Science > Physics > Difference between theoritical physics and general physics ?
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Science > Physics |
| User: |
"Srinu" |
| Date: |
08 Sep 2006 11:58:22 PM |
| Object: |
Difference between theoritical physics and general physics ? |
Hi all, Would you please let me know what is the difference between
theoritical physics and general physics ? As I know Stephen Hawkings
did a lot of things on theoritical physics as Einstein did. What is
this theoritical physics and how it differes from any other branches of
physics ?
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| User: "MathFreak NoMore" |
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| Title: Re: Difference between theoritical physics and general physics ? |
10 Sep 2006 02:06:04 PM |
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On 8 Sep 2006 21:58:22 -0700, Srinu wrote:
Hi all, Would you please let me know what is the difference between
theoritical physics and general physics ? As I know Stephen Hawkings
did a lot of things on theoritical physics as Einstein did. What is
this theoritical physics and how it differes from any other branches of
physics ?
Aside from a few unimportant "hands-on" skills
physicists happen to spend their time either mostly in
labs or mostly in offices (or homes). The former is
said to be doing "experimental" physics and the latter
"theoretical". So they're doing essentially the same
thing, "physics", and you cannot separate the two.
If you insist on separating the two activities, then
after paying for losses and gathering what's left of
them, you'll get a "mathematician" for the latter and
an "engineer" for the former, both very busy but none
of them doing any physics.
--
"What we are accustomed to decry as great social
evils, will, for the most part, be found to be but
the outgrowth of man's own perverted life; and
though we may endeavour to cut them down and
extirpate them by means of Law, they will only
spring up again with fresh luxuriance in some other
form, unless the conditions of personal life and
character are radically improved."
- Samuel Smiles
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| User: "srp" |
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| Title: Re: Difference between theoritical physics and general physics ? |
09 Sep 2006 09:12:36 AM |
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Srinu a écrit :
Hi all, Would you please let me know what is the difference between
theoritical physics and general physics ? As I know Stephen Hawkings
did a lot of things on theoritical physics as Einstein did. What is
this theoritical physics and how it differes from any other branches of
physics ?
For example:
Theoretical physics is like trying to understand why General Relativity
is unable to account for the so-called anomalies of the trajectories
of the Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecrafts, and then trying to come up with
an alternate theory that will account for these anomalies on top of
accounting for all that GR already accounts for.
General physics is like trying to account for the Pioneers anomalies
without requestioning the validity of orthodox theories, including
General Relativity.
André Michaud
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| User: "Greg Neill" |
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| Title: Re: Difference between theoritical physics and general physics ? |
09 Sep 2006 01:13:44 PM |
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"srp" <srp2@globetrotter.net> wrote in message
news:4502C199.80207@globetrotter.net...
General physics is like trying to account for the Pioneers anomalies
without requestioning the validity of orthodox theories, including
General Relativity.
No, that's called "Engineering".
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| User: "Sam Wormley" |
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| Title: Re: Difference between theoritical physics and general physics ? |
09 Sep 2006 09:39:41 AM |
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srp wrote:
Srinu a écrit :
Hi all, Would you please let me know what is the difference between
theoritical physics and general physics ? As I know Stephen Hawkings
did a lot of things on theoritical physics as Einstein did. What is
this theoritical physics and how it differes from any other branches of
physics ?
For example:
Theoretical physics is like trying to understand why General Relativity
is unable to account for the so-called anomalies of the trajectories
of the Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecrafts, and then trying to come up with
an alternate theory that will account for these anomalies on top of
accounting for all that GR already accounts for.
Hardly!
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| User: "Greg Hansen" |
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| Title: Re: Difference between theoritical physics and general physics ? |
09 Sep 2006 08:20:28 AM |
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Srinu wrote:
Hi all, Would you please let me know what is the difference between
theoritical physics and general physics ? As I know Stephen Hawkings
did a lot of things on theoritical physics as Einstein did. What is
this theoritical physics and how it differes from any other branches of
physics ?
Maybe it's different where you are. But where I come from, general
physics is the freshman year of classes. Theoretical physics is
contrasted with experimental physics. And we contrast basic versus
applied research.
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| User: "Igor" |
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| Title: Re: Difference between theoritical physics and general physics ? |
09 Sep 2006 02:24:37 PM |
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Srinu wrote:
Hi all, Would you please let me know what is the difference between
theoritical physics and general physics ? As I know Stephen Hawkings
did a lot of things on theoritical physics as Einstein did. What is
this theoritical physics and how it differes from any other branches of
physics ?
Basically, there are two areas of physics: theoretical and
experimental. Both are essential for true scientific pursuit as laid
out in the scientific method. The theoretical physicist establishes
the hypotheses, makes the necessary assumptions, and hopefully is able
to derive all the mathematical consequences of these, in order to make
predictions about what should be observable in nature. The job of the
experimental physicist is to put these predictions to the test by
experiment and/or observation.
