What is Physicist: Definition and 657 Discussions

A physicist is a scientist who specializes in the field of physics, which encompasses the interactions of matter and energy at all length and time scales in the physical universe.
Physicists generally are interested in the root or ultimate causes of phenomena, and usually frame their understanding in mathematical terms.
Physicists work across a wide range of research fields, spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic and particle physics, through biological physics, to cosmological length scales encompassing the universe as a whole.
The field generally includes two types of physicists: experimental physicists who specialize in the observation of physical phenomena and the analysis of experiments, and theoretical physicists who specialize in mathematical modeling of physical systems to rationalize, explain and predict natural phenomena.
Physicists can apply their knowledge towards solving practical problems or to developing new technologies (also known as applied physics or engineering physics).

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  1. P

    Physics What jobs can a Quantum physicist have ?

    I'm not sure if Quantum physics can be a specialization.. and if it can then what jobs can a Quantum physicist have ? also can you tell me what other subjects you would have to study along with Quantum physics ?
  2. D

    Physics Research Scientist or Physicist

    I want to have some career advice from you all, let me first start with my background... I graduated from a BME program, and finished a PhD in MRI last year. I am currently a Research Scientist at a hospital. After working for almost a year, I found myself lacking ideas in doing research. To...
  3. N

    Physics Life of an experimental physicist

    Whats the work life of an experimental physicist like? Hours? Pay? Activities and duties? etc. etc.
  4. I

    I want to be physicist, but will I have the future?

    Hello. First of all, I want to sorry everyone who read this thread. I'm so sorry that I'm not so good in english. I'll try my best to make you guys understand what I try to deliver. Before my age 17 years old, I don't have any interests in physics at all. I do taking class in physics at...
  5. R

    Engineering Medical Physicist or Biomedical engineer

    My daughter is 15 years old and soon to be 10th grader. She's considering what career field to go into. So far she's been looking at Pharmacist, Medical Physicist and Biomedical Engineer. She doesn't care for the memorization in Biology, thought that Honors Chem was okay, will be doing AP...
  6. L

    Should I Choose Astrophysics or Aeronautic Engineering for a Physics Career?

    I have just completed my freshmen year. I want to do major in physics. I am really confused should I go with general physics or focus in some particular branch of it for a good career? I do not want to be a professor doing major in physics but want to do some research and also earn good with my...
  7. B

    Programs What's the future of a physicist without a degree?

    Hi, I wanted to know what if someone who was very good in physics but didn't get the chance to study at college, and have his/her own great physics theories that would benefit science, what will be the future of a someone like that? would the story of Will ( in the good will hunting ) be the...
  8. E

    Engineering Can I become an engineer and a physicist?

    I want to become a theoretical physicist, but the job outlook is not as great as I would wish it to be. However, I still want to study theoretical physics as I find it extremely interesting. So what I am thinking is that I get a BA in electronic engineering, and then seek employment in that...
  9. T

    Who here is an actual physicist?

    Who here is an actual physicist?
  10. R

    I want to be the best physicist.

    I want to become the best physicist of all times. is this unrealistic?
  11. Y

    How to 'convert' from physicist to electrical engineer

    Here's the situation. I finished my bachelors in physics last year, and I want to ‘convert’ from a physicist to an electrical engineer. Now that I’ve got grad school offers (MS) in electrical engineering, how do I actually go about converting myself to an electrical engineer? I’m planning to...
  12. S

    Are the LQG physicist less prepared than the ST physicist?

    I ask this question because some time ago I was attending some course in LQG, and I was very surprised of the lack of knowledge of the teacher in anything that was not completely related to his investigation. Even things that he knew, he only knew it in the particular context of his work and...
  13. C

    Poll: Greatest physicist of the 20th century?

    the argument came up in class today, people were saying the typical Newton and einstein etc but i feel the aren't really that relevant anymore. so in your opinion, who is the greatest scientist of this century? in terms of both scientific findings, educating the masses of certain theories, and...
  14. D

    Physics Non-academic career options for the theroetical physicist

    These are some notes of the observations I've made over the past few months looking for jobs. This might be useful for someone else but keep in mind it's rather focused around my personal situation and preferences. I did my PhD and postdoc in theoretical condensed matter physics, mostly DFT /...
  15. L

    An aspiring physicist seeks guidance

    About 8-10 months ago my hobby/fascination with astronomy blew up into an obsession with both physics and astronomy. Since then I've been devouring everything I can get my hands on about either subject. I legitimately think physics/astronomy are the two most interesting subjects conceived by the...
  16. A

    Physics When did you first know you would be a physicist?

