Physicists working in a government lab

A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. A scientist, in the broadest sense refers to any person that engages in a systematic activity to acquire Knowledge or an individual that engages in such practices Physics (Greek Physis - φύσις in everyday terms is the Science of Matter and its motion. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made (particle physics) to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole (cosmology). Physics (Greek Physis - φύσις in everyday terms is the Science of Matter and its motion. History See also Atomic theory, Atomism The concept that matter is composed of discrete units and cannot be divided into arbitrarily tiny Particle physics is a branch of Physics that studies the elementary constituents of Matter and Radiation, and the interactions between them The Universe is defined as everything that Physically Exists: the entirety of Space and Time, all forms of Matter, Energy Physical cosmology, as a branch of Astronomy, is the study of the large-scale structure of the Universe and is concerned with fundamental questions about its

Education

Most material a student encounters in the undergraduate physics curriculum is based on discoveries and insights of a century or more in the past. Newton’s laws of motion were formulated in the 17th century; Maxwell's equations, 19th century; and quantum mechanics, early 20th century. Newton's laws of motion are three Physical laws which provide relationships between the Forces acting on a body and the motion of the In Classical electromagnetism, Maxwell's equations are a set of four Partial differential equations that describe the properties of the electric Quantum mechanics is the study of mechanical systems whose dimensions are close to the Atomic scale such as Molecules Atoms Electrons The undergraduate physics curriculum generally includes the following range of courses: chemistry, classical physics, astronomy, physics laboratory, electricity and magnetism, thermodynamics, optics, modern physics, quantum physics, nuclear physics, solid state physics. Chemistry (from Egyptian kēme (chem meaning "earth") is the Science concerned with the composition structure and properties Astronomy (from the Greek words astron (ἄστρον "star" and nomos (νόμος "law" is the scientific study Electromagnetism is the Physics of the Electromagnetic field: a field which exerts a Force on particles that possess the property of In Physics, thermodynamics (from the Greek θερμη therme meaning " Heat " and δυναμις dynamis meaning " Quantum mechanics is the study of mechanical systems whose dimensions are close to the Atomic scale such as Molecules Atoms Electrons Nuclear physics is the field of Physics that studies the building blocks and interactions of Atomic nuclei. Solid-state physics, the largest branch of Condensed matter physics, is the study of rigid Matter, or Solids The bulk of solid-state physics theory and Undergraduate physics students must also take extensive mathematics courses (calculus, differential equations, advanced calculus), and computer science and programming. Calculus ( Latin, calculus, a small stone used for counting is a branch of Mathematics that includes the study of limits, Derivatives A differential equation is a mathematical Equation for an unknown function of one or several variables that relates the values of the Undergraduate physics students often perform research with faculty members.

Many positions, especially in research, require a doctoral degree. A doctorate is an Academic degree that indicates the highest level of academic achievement At the Master's level and higher, students tend to specialize in a particular field. Fields of specialization include experimental and theoretical astrophysics, atomic physics, molecular physics, biophysics, chemical physics, geophysics, material science, nuclear physics, optics, particle physics, and plasma physics. Astrophysics is the branch of Astronomy that deals with the Physics of the Universe, including the physical properties ( Luminosity, Atomic physics (or atom physics) is the field of Physics that studies atoms as an isolated system of Electrons and an atomic nucleus. Molecular physics is the study of the physical properties of Molecules and of the Chemical bonds between Atoms that bind them Biophysics (also biological physics) is an Interdisciplinary Science that employs and develops theories and methods of the Physical sciences for Chemical physics is a subdiscipline of Chemistry and Physics that investigates physicochemical phenomena using techniques from atomic and molecular physics Geophysics, a major discipline of Earth sciences, is the study of the Earth by quantitative physical methods especially by seismic, electromagnetic Materials Science or Materials Engineering is an interdisciplinary field involving the properties of matter and its applications to various areas of Science and Nuclear physics is the field of Physics that studies the building blocks and interactions of Atomic nuclei. Particle physics is a branch of Physics that studies the elementary constituents of Matter and Radiation, and the interactions between them In Physics and Chemistry, plasma is an Ionized Gas, in which a certain proportion of Electrons are free rather than being bound Post-doctoral experience may be required for certain positions. A postdoctoral fellow (colloquially " post-doc " is a temporary research position held by a person who has completed his or her doctoral studies

Employment

The three major employers of career physicists are academic institutions, government laboratories, and private industry, with the largest employer being the last. ^[1] Many people who are trained as physicists, however, use their skills in other parts of the economy, in particular in engineering, computing, and finance. Engineering is the Discipline and Profession of applying technical and scientific Knowledge and Computing is usually defined like the activity of using and developing Computer technology Computer hardware and software. The field of finance refers to the concepts of Time, Money and Risk and how they are interrelated Some physicists take up careers where their knowledge of physics can be combined with further training in other disciplines, such as patent law in industry or private practice. A patent attorney is an Attorney who has the specialized qualifications necessary for representing clients in obtaining Patents and acting in all matters and procedures In the United States, a majority of those in the private sector with a physics degree work outside physics, astronomy and engineering altogether. ^[2]

Honors and Awards

The highest honor awarded to physicists is the Nobel Prize in Physics, awarded since 1901 by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. The Nobel Prize in Physics (Nobelpriset i fysik is awarded once a year by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences or Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien is one of the Royal Academies of Sweden.

See also

Albert Einstein, One of the world's most well-known physicists

• American Institute of Physics
• Engineering physics
• Institute of Physics (UK & Ireland)
• History of physics
• List of physicists
• Nobel Prize in physics
• Professional physicist

References

External links

• Occupational Outlook Handbook
• Physicists and Astronomers; US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Education and employment statistics from the American Institute of Physics

Further reading

• "What works for women in physics?" . Physics Today 56 (9). Physics Today magazine created in 1948 is the membership journal of The American Institute of Physics.  
• "The Physics Job Market: From Bear to Bull in a Decade" . Physics Today 54 (4).