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: Difference between theoritical physics and general physics ? |
09 Sep 2006 03:05:08 PM |
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In article <1157829876.978655.200030@i42g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>, "Igor" <thoovler@excite.com> writes:
Srinu wrote:
Hi all, Would you please let me know what is the difference between
theoritical physics and general physics ? As I know Stephen Hawkings
did a lot of things on theoritical physics as Einstein did. What is
this theoritical physics and how it differes from any other branches of
physics ?
Basically, there are two areas of physics: theoretical and
experimental. Both are essential for true scientific pursuit as laid
out in the scientific method. The theoretical physicist establishes
the hypotheses, makes the necessary assumptions, and hopefully is able
to derive all the mathematical consequences of these, in order to make
predictions about what should be observable in nature. The job of the
experimental physicist is to put these predictions to the test by
experiment and/or observation.
While it is often presented this way, this is but half the story.
What you describe is a situation where theory leads the way, with
experiment attempting to affirm (or falsify) the theory's predictions.
Just as often, though, it is the experiment that leads the way, with
the theory attempting to come with models explaining this which is
already being observed. These two modes of operation may (and often
do) coexist within the same time frame and it is the interplay between
the two that makes physics progress.
Mati Meron | "When you argue with a fool,
meron@cars.uchicago.edu | chances are he is doing just the same"
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| User: "Edward Green" |
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| Title: Re: Difference between theoritical physics and general physics ? |
09 Sep 2006 06:49:52 PM |
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wrote:
In article <1157829876.978655.200030@i42g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>, "Igor" <thoovler@excite.com> writes:
Srinu wrote:
Hi all, Would you please let me know what is the difference between
theoritical physics and general physics ? As I know Stephen Hawkings
did a lot of things on theoritical physics as Einstein did. What is
this theoritical physics and how it differes from any other branches of
physics ?
Basically, there are two areas of physics: theoretical and
experimental. Both are essential for true scientific pursuit as laid
out in the scientific method. The theoretical physicist establishes
the hypotheses, makes the necessary assumptions, and hopefully is able
to derive all the mathematical consequences of these, in order to make
predictions about what should be observable in nature. The job of the
experimental physicist is to put these predictions to the test by
experiment and/or observation.
While it is often presented this way, this is but half the story.
What you describe is a situation where theory leads the way, with
experiment attempting to affirm (or falsify) the theory's predictions.
Just as often, though, it is the experiment that leads the way, with
the theory attempting to come with models explaining this which is
already being observed. These two modes of operation may (and often
do) coexist within the same time frame and it is the interplay between
the two that makes physics progress.
Spoken like a true dialogue between a theorist and an experimentalist!
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: Difference between theoritical physics and general physics ? |
09 Sep 2006 07:09:27 PM |
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In article <1157845792.711104.53990@m73g2000cwd.googlegroups.com>, "Edward Green" <spamspamspam3@netzero.com> writes:
mmeron@cars3.uchicago.edu wrote:
In article <1157829876.978655.200030@i42g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>, "Igor" <thoovler@excite.com> writes:
Srinu wrote:
Hi all, Would you please let me know what is the difference between
theoritical physics and general physics ? As I know Stephen Hawkings
did a lot of things on theoritical physics as Einstein did. What is
this theoritical physics and how it differes from any other branches of
physics ?
Basically, there are two areas of physics: theoretical and
experimental. Both are essential for true scientific pursuit as laid
out in the scientific method. The theoretical physicist establishes
the hypotheses, makes the necessary assumptions, and hopefully is able
to derive all the mathematical consequences of these, in order to make
predictions about what should be observable in nature. The job of the
experimental physicist is to put these predictions to the test by
experiment and/or observation.
While it is often presented this way, this is but half the story.
What you describe is a situation where theory leads the way, with
experiment attempting to affirm (or falsify) the theory's predictions.
Just as often, though, it is the experiment that leads the way, with
the theory attempting to come with models explaining this which is
already being observed. These two modes of operation may (and often
do) coexist within the same time frame and it is the interplay between
the two that makes physics progress.
Spoken like a true dialogue between a theorist and an experimentalist!
:-)
Mati Meron | "When you argue with a fool,
meron@cars.uchicago.edu | chances are he is doing just the same"
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| User: "Brit" |
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| Title: Re: Difference between theoritical physics and general physics ? |
09 Sep 2006 05:14:13 AM |
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Srinu wrote:
Hi all, Would you please let me know what is the difference between
theoritical physics and general physics ? As I know Stephen Hawkings
did a lot of things on theoritical physics as Einstein did. What is
this theoritical physics and how it differes from any other branches of
physics ?
Theoretical physicists do not do experiments. They devise theories,
invariably mathematical, in order to explain observed physical
phenomena and, more importantly, predict phenomena which have yet to be
observed.
Experimental physicists devise and carry out experiments in order to
verify or refute the predictions of the theoreticians.
Both theoreticians and experimenters usually confine their efforts to
fairly narrow areas of research.
Hope this helps.
Pete
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