    For some, it seems like they were destined to be a physicist and knew it from the start. Einstein was amazed by his father's compass when he was just a boy, Richard Feynman watched gravity at work when he placed a ball on a toy truck when he was a kid, etc. It seems like the 'greats' had a bond...
  17. J

    Engineering What does it takes to be a physicist compared to an engineer?

    I am a High school student in Ontario Canada, and I am currently completing my final year in High school. Recently I received acceptance to University of Toronto Mathematical and Physical sciences along with their prestigious engineering science program. My parents, though not forcing me to go...
  18. M

    Schools What language should a future physicist study in college?

    Many colleges require that all students learn a foreign language, but I have no idea which one I would want to study. Right now I don't know which area of physics I want to go into, or where I want to live. I suppose that if I stay in the U.S. it doesn't really matter which foreign language I...
  19. E

    If I want to be a Engineer with the same level knowledge as a physicist

    I want to one day become a Engineer but I also want to have the level of in depth knowledge about theoretical physics that a physicist would have I have applied to University and have so far been accepted for Medical Physics,(Ryerson) Electrical Engineering, (Ryerson) Space Engineering, (York)...
  20. R

    Career as physicist in electrical engeneering?

    I am a physicist (master, PhD) and have a job opportunity in an electrical engeneering company. Does anyone have experiences with this situation? What is a possible career path? My first impression is that people with a Masters in EE possibly outperform any physicist because of their...
  21. JK423

    Mathematics book for a Physicist

    I'm a graduate student of theoretical physics. I'd like to specialize in the field of quantum information, quantum theory in general. For that reason, i`d really like to study the theory of Hillbert space, or/and operators, for example, in mathematical detail so that i'll be able to have a...
  22. T

    Physics Difference between a Theoretical Physicist and an Astrophysicist?

    What are the difference? What does each one specialize in? I've tried looking on google but I can't really find anything that explains exactly what they do.
  23. M

    Physics How easy is to find a job as physicist

    Hi, this may be quite stupid question but I have to ask... How easy is to find a job as physicist... I am currently 18 and next year I'm ending my high school. I was considering to carry on studying IT or physics...As jounger I loved doing stuff with computers, but now I'm quite fed up with...
  24. marcus

    Dau-film about Russian physicist Lev Landau 1908-1968

    Dau--film about Russian physicist Lev Landau 1908-1968 The film-maker is Khrzhanovsky http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilya_Khrzhanovsky Here is the Cannes Film Festival page about the Landau film ("Dau") http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/cinefoundation/ficheFilmAtelier/id/4347979/year/2006.html...
  25. E

    Working on nuclear fusion as nuclear physicist

    Most research on nuclear fusion obviously is done in materials for containing and generating the plasma and this is not the speciality of a nuclear physicist. Is there actually anything for nuclear physicists to do for research other than figuring out a totally new path for achieving fusion?
  26. J

    Physics Being a good theoretical physicist

    Hello everyone. I'm a 11th grader who plans on becoming a theoretical physicist. In fact, for most of the time, the only thing that goes in my head is trying to think of an idea to find a better alternative to quantum mechanics, as I feel that it is not in accordance with nature. I have the...
  27. FeDeX_LaTeX

    Physics What is a Theoretical Physicist?

    Hello; What is a theoretical physicist? Is it someone who studies theoretical physics? If so, what is theoretical physics? If I say I am a theoretical physicist, what do I do? Does this mean that I don't do any experimentation to test my hypotheses as that would make me an experimental...
  28. R

    Physics Is a Career in Physics Right for Me?

    So, if I'm a person who loves physics and has no problems with equations, but simply isn't very creative with mathematics and isn't exactly in love with it either, should I not pursue a career in physics?
  29. A

    Rising Physicist: Preparing for AP Physics & College

    I am currently a junior in high school taking Pre-AP Physics, classical mechanics (pre-requisite for AP Physics, still classical mechanics). I chose to take this class because I had SOME interest in learning about the physical world and how it works. I'm exactly one semester into the class and I...
  30. J

    Einestein favourite physicist?

    i was researching einestein's life when it occur to me, who could be einestein favourite physicist, anyone??
  31. T

    Physics Is russian useful for a physicist?

    If I wanted to become a theoretical physicist, would it be useful to learn russian? It's a fairly easy language for me, as my native language is czech which is very similar. I somehow have a feeling that they have some good research centers or accelerators. It's not that it's my dream to work...
  32. J

    History What are the psychological characteristics of the best physicist of the history

    ¿What are the psychological characteristics of the best physicist of the history? I would like to talk with you about the psychology of their minds, it does not matter if we talk about Newton, maxwell, arquimedes or einstein, I think that they had something in common and I would like to know...
  33. D

    Physics Theoretical Physicist: A Normal Day & Salary

    I've recently been getting interested in physics and astronomy and have even thought about going to school and starting a career in physics. Of course, this is just consideration and I'm going to learn more about it and different jobs before I even think about taking any kind of step further. Of...
  34. S

    A physicist and engineer?

