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Physics

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Physics is the branch of science that studies matter, energy, motion, and the fundamental forces that govern how they interact, from subatomic particles to the large scale structure of the universe.

Facts
Founded Year
1687 1
Isaac Newton's Principia Mathematica (1687) is commonly dated as the founding of classical, mathematically formalized physics; natural philosophy about motion and matter is far older.
Central Question
How do the fundamental constituents of the universe interact through the four fundamental forces, and what unifies them into a single coherent framework? 2
Scope
Physics studies matter, its fundamental constituents, motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. 2
Significance
As the most fundamental of the natural sciences, physics underlies chemistry, materials science, astronomy and engineering. Its quantitative laws of motion, thermodynamics and electromagnetism, developed since the seventeenth century Scientific Revolution, remain the working foundation on which the other natural sciences build. 2
Cross-Tradition Connections

Encompasses

A branch of physics; also closely tied to materials science, which drew on it as one of its own founding fields.

Founded By

Has Scientist

Additional Source Alain Aspect (Wikipedia)Lead section, 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics
Additional Source Andrea Ghez (Wikipedia)Lead section, 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics
Additional Source Anne L'Huillier (Wikipedia)Lead section, 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics
Additional Source Anton Zeilinger (Wikipedia)Lead section, 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics
Additional Source Arthur Ashkin (Wikipedia)Lead section, 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics
Additional Source Arthur B. McDonald (Wikipedia)Lead section, 2015 Nobel Prize in Physics
C.V. Raman, Scientists
Additional Source David J. Thouless (Wikipedia)Lead section, 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics
Additional Source Didier Queloz (Wikipedia)Lead section, 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics
Additional Source Donna Strickland (Wikipedia)Lead section, 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics
Additional Source F. Duncan M. Haldane (Wikipedia)Lead section, 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics
Additional Source Ferenc Krausz (Wikipedia)Lead section, 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics
Additional Source Geoffrey Hinton (Wikipedia)Lead section, 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics
Additional Source Gerard Mourou (Wikipedia)Lead section, 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics
Additional Source Giorgio Parisi (Wikipedia)Lead section, 2021 Nobel Prize in Physics
Source Kirchhoff and Bunsen on Spectroscopy (ChemTeam)Gustav Kirchhoff and Robert Bunsen
Additional Source Hiroshi Amano (Wikipedia)Lead section, 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics
Additional Source Isamu Akasaki (Wikipedia)Lead section, 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics
Additional Source J. Michael Kosterlitz (Wikipedia)Lead section, 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics
Additional Source James Peebles (Wikipedia)Lead section, 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics
Additional Source John Clauser (Wikipedia)Lead section, 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics
Additional Source John Hopfield (Wikipedia)Lead section, 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics
Additional Source Klaus Hasselmann (Wikipedia)Lead section, 2021 Nobel Prize in Physics
Additional Source Michel Mayor (Wikipedia)Lead section, 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics
Additional Source Pierre Agostini (Wikipedia)Lead section, 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics
Additional Source Reinhard Genzel (Wikipedia)Lead section, 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics
Additional Source Roger Penrose (Wikipedia)Awards and Honours section, 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics
Additional Source Shuji Nakamura (Wikipedia)Lead section, 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics
Additional Source Syukuro Manabe (Wikipedia)Lead section, 2021 Nobel Prize in Physics
Additional Source Takaaki Kajita (Wikipedia)Lead section, 2015 Nobel Prize in Physics

