The principles of physics are fundamental concepts that describe how the physical world works. Here are some of the key principles:
Newton's Laws of Motion:
- Objects at rest stay at rest, and objects in motion stay in motion unless acted on by a force.
- Force equals mass times acceleration (F = ma).
- For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Conservation Laws:
- Conservation of Energy: Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed.
- Conservation of Momentum: The total momentum of a closed system remains constant.
- Conservation of Mass: Mass cannot be created or destroyed in a closed system.
Thermodynamics:
- First Law: Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only changed in form.
- Second Law: Entropy, or disorder, tends to increase over time.
- Third Law: As temperature approaches absolute zero, the entropy of a system approaches a constant minimum.
Electromagnetism:
- Electric charges produce electric fields.
- Moving electric charges produce magnetic fields.
- Changing magnetic fields induce electric currents.
Wave-Particle Duality:
- Particles like electrons and photons exhibit both wave-like and particle-like properties.
Relativity:
- The laws of physics are the same for all observers, regardless of their relative motion.
- The speed of light in a vacuum is constant and independent of the observer's motion.
These principles form the foundation of classical and modern physics.
