science; concerned with the

basic principles of the Universe

Foundation science other sciences are based
Overlapping Science:
Astrophysics
Physical Chemistry
Astronautics
Biophysics

Classical Physics
Mechanics-motion bodies, inertia, force and energy
Sound and wave motion- transfer of energy by

means of periodic disturbances thru various media

Heat (Thermodynamics) quantity of thermal
energy absorbed or given off by an object
Electricity and Magnetism- deal with the concept
of electric charge and electric current
Optics- deals with nature and propagation of light;
concept of electromagnetic waves, absorption and
transmission of light and the phenomena of
reflection, refraction, interference, diffraction and
polarization

Frontiers of Modern Physics

Physics at the atomic and macroscopic level
Relativity
Quantum Mechanics/Quantum Physics
Condensed-matter physics/Electronics
Nuclear Physics
Nanotechnology
Biophysics
Quantum Computing
Computational Physics
Nuclear Fusion
High Energy/Particle Physics
String Theory
Astrophysics

Assignment
In the context of Electricity and Magnetism

give 3 examples for each:

a. Facts
b. Laws
c. Theories