Has Theory

Uses

In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Isaac Newton: The Principia (Britannica)
Encyclopaedia BritannicaView the Source
2. Physics (Wikipedia)
WikipediaLead section
Quote, Lead section
Physics is the scientific study of matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. It is one of the most fundamental scientific disciplines.
View the Source
Newton's Law of Gravitation (Britannica)
Encyclopaedia BritannicaHas Theory: Universal GravitationView the Source
Special Relativity (Britannica)
Encyclopaedia BritannicaHas Theory: Special RelativityView the Source
Planck's Radiation Law (Britannica)
Encyclopaedia BritannicaHas Theory: Quantum TheoryView the Source
General Relativity (Britannica)
Encyclopaedia BritannicaHas Theory: General RelativityView the Source
Isaac Newton (Britannica)
Encyclopaedia BritannicaHas Scientist: Isaac NewtonView the Source
Albert Einstein, Biographical (Nobel Prize)
The Nobel FoundationHas Scientist: Albert EinsteinView the Source
Max Planck, Biographical (Nobel Prize)
The Nobel FoundationHas Scientist: Max PlanckView the Source
Ernest Rutherford, Biographical (Nobel Prize)
The Nobel FoundationHas Scientist: Ernest RutherfordView the Source
Hans Lippershey (Britannica)
Encyclopaedia BritannicaHas Scientist: Hans LippersheyView the Source
William Thomson, Baron Kelvin (Britannica)
Encyclopaedia BritannicaHas Scientist: William Thomson, Lord KelvinView the Source
Marie Curie, Biographical (Nobel Prize)
The Nobel Prize (Nobel Foundation)Has Scientist: Marie CurieView the Source
Michelson Interferometer (Britannica)
Encyclopaedia BritannicaUses: Michelson InterferometerView the Source
Mercury Barometer (Britannica)
Encyclopaedia BritannicaUses: BarometerView the Source
Thermometer (Britannica)
Encyclopaedia BritannicaUses: ThermometerView the Source
Thermometer (Britannica)
Encyclopaedia BritannicaHas Scientist: Galileo GalileiView the Source
Thermometer (Britannica)
Encyclopaedia BritannicaHas Scientist: Daniel Gabriel FahrenheitView the Source
Cathode-Ray Oscilloscope (Britannica)
Encyclopaedia BritannicaUses: OscilloscopeView the Source
Bubble Chamber (Britannica)
Encyclopaedia BritannicaUses: Bubble ChamberView the Source
Synchrotron (Britannica)
Encyclopaedia BritannicaUses: SynchrotronView the Source
Robert Jemison Van de Graaff (Britannica)
Encyclopaedia BritannicaUses: Van de Graaff GeneratorView the Source
Robert Jemison Van de Graaff (Britannica)
Encyclopaedia BritannicaHas Scientist: Robert Jemison Van de GraaffView the Source
Michelson-Morley Experiment (Britannica)
Encyclopaedia BritannicaHas Scientist: Albert A. MichelsonView the Source
Ernest Lawrence, Facts (Nobel Prize)
The Nobel FoundationHas Scientist: Ernest LawrenceView the Source
Ernest Lawrence, Facts (Nobel Prize)
The Nobel FoundationUses: CyclotronView the Source
Kirchhoff and Bunsen on Spectroscopy (ChemTeam)
Gustav Kirchhoff and Robert Bunsen, Annalen der Physik und der Chemie, 1860Has Scientist: Gustav KirchhoffView the Source
Cloud Chamber (Wikipedia)
WikipediaUses: Cloud ChamberView the Source
Geiger Counter (Wikipedia)
WikipediaUses: Geiger CounterView the Source
Large Hadron Collider (CERN)
CERNUses: Large Hadron ColliderView the Source
Spectroscope (Wikipedia)
WikipediaUses: SpectroscopeView the Source
William Shockley (Britannica)
Encyclopaedia BritannicaUses: TransistorView the Source
Francis Aston (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Francis AstonView the Source
Zacharias Janssen (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Zacharias JanssenView the Source
Hans Geiger (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Hans GeigerView the Source
Ernst Ruska (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Ernst RuskaView the Source
Donald Glaser (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Donald GlaserView the Source
Karl Ferdinand Braun (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Karl Ferdinand BraunView the Source
Edwin McMillan (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Edwin McMillanView the Source
Evangelista Torricelli (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Evangelista TorricelliView the Source
Joseph von Fraunhofer (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Joseph von FraunhoferView the Source
J.J. Thomson (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: J. J. ThomsonView the Source
C. T. R. Wilson (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: C. T. R. WilsonView the Source
Vladimir Veksler (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Vladimir VekslerView the Source
Condensed Matter Physics (Wikipedia)
WikipediaEncompasses: Solid-State PhysicsView the Source
Astrophysics (Britannica)
Encyclopaedia BritannicaEncompasses: AstrophysicsView the Source
Geophysics (Britannica)
Encyclopaedia BritannicaEncompasses: GeophysicsView the Source
Materials Science (Wikipedia)
WikipediaEncompasses: Materials ScienceView the Source
Sadi Carnot (Britannica)
Encyclopaedia BritannicaEncompasses: ThermodynamicsView the Source
LIGO (Wikipedia)
WikipediaUses: Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave ObservatoryView the Source
