Physics
Essays exploring the nature and properties of matter and energy
What Is Physics?
Physics: from Greek ta physika "the natural things"
The study of physics includes these major disciplines:
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mechanics (how do objects interact and what are the forces acting between them?)
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astrophysics (how did the universe begin and what shapes galaxies?)
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particle physics (what are the basic constituents of matter and how do they behave?)
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electromagnetism (what is a field and how does electricity and magnetism interact?)
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thermodynamics (how do objects change their behaviour with changes in temperature?)
Below you will find Rational Realm essays of two types.
- General Essays:
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Short popular essays of a more general nature requiring no specialist knowledge
- Specialist Essays:
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Comprehensive referenced research papers on specialist subjects requiring a working familiarity with the subject
Rational Realm welcomes essay contributions for publication on our site. Please review our submission guidelines and contact us.
General Essays
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Cosmological Theories in History
A summary of the major theories and critical turning points in the history of cosmology, from Copernicus to Einstein to Linde. Read about Copernicus' heliocentric view, Descartes' vortices, Einstein's relativity revolution, the first big bang models and the startling new inflation and multiverse hypotheses.
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A succinct timeline of the historical developments in the science of cosmology, from the 16th Century to today. How ground-breaking scientists with bold theories and more innovative instruments took us from Ptolemy's geocentric view of the universe to our current powerful inflation model.
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The Anthropic Principle and Cosmic Inflation
Some scientists and commentators have argued that our universe is 'fine tuned' for life. In this essay, the author examines how the Anthropic Principle is invoked in response and its implications for the latest developments in cosmology. His discussion turns on how inflation theory and the idea of the multiverse may burst the bubble of the proponents of special design.
