PHYSICS - Intermediate 1st Year GITAM Jr. College, Bhavani Nagar, Tirupati.

Srinivasulu P
M.Sc, M.Tech & (PhD),
Faculty in Physics.

CHAPTER 1

PHYSICAL WORLD

 Science: Definition of Science; Branches of Sciences.

 Physics: Definition of Physics; Role of Physics; Scope and Excitement of Physics.
 Steps involved in Scientific Methods
 Important Scientific concepts and terms:
i. Unification and Reductionism
ii. Hypothesis, Axioms and Models
 Physics in relation with Science, Society and Technology
 Fundamental forces in nature
 Conserved quantities and Conservational laws
 Scientists and their contributions in the development of Physics
 Conceptual questions

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 PHYSICS - Intermediate 1st Year GITAM Jr. College, Bhavani Nagar, Tirupati.

CHAPTER 1

PHYSICAL WORLD

 Introduction:
The earliest history of human beings reveals that the man has continuously made serious
attempts to understand the changes in the environment around him the natural phenomena like
repetition of day and nights, repetition of seasons, earthquakes, rainbows, lunar and solar
eclipses etc. Not only observing these, the modern-day man is able to predict events. He has also
succeeded, to a certain degree, in controlling his environment through the inquiring and
interpreting the basic laws of nature.
 Science:
The word “Science" has its origin in a Latin verb “Scientia” carrying meaning "to know".
Similar words which are convey same meaning:
a) Sanskrit word: Vignan
b) Arabic word: Ilm “Knowledge”

Definition of Science:

Science is a systematic attempt to understand the natural phenomena in as much as possible, and
use the knowledge so gained to predict, modify and control the phenomena.

The purpose of the Science is to explore the basic laws of nature.

Branches of Sciences:

1. Natural Sciences: Botany and Zoology

2. Physical Sciences: Physics, Chemistry
3. Mathematical Science
4. Earth Science
5. Space Science
 Physics:
In Greek, the word Phusis or Fusis having meaning of Nature and it was introduced by Greek
Ancient Scientist Aristotle in 350 B.C. Physics derived from a Greek word Physike which means
the knowledge of Nature.

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 PHYSICS - Intermediate 1st Year GITAM Jr. College, Bhavani Nagar, Tirupati.

Physics is the study of physical world and matter-its motion through space and time, along with
related concepts such as energy and force. Physics is the branch of science and it is devoted to
the study of nature and natural phenomena. Physics can be described as the science of
measurement. The goal of physics is to use a small number of basic concepts, equations
and assumptions to describe the physical world. All the events in nature are taking place due to
some basic laws. Physics reveals these basic laws from the observations.
 Scientific Method:
It is a way to acquire or gain knowledge in systematic and in-depth through following steps.
1. Systematic Observations
2. Controlled Experimentation
3. Quantitative and Qualitative Reasoning
4. Mathematical Modeling
5. Prediction and Verification of the Theories
6. Speculation
Two principal types of approaches in Physics are:
Unification: Unification is a basic quest (search for something) in physics. This approach
considers all of the world’s phenomena as a collection of universal laws in different domains
and conditions.
Examples: Law of gravitation applies both to a falling apple from a tree as well as motion of
planets around the sun.
Electromagnetism laws govern all electric and magnetic phenomena.
Progress in unification of different phenomena/ force domains in nature:

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 PHYSICS - Intermediate 1st Year GITAM Jr. College, Bhavani Nagar, Tirupati.