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (Wikipedia)
WikipediaUses: NMR SpectrometerView the Source
Scanning Tunneling Microscope (Wikipedia)
WikipediaUses: Scanning Tunneling MicroscopeView the Source
Isidor Isaac Rabi (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Isidor Isaac RabiView the Source
Felix Bloch (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Felix BlochView the Source
Edward Mills Purcell (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Edward Mills PurcellView the Source
Gerd Binnig (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Gerd BinnigView the Source
Heinrich Rohrer (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Heinrich RohrerView the Source
Influential Theoretical Physicist and Nobel Laureate Chen-Ning Yang Dies Aged 103 (Physics World)
Michael Banks, Physics World, 2025Has Scientist: Chen-Ning YangView the Source
Tsung-Dao Lee (1926-2024), Nobel-Winning Physicist (Legacy.com)
Linnea Crowther, Legacy.com, 2024Has Scientist: Tsung-Dao LeeView the Source
Robert L. Mills (Physics Today)
Physics Today, 2019Has Scientist: Robert MillsView the Source
Biophysics (Wikipedia)
WikipediaEncompasses: Biophysics, Lead section
Quote, Encompasses: Biophysics, Lead section
Biophysics is an interdisciplinary science that applies approaches and methods traditionally used in physics to study biological phenomena.
View the Source
Nuclear Physics (Wikipedia)
WikipediaEncompasses: Nuclear Physics, Lead section
Quote, Encompasses: Nuclear Physics, Lead section
Nuclear physics is the field of physics that studies atomic nuclei and their constituents and interactions, in addition to the study of other forms of nuclear matter.
View the Source
Reinhard Genzel (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Reinhard Genzel, Lead section, 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics
Quote, Has Scientist: Reinhard Genzel, Lead section, 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics
He was awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics "for the discovery of a supermassive compact object at the centre of our galaxy", which he shared with Andrea Ghez and Roger Penrose.
View the Source
Andrea Ghez (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Andrea Ghez, Lead section, 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics
Quote, Has Scientist: Andrea Ghez, Lead section, 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics
She shared the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics with Reinhard Genzel "for the discovery of a supermassive compact object at the centre of our galaxy".
View the Source
James Peebles (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: James Peebles, Lead section, 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics
Quote, Has Scientist: James Peebles, Lead section, 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics
Peebles was awarded half of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2019 for his theoretical discoveries in physical cosmology. He shared the prize with Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz for their discovery of an exoplanet orbiting a sun-like star.
View the Source
Michel Mayor (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Michel Mayor, Lead section, 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics
Quote, Has Scientist: Michel Mayor, Lead section, 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics
He is co-laureate of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics along with Jim Peebles and Didier Queloz
View the Source
Didier Queloz (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Didier Queloz, Lead section, 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics
Quote, Has Scientist: Didier Queloz, Lead section, 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics
For this discovery, he shared the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics with Mayor and Jim Peebles.
View the Source
Arthur Ashkin (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Arthur Ashkin, Lead section, 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics
Quote, Has Scientist: Arthur Ashkin, Lead section, 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics
He was awarded half of the Prize while the other half was shared between Gerard Mourou and Donna Strickland for their work on chirped-pulse amplification
View the Source
Gerard Mourou (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Gerard Mourou, Lead section, 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics
Quote, Has Scientist: Gerard Mourou, Lead section, 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics
He was awarded a Nobel Prize in Physics in 2018, along with Donna Strickland, for the invention of chirped pulse amplification
View the Source
Donna Strickland (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Donna Strickland, Lead section, 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics
Quote, Has Scientist: Donna Strickland, Lead section, 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics
