List of basic physics topics

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For a more comprehensive list, see the List of physics topics.

This list of basic physics topics covers much of physics, the science concerned with the discovery and understanding of the fundamental laws which govern matter, energy, space, and time. Physics deals with the elementary constituents of the Universe and their interactions, as well as the analysis of systems best understood in terms of these fundamental principles. Because physics treats the core workings of the universe, including the quantum mechanical details which underpin all atomic interactions, it can be thought of as the foundational science, upon which stands "the central science" of chemistry, the earth sciences, biological sciences, and social sciences. Discoveries in basic physics have important ramifications for all of science.

The following list of topics is provided as an overview of and introduction to physics:

1 Where to start
2 Essence of physics
3 Branches of physics
4 History of physics
5 Basic physics concepts
6 Famous physicists
7 Physics lists
8 See also
9 Notes
10 External links

[edit] Where to start

See: Portal:Physics.

For those seeking an overview of the fundamental categories of physics, see the subcategories of Category:Fundamental physics concepts.

For students, there is a school course which starts with Physics First. The Physical Science Study Committee (1956) committed to production of the textbook PSSC Physics (1960). Other efforts include the Berkeley physics series and the Feynman Lectures on Physics.

In addition, it is helpful to prepare for the act of study. See Study skills in the category:Learning methods.

[edit] Essence of physics

Main article: Physics

Physics started with a philosophical commitment to simplicity. It should not be considered a difficult subject (although it is deep); one can learn classical physics on a playground, which describes the motion of balls, swings, slides and merry-go-rounds.

Theory	Major subtopics	Concepts
Classical mechanics	Newton's laws of motion, Lagrangian mechanics, Hamiltonian mechanics, Kinematics, Statics, Dynamics, Chaos theory, Acoustics, Fluid dynamics, Continuum mechanics	Density, Dimension, Gravity, Space, Time, Motion, Length, Position, Velocity, Acceleration, Mass, Momentum, Force, Energy, Angular momentum, Torque, Conservation law, Harmonic oscillator, Wave, Work, Power
Electromagnetism	Electrostatics, Electrodynamics, Electricity, Magnetism, Maxwell's equations, Optics	Capacitance, Electric charge, Current, Electrical conductivity, Electric field, Electric permittivity, Electrical resistance, Electromagnetic field, Electromagnetic induction, Electromagnetic radiation, Gaussian surface, Magnetic field, Magnetic flux, Magnetic monopole, Magnetic permeability
Theory of relativity	Special relativity, General relativity, Einstein field equations	Covariance, Einstein manifold, Equivalence principle, Four-momentum, Four-vector, General principle of relativity, Geodesic motion, Gravity, Gravitoelectromagnetism, Inertial frame of reference, Invariance, Length contraction, Lorentzian manifold, Lorentz transformation, Metric, Minkowski diagram, Minkowski space, Principle of Relativity, Proper length, Proper time, Reference frame, Rest energy, Rest mass, Relativity of simultaneity, Spacetime, Special principle of relativity, Speed of light, Stress-energy tensor, Time dilation, Twin paradox, World line
Thermodynamics and Statistical mechanics	Heat engine, Kinetic theory	Boltzmann's constant, Conjugate variables, Enthalpy, Entropy, Equation of state, Equipartition theorem, First Law of Thermodynamics, Free energy, Heat, Ideal gas law, Internal energy, Irreversible process, Partition function, Pressure, Reversible process, Second Law of Thermodynamics, Spontaneous process, State function, Statistical ensemble, Temperature, Thermodynamic equilibrium, Thermodynamic potential, Thermodynamic processes, Thermodynamic state, Thermodynamic system, Third Law of Thermodynamics, Viscosity, Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics
Quantum mechanics	Path integral formulation, Scattering theory, Schrödinger equation, Quantum field theory, Quantum statistical mechanics	Adiabatic approximation, Correspondence principle, Free particle, Hamiltonian, Hilbert space, Identical particles, Matrix Mechanics, Planck's constant, Operators, Quanta, Quantization, Quantum entanglement, Quantum harmonic oscillator, Quantum number, Quantum tunneling, Schrödinger's cat, Dirac equation, Spin, Wavefunction, Wave mechanics, Wave-particle duality, Zero-point energy, Pauli Exclusion Principle, Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle

[edit] Branches of physics

Field	Subfields	Major theories	Concepts
Astrophysics	Cosmology, Gravitation physics, High-energy astrophysics, Planetary astrophysics, Plasma physics, Space physics, Stellar astrophysics	Big Bang, Lambda-CDM model, Cosmic inflation, General relativity, Law of universal gravitation	Black hole, Cosmic background radiation, Cosmic string, Cosmos, Dark energy, Dark matter, Galaxy, Gravity, Gravitational radiation, Gravitational singularity, Planet, Solar system, Star, Supernova, Universe
Atomic, molecular, and optical physics	Atomic physics, Molecular physics, Atomic and Molecular astrophysics, Chemical physics, Optics, Photonics	Quantum optics, Quantum chemistry, Quantum information science	Atom, Molecule, Diffraction, Electromagnetic radiation, Laser, Polarization, Spectral line, Casimir effect
Particle physics	Accelerator physics, Nuclear physics, Nuclear astrophysics, Particle astrophysics, Particle physics phenomenology	Standard Model, Quantum field theory, Quantum chromodynamics, Electroweak theory, Effective field theory, Lattice field theory, Lattice gauge theory, Gauge theory, Supersymmetry, Grand unification theory, Superstring theory, M-theory	Fundamental force (gravitational, electromagnetic, weak, strong), Elementary particle, Spin, Antimatter, Spontaneous symmetry breaking, Brane, String, Quantum gravity, Theory of everything, Vacuum energy
Condensed matter physics	Solid state physics, High pressure physics, Low-temperature physics, Nanoscale and mesoscopic physics, Polymer physics	BCS theory, Bloch wave, Fermi gas, Fermi liquid, Many-body theory	Phases (gas, liquid, solid, Bose-Einstein condensate, superconductor, superfluid), Electrical conduction, Magnetism, Self-organization, Spin, Spontaneous symmetry breaking

[edit] History of physics

Main article: History of physics

[edit] Basic physics concepts

General concepts

Gravity - Light - Physical system - Physical observation - Physical quantity - Physical state - Physical unit - Physical theory - Physical experiment -

Theoretical concepts

Mass-energy equivalence - Particle - Physical field - Physical interaction - Physical law - Fundamental force - Physical constant - Wave

Basic quantities

Space - Length - Time - Mass - Electric charge - Energy - Matter - Potential - Force - Momentum - Velocity - Acceleration - Entropy - Temperature

Subfields

Acoustics - Aerodynamics - Classical mechanics - Condensed matter physics - Cosmology - Dynamics - Electromagnetism - Hydrodynamics - Kinematics - Mathematical physics - Mechanics - Optics - plasma physics - Quantum mechanics - Relativity - Statics - Thermodynamics

[edit] Famous physicists

Main list: List of physicists

Archimedes - Laid down the laws of flotation and developed Archimedes' principle.^[1]
Niels Bohr - made fundamental contributions to understanding atomic structure and quantum mechanics. Widely considered one of the greatest physicists of the twentieth century.
Albert Einstein - Greatest scientist of the 20th century, and possibly of all time. Developed both the Special and General Theories of Relativity.
Richard Feynman - Expanded the theory of quantum electrodynamics, and developed the tool known as Feynman diagrams.
Isaac Newton - Laid the groundwork for classical mechanics.
Robert Oppenheimer - "Father of the atomic bomb."