Physics and its role in the society
Physics, a branch of science, is traditionally defined as the study of matter,
energy, and the relation between them. The interaction between matter and
energy is found everywhere. In order for matter to move, it requires some form
of energy.
Sports show many good examples of the relationship between matter and
energy. For instance, a pitcher requires energy to throw a baseball at the
incredible speed and accuracy that is needed to keep the batter from using his
energy to try and hit the ball. The batter exhibits the need for a certain trajectory
because he/she needs to hit the ball hard enough and keep it high enough to sail
over the outfield wall. On the other hand, the batter must be certain to keep the
trajectory low enough so that the ball will reach the fence. Trajectory is also seen
in basketball, where players must shoot the ball with enough arch to get over the
front of the rim, and go through the hoop. The energy required to do this comes
from not only the arms, but the legs as well.
The medical field has seen enormous breakthroughs because of principles
of physics. Doctors are now able to use lasers for surgery. Lasers are based on the
physical principle of light, and are devices for the creation and amplification of a
narrow, intense beam of coherent light. New laser microsurgery can actually alter
the shape of the cornea in the eye so the patient's eyesight can return to normal,
and he/she will no longer need those bothersome glasses. Ultrasound is used in
the medical field for destroying various unwanted substances in the body such as
kidney stones. Ultrasound uses sound waves to dissolve these foreign bodies. If
not for physics, ultrasounds would never have been discovered and utilized. MRI
scans, another new discovery, are able to show a complete three dimensional
picture of the interior structure of the body, and are extremely valuable in
hospitals. These scans are based on the principles of electromagnetism, and the
phenomenon that nuclei of some atoms line up in the presence of an
electromagnetic field.
Understanding the dark matter of the universe, which has remained a
mystery for quite some time, is based primarily on theories of physics. We have
yet to see a black hole, but physics has explained what one is, and why we cannot
see it. Otherwise we would have never known that it is an extremely small region
of space-time with a gravitational field so intense that nothing can escape, not
even light. Physics help to understand the dark matter of the universe, because it
applies theories to what the dark matter is. We are also able to look at distant
spots in the universe with new telescopes because of the principles of
magnification and amplification of light. Not only can physics better your baseball
game and explain the dark matter of the universe, but it can save lives. It remains
a very important part of us and our world.
