Misplaced Pages

#62937

76-425: Physicists can apply their knowledge towards solving practical problems or to developing new technologies (also known as applied physics or engineering physics ). The study and practice of physics is based on an intellectual ladder of discoveries and insights from ancient times to the present. Many mathematical and physical ideas used today found their earliest expression in the work of ancient civilizations, such as

152-699: A master's degree like MSc, MPhil, MPhys or MSci. For research-oriented careers, students work toward a doctoral degree specializing in a particular field. Fields of specialization include experimental and theoretical astrophysics , atomic physics , biological physics , chemical physics , condensed matter physics , cosmology , geophysics , gravitational physics , material science , medical physics , microelectronics , molecular physics , nuclear physics , optics , particle physics , plasma physics , quantum information science , and radiophysics . The three major employers of career physicists are academic institutions, laboratories, and private industries, with

228-449: A phenolic resin . After curing at high temperature in an autoclave , the laminate is pyrolized to convert the resin to carbon, impregnated with furfuryl alcohol in a vacuum chamber, and cured-pyrolized to convert the furfuryl alcohol to carbon. To provide oxidation resistance for reusability, the outer layers of the RCC are converted to silicon carbide . Other examples can be seen in

304-420: A body of matter or radiation. It states that the behavior of those variables is subject to general constraints common to all materials. These general constraints are expressed in the four laws of thermodynamics. Thermodynamics describes the bulk behavior of the body, not the microscopic behaviors of the very large numbers of its microscopic constituents, such as molecules. The behavior of these microscopic particles

380-531: A broad range of topics; the following non-exhaustive list highlights a few important research areas. Nanomaterials describe, in principle, materials of which a single unit is sized (in at least one dimension) between 1 and 1000 nanometers (10 meter), but is usually 1 nm – 100 nm. Nanomaterials research takes a materials science based approach to nanotechnology , using advances in materials metrology and synthesis, which have been developed in support of microfabrication research. Materials with structure at

456-445: A drug over an extended period of time. A biomaterial may also be an autograft , allograft or xenograft used as an organ transplant material. Semiconductors, metals, and ceramics are used today to form highly complex systems, such as integrated electronic circuits, optoelectronic devices, and magnetic and optical mass storage media. These materials form the basis of our modern computing world, and hence research into these materials

532-472: A few. The basis of materials science is studying the interplay between the structure of materials, the processing methods to make that material, and the resulting material properties. The complex combination of these produce the performance of a material in a specific application. Many features across many length scales impact material performance, from the constituent chemical elements, its microstructure , and macroscopic features from processing. Together with

608-776: A large number of identical components linked together like chains. Polymers are the raw materials (the resins) used to make what are commonly called plastics and rubber . Plastics and rubber are the final product, created after one or more polymers or additives have been added to a resin during processing, which is then shaped into a final form. Plastics in former and in current widespread use include polyethylene , polypropylene , polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene , nylons , polyesters , acrylics , polyurethanes , and polycarbonates . Rubbers include natural rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, chloroprene , and butadiene rubber . Plastics are generally classified as commodity , specialty and engineering plastics . Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)

684-437: A metal oxide fused with silica. At the high temperatures used to prepare glass, the material is a viscous liquid which solidifies into a disordered state upon cooling. Windowpanes and eyeglasses are important examples. Fibers of glass are also used for long-range telecommunication and optical transmission. Scratch resistant Corning Gorilla Glass is a well-known example of the application of materials science to drastically improve

760-418: A natural function. Such functions may be benign, like being used for a heart valve , or may be bioactive with a more interactive functionality such as hydroxylapatite -coated hip implants . Biomaterials are also used every day in dental applications, surgery, and drug delivery. For example, a construct with impregnated pharmaceutical products can be placed into the body, which permits the prolonged release of

836-565: A physics-related activity; a Doctorate or equivalent degree in Physics or a related field; or training or experience which, in the opinion of the Council, is equivalent to any of the above. Physicists may be a member of a physical society of a country or region. Physical societies commonly publish scientific journals, organize physics conferences and award prizes for contributions to the field of physics. Some examples of physical societies are

SECTION 10

#1732775436063

912-416: A professional practice examination must also be passed. An exemption can be granted to a candidate that has practiced physics for at least seven years and provide a detailed description of their professional accomplishments which clearly demonstrate that the exam is not necessary. Work experience will be considered physics-related if it uses physics directly or significantly uses the modes of thought (such as

988-876: A single crystal, but in polycrystalline form, as an aggregate of small crystals or grains with different orientations. Because of this, the powder diffraction method , which uses diffraction patterns of polycrystalline samples with a large number of crystals, plays an important role in structural determination. Most materials have a crystalline structure, but some important materials do not exhibit regular crystal structure. Polymers display varying degrees of crystallinity, and many are completely non-crystalline. Glass , some ceramics, and many natural materials are amorphous , not possessing any long-range order in their atomic arrangements. The study of polymers combines elements of chemical and statistical thermodynamics to give thermodynamic and mechanical descriptions of physical properties. Materials, which atoms and molecules form constituents in

