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physics, mathematical physics

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theory (physics), model (physics)

Physics

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Physics studies the constituting mechanisms of the observable universe.

Since Newton laid the foundations of physics proper, distinguishing it from the earlier natural philosophy, physics is specifically concerned with modelling observed phenomenology by “physical laws” formulated in the language of mathematics. The relation to mathematics is typically the stronger the more one turns to fundamental physics (e.g. fundamental particles) and away from complex systems or else the more one coarse-grains irregular complex behaviour and studies statistical aspects in statistical physics.

The present most fundamental understanding of the physics of the observable universe is summarized in models (in theoretical physics) called

  1. the standard model of particle physics

  2. the standard model of cosmology;

which are formulated in the two fundamental theories called

  1. Yang-Mills-gauge theory

  2. Einstein-gravity

which in turn are both instances of the general framework of classical/quantum field theory.

Theoretical physics also studies lots of approximate, hypothetical “toy”- and test-case models (in theoretical physics), exploring the “space of physical theories”, and parts of mathematical physics overlaps with pure mathematics, the relation to physics only serving as a motivation that may or may not eventually lead back to statements about phenomenology.

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Revised on November 28, 2012 20:45:47 by Tobias Fritz (38.117.109.20)
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