Understanding Modern Physics

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Physics is one of the most popular scientific fields since it examines how matter is formed and how its basic building blocks interact. The term physics is derived from the Greek word physikos and refers to all aspects of nature on both a macroscopic and submicroscopic scale. The nature and origin of gravitational, electromagnetic, and nuclear force fields are covered in this field of study, along with the behavior of objects when subjected to specific forces. The ultimate goal of physics is to develop a complete theory that unifies and explains all of these different occurrences. Essentially, physics is summed up to be the study of matter, motion, and energy.

The field of physics is divided into two separate branches, classical and modern. Modern physics is one of the primary branches of physics, referring to all forms and practices of physics that started in the early 20th century with branches such as special relativity, quantum mechanics, and general relativity. Unlike classical physics, which deals with the macroscopic aspects of physics, modern physics deals with more microscopic aspects. In other words, classical physics deals with everyday conditions, and modern physics deals with technical aspects and more extreme conditions.

Modern physics is sometimes regarded as post-Newtonian, as this branch of physics was not developed until well after the time of Newton. The father of modern physics is Albert Einstein, a 20th-century scientist who developed several important concepts in physics, particularly the theory of relativity and the famous equation E=mc2. Another key player in the development of modern physics was Max Planck, who formulated the quantum theory. Modern physics is based on these two 20th-century breakthroughs.

Albert Einstein's theory of relativity encompasses two different theories; the theory of special relativity and the theory of general relativity, published in 1905 and 1915, respectively. General relativity explains the law of gravity and its relation to other forces of nature. Einstein created this portion of the theory of relativity between 1907 and 1915 after realizing that large objects bend space-time.

In essence, Einstein's general theory of relativity sought to explain gravity in relation to the shifting geometry of space-time. On the other hand, the theory of special relativity, one of the most significant theories in the history of physics, explains how speed affects mass, time, and space. The theory provides a method for using the speed of light to characterize the interaction between energy and matter. It is typically applied when talking about enormous energies, extremely rapid speeds, and astronomical distances without the interference of gravity.

The branch of modern physics known as quantum theory, developed by Max Planck, is responsible for explaining the nature and behavior of matter and energy at the atomic and subatomic scales. It is the basis for all other branches of quantum physics, such as quantum chemistry, quantum field theory, quantum entanglement, and quantum information science. Quantum theory, otherwise called quantum mechanics, has proven true for large molecules with thousands of atoms. However, its applicability to people poses philosophical issues, and its applicability to the entire cosmos is still hypothetical.

These two post-Newtonian theories form the core of modern physics and account for a significant portion of scientific accomplishments. Although the forerunners of modern physics developed these theories to a considerable extent in the early 20th century, there is still much to learn about them, and there are more scientists than you might imagine working hard to progress these theories for the benefit of humanity.