search box

Custom Search

Monday, November 21, 2011

Physics and the Modern Man

As we look around us we find physics being used everywhere. All the modern facilities which we have are mostly due to the progress in physics. The inventions in physics have made our life easier. Let us a have look at some of these.
In our homes, most of the house-hold appliance make use of the basic principles of physics, such as, electric bell, electric iron, heater, electric fan, hand pump, motor, refrigerator, pressure cooker, radio, tape recorder, television, telephone, VCR etc.
Just after 30 years Bardeen, a physicist, invited the transistor now thousands of transistors can be made on single chip, having the same size as a single transistor, called integrated circuit. These integrated circuits are being used in all types of instruments and equipment such as toys, washing machines, industrial control circuits, radio, TV, VCR, robots, and computers etc. This is due to the integrated circuits that we have small radios and TVs etc.
The motor cars, aeroplanes and sea-ships which have made traveling comfortable and fast use the principles of physics in their different parts. Rockets which have made possible traveling in space work on principle of physics called law of conservation of momentum. Artificial satellites though which people of one country can watch television programs of other countries also use the principles of physics.
The basic principles of physics are being applied to study the function of human body. In medicine, physics is being applied in many ways. Heat is used in thermometry, thermography, heat therapy and Cryosurgery. The principles of electricity and magnetism are used in the instruments of ECG, short wave diathermy, electrosurgery etc.
Sound, a branch of physics, has many applications in medicine ranging from the use of the stethoscope to the use of modern ultrasonic techniques to study heart valve motion and to look at the unborn child.
The instruments, such as the microscope, opthalmoscope (used for looking into the eye), otoscope (used for looking into the ears) and endoscopes (used for viewing internal body cavities such as bladder, rectum etc.) use the basic principles of light. Lasers are used in laser surgery, holography and photocoagulation of the retina (which is useful for repairing retinal tears or holes that develop prior to retinal detachemetn).
Physicists have provided the modern man with a huge source of energy, called atomic or nuclear energy, which is being used for constructive as well as destructive purposes. For example: nuclear reactors, nuclear power plants, atomic submarines, atomic missiles, atomic and hydrogen bombs etc.
In short, physics has played an important role in our life. It is being applied in all disciplines of life. In this scientific age, a background in physics is very important even for a lay-man since the new research in physics s being done to solve our social and economic problems.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...