Reduction: This approach is to derive properties of complex systems from the properties and
interaction of its constituent parts.
Example: Temperature studied under thermodynamics is also related to average kinetic
energy of molecules in a system (kinetic theory).
 Scope and Excitement of Physics:
The scope of Physics is very wide in range. It covers an immense range of natural phenomena.
Range of length scale: 10-15 meters (Atomic or Nuclear level processes) and 1044 meters (Size of
the Universe).
Range of mass scale: 10-31 kilograms (Mass of an Electron) and 1055 kilograms (Mass of the
Universe).
Range of time scale: 10-18 seconds (Time taken by light to cross or pass nuclear size) to 1022
seconds (Life time of the Sun).
The scope of physics can be extended on two basic domains which are macroscopic and
microscopic.
I. Macroscopic domain:
It includes the phenomena at large scales like laboratory, terrestrial and astronomical.
Macroscopic domain deals with Classical Physics and it contains the following subjects:
1. Mechanics: It deals with objects from molecules to galaxies that are moving at speeds small
compared with the speed of light. It is based on Newton’s laws of motion and law of
Gravitation. It is concerned with ideas such as inertia, motion, force and energy.
Examples: Motion of objects, Friction, Rocket propulsion, bending of rod, Wheel rotation
and Sound/water waves etc.
2. Electromagnetism: It deals with electric and magnetic phenomena associated with charged
and magnetic bodies, Coulomb’s law, Faraday’s law, Ampere’s law, Maxwell’s equations.
Examples: Motion of a current - carrying conductor in a magnetic field
The response of a circuit to alternating current - voltage (signal)
The propagation of radio waves in the ionosphere
3. Thermodynamics: It deals with systems in macroscopic equilibrium and changes in
temperature, internal energy, temperature, entropy etc. of the systems under the application
of external heat. It includes heat flow and transformations involving heat and work.
Examples: Efficiency of heat engines

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 PHYSICS - Intermediate 1st Year GITAM Jr. College, Bhavani Nagar, Tirupati.

Refrigeration
Direction of physical and chemical processes
4. Optics: It deals with phenomena involving light. The study of the properties of light such as
reflection, refraction interference, diffraction, lenses, mirror, microscope and telescope etc.
Examples: Rainbows
Color formation phenomena
II. Microscopic Domain:
Microscopic domain includes phenomena at minuscule scales namely (10-31 kg, 10-15 m and
10-18 sec) and like atomic and nuclear level of processes. It deals with the interaction of
probes like electrons, protons and elementary particles. Quantum theory has been developed
to handle these microscopic phenomena. Quantum theory is the physics of particles at atomic
scales.
Examples: Photoelectric effect, Quantum tunneling etc.
 Factors responsible for progress of Physics:
 Quantitative analysis along with qualitative analysis
 Application of universal laws in different contexts
 Approximation approach (complex phenomena broken down into collection of basic laws).
 Extracting and focusing on essential features of a phenomenon.
Hypothesis, Axiom and Models:
Hypothesis is a supposition without assuming that it is true. It may not be proved but can be
verified through a series of experiments.
Axiom is a self-evident truth that it is accepted without controversy or question.
Model is a theory proposed to explain observed phenomena.
Assumption is the basis of physics, where a number of phenomena can be explained. These
assumptions are made from experiments, observation and a lot of statistical data.
 Physics applications in Technology:
Several examples where Physics and its concepts have led to discoveries/inventions are listed
below.
 Steam engine was developed from the industrial revolution in eighteenth century.
 Wireless communication was developed after discovery of laws of electricity and magnetism.

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 PHYSICS - Intermediate 1st Year GITAM Jr. College, Bhavani Nagar, Tirupati.

 Neuron-induced fission of uranium, done by Hahn and Meitner in 1938, led to the formation
of nuclear power reactors and nuclear weapons.
 Conversion of solar, wind, geothermal etc. energy into electricity.
 Physics in relation with Science, Society and Technology:
Terms sounding like science, engineering, technology all in same context though they are not
exactly same.
Science:
 A body of knowledge
 Seeks to describe and understand the natural
world its physical properties.
 Scientific knowledge can be used to make
predictions.
 Uses a process - scientific method - to generate
knowledge.

Engineering and Technology:

 Design under constraint.