She was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2018, together with Gerard Mourou, for the practical implementation of chirped pulse amplification.
View the Source
David J. Thouless (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: David J. Thouless, Lead section, 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics
Quote, Has Scientist: David J. Thouless, Lead section, 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics
He was awarded the 1990 Wolf Prize and a laureate of the 2016 Nobel Prize for physics along with F. Duncan M. Haldane and J. Michael Kosterlitz for theoretical discoveries of topological phase transitions and topological phases of matter.
View the Source
F. Duncan M. Haldane (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: F. Duncan M. Haldane, Lead section, 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics
Quote, Has Scientist: F. Duncan M. Haldane, Lead section, 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics
He is a co-recipient of the 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics, along with David J. Thouless and J. Michael Kosterlitz.
View the Source
J. Michael Kosterlitz (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: J. Michael Kosterlitz, Lead section, 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics
Quote, Has Scientist: J. Michael Kosterlitz, Lead section, 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics
He was awarded the 2016 Nobel Prize in physics along with David Thouless and Duncan Haldane for work on condensed matter physics.
View the Source
Takaaki Kajita (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Takaaki Kajita, Lead section, 2015 Nobel Prize in Physics
Quote, Has Scientist: Takaaki Kajita, Lead section, 2015 Nobel Prize in Physics
In 2015, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics jointly with Canadian physicist Arthur B. McDonald for the discovery of neutrino oscillations.
View the Source
Arthur B. McDonald (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Arthur B. McDonald, Lead section, 2015 Nobel Prize in Physics
Quote, Has Scientist: Arthur B. McDonald, Lead section, 2015 Nobel Prize in Physics
He was awarded the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physics jointly with Japanese physicist Takaaki Kajita.
View the Source
Isamu Akasaki (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Isamu Akasaki, Lead section, 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics
Quote, Has Scientist: Isamu Akasaki, Lead section, 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics
Akasaki was awarded the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics, along with Hiroshi Amano and Shuji Nakamura, "for the invention of efficient blue light-emitting diodes which has enabled bright and energy-saving white light sources."
View the Source
Hiroshi Amano (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Hiroshi Amano, Lead section, 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics
Quote, Has Scientist: Hiroshi Amano, Lead section, 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics
He is a co-inventor of the blue LED, for which he was awarded the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics along with Isamu Akasaki and Shuji Nakamura.
View the Source
Shuji Nakamura (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Shuji Nakamura, Lead section, 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics
Quote, Has Scientist: Shuji Nakamura, Lead section, 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics
For this achievement, Nakamura, together with Isamu Akasaki and Hiroshi Amano, received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2014.
View the Source
John Hopfield (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: John Hopfield, Lead section, 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics
Quote, Has Scientist: John Hopfield, Lead section, 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics
In 2024 Hopfield, along with Geoffrey Hinton, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for "foundational discoveries and inventions that enable machine learning with artificial neural networks."
View the Source
Geoffrey Hinton (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Geoffrey Hinton, Lead section, 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics
Quote, Has Scientist: Geoffrey Hinton, Lead section, 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics
He was also awarded, along with John Hopfield, the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics for "foundational discoveries and inventions that enable machine learning with artificial neural networks".
View the Source
Pierre Agostini (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Pierre Agostini, Lead section, 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics
Quote, Has Scientist: Pierre Agostini, Lead section, 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics
In 2023, he received the Nobel Prize in Physics for "experimental methods that generate attosecond pulses of light for the study of electron dynamics in matter" along with Anne L'Huillier and Ferenc Krausz.
View the Source
