Physics

Course summary

To study physics is to attempt to understand the nature of the universe itself. It is the search for answers from how the universe exploded into life in the Big Bang to what is the nature of time itself. Some of the greatest discoveries in history have been made by physicists and these discoveries have revolutionised our world—and physicists are continuing to change the way we think today. Indeed, when the discipline was first defined, it was about observing the Milky Way, the entire known universe at the time, while wondering about the existence of the atom. Look up at the stars and not down at your feet … Be curious. Stephen Hawking. To put it simply, physicists seek to expand knowledge. They work to test hypotheses and explain observations. They use the results to build evidence, which ultimately leads to discoveries. These are scrutinised by the scientific community and, if accepted, become knowledge. Facts are not science — as the dictionary is not literature. Martin H. Fischer. According to Richard Feynmann they, “Write down the problem, think hard, write down the answer”. This — alongside Albert Einstein’s famous pronouncement that, “Imagination is more important than knowledge” — is an excellent summary. Basically, they collect evidence to reach partial conclusions that eventually might be accepted as laws or explanatory theories; physicists explore new frontiers as varied as the existence of gravitational waves, the path to artificial intelligence, sustainable energy sources and the expansion of travel into space. There are almost no limits to physics! Equipped with their five senses, physicists explore the universe around them and call the adventure Science. Edwin Hubble. Previous project titles have explored: mediaeval trebuchets, bridges, parachutes, photovoltaic cells and the physics of guitars.