 Seeks solutions for societal problems and needs.
 Aims to produce the best solution from given sources and constraints.
 Uses a process - engineering design - to produce solutions and technologies.
In our living real world, these disciplines are closely connected. Scientists often use technologies
created by engineers to conduct their scientific research.
 Fundamental Forces in nature:
The forces which we see in our day to day life like muscular, friction, forces due to compression
and elongation of springs and strings, fluid and gas pressure, electric, magnetic, inter-atomic and
inter-molecular forces are derived forces as their originations are due to a few fundamental
forces in nature.
Basic laws of nature do not change with time. If we perform an experiment in the lab today and
repeat the same experiment after some time under ideal conditions, the results will found to be
same.

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 PHYSICS - Intermediate 1st Year GITAM Jr. College, Bhavani Nagar, Tirupati.

Phenomena may change from place to place because of difference in conditions at different
locations but laws of nature are same everywhere in the universe.
Fundamental forces namely are Gravitational Force, Electromagnetic Force, Strong nuclear
interaction Forces and Weak nuclear Forces.
1. Gravitational Force: It is the force of mutual attraction between any two objects by virtue
of their masses. It is a universal force as every object experiences this force due to every
other object in the universe.

The Gravitational force causes the apple to fall as well as planets to revolve around the Sun.

2. Electromagnetic Force: It is the force between charged particles. Charges at rest have
electric attraction (between unlike charges) and repulsion (between like charges). Charges in
motion produce magnetic force. Together they are called Electromagnetic Force.

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 PHYSICS - Intermediate 1st Year GITAM Jr. College, Bhavani Nagar, Tirupati.

The electromagnetic force manifests itself through the forces between charges (Coulomb's
Law) and the magnetic force, both of which are summarized in the Lorentz force law.

This is the force that binds electron and protons together in atoms and binds atoms and
molecules together in ordinary matter. So, this force governs the structure of atoms and
molecules. It underlies the macroscopic forces like friction, tension and spring force etc.
Electromagnetic forces also appear in the form of electrostatic force that acts between
charged particles and magnetic forces that act between moving charged particles.
3. Weak Nuclear Force:
The weak force leads to radioactive decay, which is necessary for nuclear fission to occur. The
weak nuclear force appears only in certain nuclear processes such as the beta (β) decay of a
nucleus. In β decay, the nucleus emits an electron and uncharged particle called neutrino. β
particle is an electron which is ejected from nucleus at very high speed. A β particle is formed
inside a nucleus when a neutron changes into proton and electron on decay process. An electron
is ejected from the nucleus is called β particle.

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4. Strong Nuclear Force:

The Strong nuclear force binds protons and neutrons in a nucleus. Inside a nucleus there is
repulsion between protons. It is the attractive force between protons and neutrons in a nucleus. It
is charge - independent and acts equally between a proton and a proton, a neutron and a neutron,
and a proton and a neutron. Recent discoveries show that protons and neutrons are built of
elementary particles, quarks.

Fundamental Force Relative Range Exchange Major Role Important Properties

strength Particles
-39
Gravitational Force (Force of 10 Infinite Gravitons Large Scale Universal attractive,
attraction between two bodies Structure weakest interaction force,
by virtue of their masses) Central force,
Conservative force.
-2
Electromagnetic Force (Force 10 Infinite Photons Physics, Either attractive or
between particles with Chemistry repulsive, long range,
charge/magnetism) central, conservative
force.
-13
Weak Nuclear Force 10 Very Weak Nuclear Governs process
(Changes quark type short, Sub Bosons reactions involving neutrino and
elementary particles as in beta nuclear anti neutrino, operates
decay of the nucleus) size. only through a range of
-16
(10 m) nuclear size.
Strong Nuclear Force (Strong 1 Very Gluons Holding Basically an attractive
attractive force which binds short, nuclei and it becomes repulsive
together the protons and nuclear particles (when distance between
neutrons in nucleus) size. together nucleons ˂ 0.5x10-15 m)
(10-16 m)

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