Ferenc Krausz (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Ferenc Krausz, Lead section, 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics
Quote, Has Scientist: Ferenc Krausz, Lead section, 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics
In 2023, jointly with Pierre Agostini and Anne L'Huillier, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics.
View the Source
Anne L'Huillier (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Anne L'Huillier, Lead section, 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics
Quote, Has Scientist: Anne L'Huillier, Lead section, 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics
In October 2023, she was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics, jointly with Krausz and Pierre Agostini "for experimental methods that generate attosecond pulses of light for the study of electron dynamics in matter".
View the Source
Alain Aspect (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Alain Aspect, Lead section, 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics
Quote, Has Scientist: Alain Aspect, Lead section, 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics
Aspect was awarded the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics, jointly with John Clauser and Anton Zeilinger, "for experiments with entangled photons, establishing the violation of Bell inequalities and pioneering quantum information science".
View the Source
John Clauser (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: John Clauser, Lead section, 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics
Quote, Has Scientist: John Clauser, Lead section, 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics
Clauser was awarded the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics, jointly with Alain Aspect and Anton Zeilinger "for experiments with entangled photons, establishing the violation of Bell inequalities and pioneering quantum information science".
View the Source
Anton Zeilinger (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Anton Zeilinger, Lead section, 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics
Quote, Has Scientist: Anton Zeilinger, Lead section, 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics
In October 2022, he received the Nobel Prize in Physics, jointly with Alain Aspect and John Clauser for their work involving experiments with entangled photons, establishing the violation of Bell inequalities and pioneering quantum information science.
View the Source
Syukuro Manabe (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Syukuro Manabe, Lead section, 2021 Nobel Prize in Physics
Quote, Has Scientist: Syukuro Manabe, Lead section, 2021 Nobel Prize in Physics
He was awarded the 2021 Nobel Prize in Physics jointly with Klaus Hasselmann and Giorgio Parisi, for his contributions to the physical modeling of Earth's climate, quantifying its variability, and predictions of climate change.
View the Source
Klaus Hasselmann (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Klaus Hasselmann, Lead section, 2021 Nobel Prize in Physics
Quote, Has Scientist: Klaus Hasselmann, Lead section, 2021 Nobel Prize in Physics
He was awarded the 2021 Nobel Prize in Physics jointly with Syukuro Manabe and Giorgio Parisi.
View the Source
Giorgio Parisi (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Giorgio Parisi, Lead section, 2021 Nobel Prize in Physics
Quote, Has Scientist: Giorgio Parisi, Lead section, 2021 Nobel Prize in Physics
He was awarded the 2021 Nobel Prize in Physics jointly with Klaus Hasselmann and Syukuro Manabe for groundbreaking contributions to theory of complex systems.
View the Source
Roger Penrose (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHas Scientist: Roger Penrose, Awards and Honours section, 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics
Quote, Has Scientist: Roger Penrose, Awards and Honours section, 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics
In 2020 Penrose was awarded one half of the Nobel Prize in Physics by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for the discovery that black hole formation is a robust prediction of the general theory of relativity, a half-share also going to Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez for the discovery of a supermassive compact object at the centre of our galaxy.
View the Source
Open Questions (1 open question)
What causes high-temperature superconductivity?

Superconductivity above the boiling point of liquid nitrogen was discovered in copper-oxide ceramics in 1986, but unlike low-temperature superconductivity, no accepted theory explains why electrons pair and flow without resistance at such comparatively high temperatures. The mechanism remains, in the field's own words, an important unsolved theoretical problem in condensed matter physics.

What would resolve this A microscopic theory of high-temperature superconductivity that predicts, rather than merely fits after the fact, which materials will superconduct and at what temperature, tested against the growing family of known high-temperature superconductors.
Condensed matter physicsPhysics (Wikipedia)
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