Transcript of Lecture4: relationship between physics and other fields of sciences.
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Lecture4: relationship between physics and other fields of
sciences
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Physics is at the crown of science Physics method is very
useful, now used in many different areas Physics laws are very
useful, universal. Other areas of studies have also helped advances
in physics. Physics is at the crown of science.
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Physics is closed related to other fields Math Chemistry
Biology Engineering Financial market Social science Archeology
.
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Physics and Math Physics is science but math is not Math starts
with definitions and axioms and derive consequences, no observation
is need, no falsification needed. Math in some sense is a logical
system. However, it is amazing to see that math is a useful
language for physics.
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Why it is so amazing? How can the moving trajectory of an
object can be described by a math equation or curve? Almost all
laws of physics can be written down as math equations: differential
equations Thus exploring the consequence is solving the equations.
The equations have certain beauty, like F=ma, Maxwell equation,
Schrodinger equation, Dirac equation, Einstein equation
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Relationship New math is discovered in physics, but math is
also useful for physics discoveries. Math is useful for smart
thinking: an important part of physics Math is an indispensive
tool. We still dont have enough math to understand some deep
physics However, physics is not math. Many traditional teaching of
physics turning into math exercise!
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Computer Science Software, hardware, applications Hardware,
closely related to physics Software: algorithms, applied math,
logical analysis, information science Applications: Can be used to
do math and physics Simulations, great ways to solve complicated
differential equations. Physics: theory, experiment and computer
simulations (cannot do experiment)
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Chemistry Old chemistry deals with classification of stuff and
reactions among them. At a deep level, chemistry is related to
interaction between atoms and molecules. These interactions are
quantum mechanical in certain cases. Therefore we have quantum
chemistry. Rutherford received Nobel prize in Chemistry.
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Biology Many biologists had physics background. Many physics
methods have been used for biology (structure study, dynamics)
protein folding! Now many physics dept also study biology, they are
called bio-physicists. Umschneider, David Cai
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Energy conservation and biology Julius R. von Mayer (1814) was
a German physician and physicist and one of the founders of
thermodynamics. He is best known for enunciating in 1841 one of the
original statements of the conservation of energy "energy can be
neither created nor destroyed". In 1842, Mayer described the vital
chemical process now referred to as oxidation as the primary source
of energy for any living creature. He also proposed that plants
convert light into chemical energy.
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How nerve works?
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Cell and enzyme Many elaborated chemical reactions, a whole
series of molecules change from one to another in a sequence or
cycle of rather small steps. It requires something called enzyme in
cell, which helps the reactions, letting atoms to go from one place
to another. Krebs cycle Changes GDP to GTP
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Protein and amino acids All proteins are not enzymes and all
enzymes are proteins. Proteins are series of amino acids (twenty or
so) DNA, a substance in the nucleus of a cell. DNA contains the
blueprint, how to make enzyme.
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Astronomy Astronomy is as old as physics if not older. Physics
laws were discovered through astronomy. Optics and astronomy has a
close relationship. Galielo invented the telescope. Modern
astronomy is closed related to physics, it is called astrophysics.
Start burning: nuclear physics, Creation of different nuclei,
Supernova explosion, neutron stars, black hole
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Social sciences Social science is an academic discipline
concerned with society and the relationships among individuals
within a society. It includes anthropology, economics, political
science, psychology and sociology. In a wider sense, it may often
include some fields in the humanities such as archaeology, history,
law, and linguistics. The term may however be used in the specific
context of referring to the original science of society,
established in the 19th century, sociology. mile Durkheim, Karl
Marx and Max Weber are typically cited as the principal architects
of modern social science by this definition.
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methods Positivist social scientists use methods resembling
those of the natural sciences as tools for understanding society,
and so define science in its stricter modern sense. Interpretivist
social scientists, by contrast, may use social critique or symbolic
interpretation rather than constructing empirically falsifiable
theories, and thus treat science in its broader sense. In modern
academic practice, researchers are often eclectic, using multiple
methodologies (for instance, by combining the quantitative and
qualitative techniques). The term social research has also acquired
a degree of autonomy as practitioners from various disciplines
share in its aims and methods.
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Financial market Many physics Ph.D.s went to financial market I
have two Ph.D.s at Goodman-Sachs Why financial market interested in
theoretical physicists? Modeling. Differential equations. Laws of
Finances. Try to find simple rules to make money! However, it is
difficult to find a universal rule. There are many rules. Financial
engineering.