The Importance of Physics to Society

Physics, technology, and society have always been intertwined. Physics and society accelerated further as new technologies were invented or facts were discovered. For example, Alexander Graham Bell, a Scottish engineer and scientist, invented the first telephone with practical function. His invention gave physics a new dimension and improved communication in human society. Similarly, when Newton gave his three laws, not only did it introduce a new branch of Physics – Newtonian kinematics, but it also improved societal thinking and perception. Therefore, with practical advancements over the years, society has improved a lot more than in the past. 

Physics, Technology and Society

The concept of physics, technology and society has been around for a long time now. Ancient Greeks are the “fathers” of early physics, and Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle are some of the most well-known people in this group. People like Copernicus, Galileo and Newton came up with modern physics during the 1500s and 1600s. Many important scientific discoveries were made during this period as people learned more and more about our world. 

During the Scientific Revolution, we learned many things we take for granted now. There was a time when Copernicus proved that the earth moves around the sun, not the other way around. When Galileo made his very own telescope, he made many astronomical discoveries, like sunspots and planetary satellites, that he could not have made without the telescope. Isaac Newton, about whom you will learn a lot in your physics class, is a big part of the history of physics.

 He is best known for his three laws of motion and the law of universal gravitation. It is also said that Newton came up with calculus.

The Importance of Physics to Society

Before the discovery of modern physics, people thought that physics was the same as natural philosophy and chemistry mixed with a bit of maths, a little bit of biology and a lot of other things. Before the scientific revolution in the Renaissance, there were no limits on how far people could go with their research in the field. 

Physics is everywhere in daily activities, such as walking, driving a car, and using a phone. For everyday living, all the technologies we use are developed and governed by the laws of Physics.

• The application of thermodynamics led to the development of steam engines that caused the ease of transportation.
• The medical industry used applications such as radiology, x-ray, and ultrasonography to study biological objects. It develops many medicines to treat diseases.
• Communication over long distances is now very handy and cheap to connect people across the globe. The electromagnetic waves’ principles used in television, telephone, etc., devices provide communication facilities anywhere on earth, even on distant planets.
• Computers have become our daily need to work on digital logic and electronic circuits. Computers have improved the quality of life. Everything we need to know is available on the internet and can be accessed on a computer. The network of many computers uses electromagnetic waves and complex networking structures that are governed by laws of physics.
• Astrophysics and cosmology are two branches of physics that aid in understanding the universe.
• The entertainment industry uses digital devices to develop games, toys, and various objects that work on principles of physics. Television and mobile/smartphones are devices developed from laws of physics for communication, entertainment, and many other applications.
• Physics covers almost every aspect of our improved quality of life, from macroscopic to microscopic objects. 

Physics provides the basic fundamental knowledge required to build the technological advances in the future that ultimately help in the economic growth of the world. Physics is used in the new developmental technological aspects like the technological infrastructure, and it allows trained personnel to make the best use and deliver scientific discoveries and advances. 

Physics in Meeting Future Energy Requirements to help in technology:

Physics seeks to find alternative solutions to the energy crisis, reduce pollution and create a healthy environment for both machines and humans. Solar energy is converted into electric energy that runs various electronic devices. It can be an efficient replacement as a renewable source of energy to run engines in cars.

Non-renewable resources are used in vehicles, gadgets, and electronic devices that work on physics laws.

Nuclear energy is obtained from the fission of atoms which produces an enormous amount of energy that could supply energy to the whole world for many years. It can also be used to develop nuclear weapons (Atom bombs).

By observing the winds, tides, and water, we can develop technology and technological infrastructure that harnesses the power to utilise it in different devices. 

Conclusion:

Physics is imperative for the development of new tools/devices. Almost every modern gadget used in our homes is made using principles of physics.

The contributions of scientists have been sensational in the field of physics, and the only reason is that the concepts and principles used improve quality of life with comfort and the utilisation of all available resources. Scientists not just devise existing natural laws but also suggest a change to the existing ones to make sure every resource is used sustainably. Technology has also played a vital role in doing so.