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Fundamental Physics

Physics is the study of basic properties, materials, and forces in our Universe. Our new physics section will start off with some background material about space, time, and matter. It will also include sections on mechanics, electricity and magnetism, thermal physics, atomic physics and particle physics, and tools for math and science (vectors, coordinate systems, units of measurement, etc.).

The new physics section will also have links to many data sources relevant to Earth and space science. The links below provide access to some of the physics-related materials currently on the site. They are organized roughly into the categories we will use in the forthcoming physics section.

Starting Points for Science

Mechanics

Electricity and Magnetism

Thermal Physics

  • No entries here yet. The new physics section will include topics like heat, temperature, the laws of thermodynamics, conduction & convection, etc.

Atomic Physics and Particle Physics

Tools for Math and Science

  • No entries here yet. The new physics section will include topics like vectors, coordinate systems, units of measurement, etc.

Data

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What is mass?

Would it be more difficult to pull an elephant or a mouse? If you pulled each animal with the same amount of force, the elephant would respond less to pulling, even if he didn’t pull back at all. That’s...more

Atomic Mass

One way scientists measure the size of something is by its mass. Scientists can even measure very, very tiny things like atoms. One measure of the size of an atom is its "atomic mass". Almost all of the...more

Changes of State: Solids, Liquids, and Gases

A snowman, glass of water and steam might look very different but they are made of the same stuff! Just like any substance, water can exist in three different forms, called states: solid, liquid and gas....more

Solid

Solid is one of the four common states of matter. The three others are gas, liquid, and plasma. There are also some other exotic states of matter that have been discovered in recent years. Unlike liquids...more

The Plasma State

Plasma is known as the fourth state of matter. The other three states are solid, liquid and gas.In most cases, matter on Earth has electrons that orbit around the atom's nucleus. The negatively charged...more

Fundamental Forces

The interactions in the Universe are governed by four forces (strong, weak, electromagnetic and gravitational). Physicists are trying to find one theory that would describe all the forces in nature as...more

Kepler's 2nd Law: The Speeds of Planets

Kepler's second law he again discovered by trial and error. Kepler realized that the line connecting the planet and the Sun sweeps out equal area in equal time. Look at the diagram to the left. What Kepler...more

Elliptical Orbits

You may think that most objects in space that orbit something else move in circles, but that isn't the case. Although some objects follow circular orbits, most orbits are shaped more like "stretched...more

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