Physics, abbreviated as PHYS, is the study of the universe and our suroundings.  Matter and energy are the two basic concepts that exist through the universe making them the foundation of physis.  There are two main branches of physics, pure physics and applied physics. 

Pure physics is the study of matter and energy and their relationships (properties) to each other.  Applied physics is a combination of pure physics and engineering put to practical use.

You probably think that chemistry is part of physics, yes and no.  Both are physical sciences and both study the structure and properties of matter.  Physics deals with understand the universe in a fundamental way.  Chemistry is how substances interact with each other.

Physics Glossary

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Science Branches

Mathematics Symbols

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Nomenclature & Symbols for Engineering, Mathematics, and Science 

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List of all Site categories  -  List of all Tags  -  List of all Site Glossaries

Physics Nomenclature & Symbols

• \( PHYS \)  -  physics

Physics Glossary

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A

• Acoustics  -  Studies the interactions of acustic waves with gas, liquid, and solid medias on a macro and micro level.

• Aerodynamics  -  How forces act on the way objects move through air.

• Astrobiology  -  The search for life outside earth.

• Astrogeology  -  The geology of planets and their moons, astroids, comets, and meteorites.

• Astrometry  -  The percise measurement of where stars and other celestial bodies are positioned and move in space.

• Astronomy  -  Anything in the universe beyond earth.

• Astrophysics  -  The way our solar system and earth formed and the functions of planets and other celestrial bodies.

• Atmospheric  -  The study of aerosols, clouds, and gasses, basically airborne particles, that surround the planetary bodies of the solar system.

• Atmospheric Physics  -  The study of physics to the atmosphere.

• Atomic  -  The study of atoms as an isolated system of electrons and an atomic nucleus.

B

• Biology (Biological)  -  The study of living organisms such as animals and plants.

• Biophysics  -  Studies the laws and principles in physics that describes patterns seen in biological systems.

C

• Chemical Physics  -  The study of chemical processes from physics.

• Chemistry (Chemical)  -  Uses techniques from atoms, molecular physics, and matter physics to study chemical processes from the point of view of physics.

• Classical  -  A division of physics that encompasses Classical Mechanics, Electromagnetism, Newton's Laws of Motion, and Thermodynamics.

• Classical Mechanics  -  The study of bodies in motion, including bodies that remain at rest.

• Climatology  -  Climate and how it changes over time.

• Cosmology  -  The origin and eventual fate of the universe.

D

• Dynamics  -  The relationships between different motions of objects and what affects them like force, mass, momentum and energy.

E

• Econophysics  -  The economic system which are not subsets of energy and matter.

• Electromagnetism  -  The basic forces of nature that determine the effect between energy and matter.

F

• Fluid Dynamics  -  The motion in fluids for both liquids and gases.

G

• General Relativity  -  Space-time tells matter how to move, matter tells space-time how to curve.

• Geomagnetism  -  The origin and nature of the earth's magnetic field.

• Geophysics  -  The physical properties and dynamics of the earth and planets.

H

• Hydrodynamics  -  The motion of fluids and the way different forces affect their movement.

• Hydrology  -  The study of water in the environment.

I

J

K

• Kinematics  -  Studies the trajectory of particles or bodies and does not take into account the mass of each particle in the system.  Can be considered a branch of mathmatics.

• Kinetics  -  Studies the motion and the causes of motion and takes into account the mass of each particle in the system.  Can not be considered a branch of mathmatics.

L

M

• Mathematical -  Applies mathematical ideas to problems in physics or inspired by physics.

• Meterology  -  A study of air polution, analysis and forcasting, atmospheric chemistry, atmospheric dynamics, climatology, global climate, meteorological instruments, and oceanography.

N

• Nuclear  -  Understand the properties of all different forms of nuclear matter.

• Nuclear Physics  -  Studies the building blocks and interactions of atomic nuclei.

O

• Oceanography  -  The biological and physical condition of the ocean.

• Optics  -  The properties and behavior of light and the reaction between energy, light, and matter.

P

• Particle  -  Understanding the basic forces of nature, like matter and radiation and their interaction.

• Plasma  -  Plasma is the four phase of matter.  It is everywhere in the universe and the most common of all matter.  Of all types of matter it is closest to a gas.

• Plasma Physics  -  The study of plasma.

Q

• Quantum  -  The study of how everything works at the molecular and smaller levels.

• Quantum Mechanics  -  Deals with atomic and sub-atomic particles.

• Quantum Physics  -  Deals with the physical phenomena, where the action is on the order of the Planck constant.

R

• Relativity  -  The relationship between energy, matter, space, time, and velocity.

S

• Seismology  -  The study of seismic waves, earthquakes, and the mechanics of soil and rock materials.

• Solid-state  -  Deals with the phisical properties of solids, especially in the electric and magnetic properties of solid crystalline materials like semiconductors.

• Sound and Oscillation  -  Sound is usally caused by the process in which energy is emitted as particles or waves from a soild vibrating surface or fluid disturbance.

• Space-time  -  Describes the fabric of reality.  A conceptual model combining the three dimensions of space with the fourth dimension of time.

• Special Relativity  -  Motion warps space and time.

• Statistical Mechanics  -  Studies any physical system that has a large number of degrees of freedom.

T

• Thermodynamics  -  How heat relates to energy and work.

U

V

• Volcanology  -  The activities and history of volcanos.

W

X

Y

Z

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