    Where does a physicist lag behind a engineer or vice versa? :)
  35. T

    Physics What are the career options for a physicist beyond academia?

    Hello guys, I'm a PhD student in Jena, Germany. I'm actually very worried about my future, and I'm trying to find something to do for my future to improve my career chances. So I'm looking for something more to study in my free times for that purpose. The problem within remaining in...
  36. Simfish

    At which point in your education do you start calling yourself a physicist?

    Or a chemist/mathematician/etc? I've seen undergrads start calling themselves physicists/mathematicians. To me, that seems premature, but there are points to it. I'm still debating over when I can finally start calling myself an astrophysicist.
  37. M

    Physics Career Options for Physics Majors: Questions & Answers

    Hello. I'm interested in the field of physics/engineering, and I have a vague plan of what I would like to do; though I admit my lack of knowledge on the subject as a whole. Some question I have are: What does a physics major due outside of the engineering fields? I see that many theoretical...
  38. A

    Physics Should I Pursue Physics? Uncovering the Goals and Choices of a Physicist

    Is it all it's cracked up to be? O_o I'd rather have a nice peaceful life, no kids, no wife (perhaps maybe a few close friends). I want to know everything about the world we live in, I even stress because I want to know more. :P I have a few questions, what are the main goals of physicists...
  39. N

    Is there a difference between a physist and a physicist?

    I don't know if I'm even spelling these right. A coworker told me her husband was only a "physist" because he hadn't yet graduated. Once he gets his degree, then he'll be a physicist. Does this make sense? I can't get anything off Google about it.
  40. D

    How to convince my parents to be physicist

    So to keep this short, I'm a student at the pharm D program in south carolina. I took some undergrad courses in analysis and physics and did very well in them and I want to become a physicist now. However, my parents are convinced (and they're somewhat right) that physicists don't get jobs, and...
  41. P

    How can I become a physicist without a diploma or formal education?

    Hello my name is john and I am from Greece unfortunately I am not able to pass into any physics course at any university in my country because we use an exam system here in which high school seniors are tested in a all the fundamental fields together no matter their orientation. For example...
  42. P

    How much mathematics must a theoretical physicist know?/Alternatives to string theory

    Ok, i have come to a realisation that my interests revolve not around pure mathematics (as i once thought) and more around theoretical physics, some people would claim that they merge into one at times, and that leads on to my question. If i wanted to be a theoretical physicist (rather than an...
  43. inflector

    Most Insightful, Clearest-Thinking Physicist?

    Who do you think is the most insightful clearest-thinking physicist alive today? I nominate: http://www.platonia.com/" . I placed this in the philosophy section because I want the analysis to be based on philosophical principles and I find Julian's thinking to be most strongly grounded in...
  44. Q

    Physics What are some in demand skills to have as a non-academic physicist?

    What are some "in demand" skills to have as a non-academic physicist? I'm applying to grad school (all apps seem to be due this December) in physics. Of course, I'm going to tell my prospective grad schools that I want nothing more than to be a renowned physics professor at a research...
  45. K

    Tale of a Quantum Physicist in the year 2092

    This is an absolutely brilliant movie that every should try to watch: The movie tells the tale of a Quantum Physicist in the year 2092 who is of the age of 138. He is the last living mortal (everyone else has become immortal due to Telomeres regeneration) whom suffers from "memory...
  46. K

    Are there any happy particle physicist?

    Hi all, I really need your feedback on this especially from particle physicist and biophysicist. When I entered grad school I wanted to do research in theoretical particle physics, but now two years later I realized that I haven't met any particle physicist that is enthusiastic or happy about...
  47. P

    What is the relationship between matter and spacetime curvature?

    I have a few questions and I hope they can be answered here. 1. Does a perfect black body gain mass? 2. Does matter implode local space-time or does space-time curve around matter or are both of these assumptions wrong? If wrong what process happens? 3. Does increasing the energy state...
  48. D

    Physics Standard Medical Physicist Interview Q&A's

    Thoughts on this?
  49. B

    Do I need to be real smart to be a physicist?

    I was wondering if a student needs to be genius level to be a successful theoretical physicist. I get along well in my math classes but I don't think I'm even close to those "beautiful minds" kind of guys. So that's my question, do I really need to be really smart to get into grad school and...
  50. T

    Differential geometry for a physicist?

    Hi, I'm looking to apply for theoretical physics PhDs in the coming year and have been recommended getting a little more mathematics under my belt. I have already done a bit of differential geometry in my G.R. course but I don't think it went into enough depth to be useful outside of what we...
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