What are the main branches of physics?

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In summary: That is Classical Mechanics, Relativity, Quantum Theory, Thermodynamics, and Electromagnetism. Classical Mechanics is the foundation from which we learn about the other four. It's important to note that these are theories and not subjects. We learn about them in class and then use them to solve problems.Classical Mechanics is the foundation from which we learn about the other four. It is important to note that these are theories and not subjects. We learn about them in class and then use them to solve problems.
  • #1
Avichal
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I am basically listing out all topics in science (natural science) and was looking at branches of physics.

Wikipedia says that physics can broadly be classified into following: - Classical Mechanics, Relativity, Quantum Theory, Thermodynamics and Electromagnetism.
On what basis is this done?
Can we classify physics on the basis of what are we studying. E.g. how particles move is Mechanics, what makes them move is Electromagnetism and gravity, what happens at microscopic level is Quantum Theory ... something like this.
 
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  • #2
What you have listed are theories or subjects in physics.

When I think of "branches of physics" I think more of sub-fields that professionals work in. Like condensed matter physics, high energy particle physics, cosmology, quantum optics and information, biological physics, etc. Each of these sub-fields draws on multiple theories and subjects in physics.
 
  • #3
There is probably more than one way to classify topics.

In Classical Mechanics we basically learned to use differential equations to express particle motion, generally starting with Newton's 2nd or conservation. It can even involve electrodynamics and gravity, just as long as the focus is on particle motion via acting forces.

When I was graduating my physics program, they actually took all the wave study from classical mechanics, EnM, and QM, and put them in one class called wave mechanics, and took all the mathematics and put them in a mathematical physics courses (whereas when I took classes, classical mechanics and EM and QM were each two semester classes).

EnM can all reduced to Maxwell's Equations, which can be reduced to the d'Alembertian, so that justifies making it a single subject... but you would also see some special relativity and classical mechanics in the class.

QM is obviously separable given the completely new conceptual approach (observables are now operators, discretization, etc.) Also a lot of new math compared to classical. (Now need some probability and linear algebra).

Nonlinear dynamics I tend to think of as branch of modern physics (alongside GR and QM).

Computational physics is more about the approach; it involves systems where there is no analytical solutions, requiring computation to find numerical solutions. Can be applied to any of the other topics.
 
  • #4
After googling a bit, I realized that classifying physics is very subjective. Different people categorize on different basis.
As you said, it can also be categorized according to sub-fields professional work. Similarly I think you can divide it in many other ways.

EDIT: I see that Pythagorean posted the same thing before me
 
  • #5
If you were to classify physics based on what we are actually trying to find, then what would be the topics? For eg:- If we are trying to find how particles move then it would be Mechanics, when particles move then it would include the forces i.e. gravity and electromagnetism ... and similarly.
So based on this criteria what would be the topics?

I like to divide my subject based on the motive. Wikipedia and other sources usually categorizes on the basis of historical discoveries.
 

1. What are the main branches of physics?

The main branches of physics are classical mechanics, thermodynamics and statistical mechanics, electromagnetism, relativity, and quantum mechanics.

2. What is classical mechanics?

Classical mechanics is the study of the physical laws that govern the motion of objects at the macroscopic scale, based on the work of Isaac Newton. It includes topics such as kinematics, dynamics, and energy.

3. What is thermodynamics and statistical mechanics?

Thermodynamics and statistical mechanics are branches of physics that deal with the transfer of energy and the behavior of matter at the macroscopic scale. Thermodynamics focuses on the relationships between heat, work, and energy, while statistical mechanics studies the behavior of large systems using statistical methods.

4. What is electromagnetism?

Electromagnetism is the branch of physics that studies the interactions between electrically charged particles and the electromagnetic field. It encompasses topics such as electric and magnetic fields, electromagnetic radiation, and electromagnetic waves.

5. What is relativity and quantum mechanics?

Relativity and quantum mechanics are two major branches of physics that revolutionized our understanding of the universe. Relativity, developed by Albert Einstein, explains the behavior of objects at high speeds and in strong gravitational fields. Quantum mechanics, on the other hand, deals with the behavior of particles at the microscopic scale and describes the fundamental laws of nature at this level.

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