1064-610: Is an interdisciplinary field of researching and discovering materials . Materials engineering is an engineering field of finding uses for materials in other fields and industries. The intellectual origins of materials science stem from the Age of Enlightenment , when researchers began to use analytical thinking from chemistry , physics , maths and engineering to understand ancient, phenomenological observations in metallurgy and mineralogy . Materials science still incorporates elements of physics, chemistry, and engineering. As such,

1140-443: Is an engineering plastic which is used extensively as the glide rails for industrial equipment and the low-friction socket in implanted hip joints . The alloys of iron ( steel , stainless steel , cast iron , tool steel , alloy steels ) make up the largest proportion of metals today both by quantity and commercial value. Iron alloyed with various proportions of carbon gives low , mid and high carbon steels . An iron-carbon alloy

1216-519: Is any matter, surface, or construct that interacts with biological systems . Biomaterials science encompasses elements of medicine, biology, chemistry, tissue engineering, and materials science. Biomaterials can be derived either from nature or synthesized in a laboratory using a variety of chemical approaches using metallic components, polymers , bioceramics , or composite materials . They are often intended or adapted for medical applications, such as biomedical devices which perform, augment, or replace

1292-432: Is based on the empirical makeup and atomic structure of the solid materials, and most solids fall into one of these broad categories. An item that is often made from each of these materials types is the beverage container. The material types used for beverage containers accordingly provide different advantages and disadvantages, depending on the material used. Ceramic (glass) containers are optically transparent, impervious to

1368-465: Is derived from cemented carbides with the metal phase of cobalt and nickel typically added to modify properties. Ceramics can be significantly strengthened for engineering applications using the principle of crack deflection . This process involves the strategic addition of second-phase particles within a ceramic matrix, optimizing their shape, size, and distribution to direct and control crack propagation. This approach enhances fracture toughness, paving

1444-438: Is described by, and the laws of thermodynamics are derived from, statistical mechanics . The study of thermodynamics is fundamental to materials science. It forms the foundation to treat general phenomena in materials science and engineering, including chemical reactions, magnetism, polarizability, and elasticity. It explains fundamental tools such as phase diagrams and concepts such as phase equilibrium . Chemical kinetics

1520-479: Is important in the study of kinetics as this is the most common mechanism by which materials undergo change. Kinetics is essential in processing of materials because, among other things, it details how the microstructure changes with application of heat. Materials science is a highly active area of research. Together with materials science departments, physics , chemistry , and many engineering departments are involved in materials research. Materials research covers

1596-441: Is necessary to differentiate between the number of dimensions on the nanoscale . Nanotextured surfaces have one dimension on the nanoscale, i.e., only the thickness of the surface of an object is between 0.1 and 100 nm. Nanotubes have two dimensions on the nanoscale, i.e., the diameter of the tube is between 0.1 and 100 nm; its length could be much greater. Finally, spherical nanoparticles have three dimensions on

SECTION 20

#1732775436063

1672-402: Is of vital importance. Semiconductors are a traditional example of these types of materials. They are materials that have properties that are intermediate between conductors and insulators . Their electrical conductivities are very sensitive to the concentration of impurities, which allows the use of doping to achieve desirable electronic properties. Hence, semiconductors form the basis of

1748-494: Is only considered steel if the carbon level is between 0.01% and 2.00% by weight. For steels, the hardness and tensile strength of the steel is related to the amount of carbon present, with increasing carbon levels also leading to lower ductility and toughness. Heat treatment processes such as quenching and tempering can significantly change these properties, however. In contrast, certain metal alloys exhibit unique properties where their size and density remain unchanged across

1824-2296: Is rooted in the fundamental truths and basic concepts of the physical sciences but is concerned with the utilization of scientific principles in practical devices and systems and with the application of physics in other areas of science and high technology . [REDACTED] Computer modeling of the Space Shuttle during re-entry Examples of research and development areas [ edit ] Accelerator physics Acoustics Atmospheric physics Biophysics Brain–computer interfacing Chemistry Chemical physics Differentiable programming Artificial intelligence Scientific computing Engineering physics Chemical engineering Electrical engineering Electronics Sensors Transistors Materials science and engineering Metamaterials Nanotechnology Semiconductors Thin films Mechanical engineering Aerospace engineering Astrodynamics Electromagnetic propulsion Fluid mechanics Military engineering Lidar Radar Sonar Stealth technology Nuclear engineering Fission reactors Fusion reactors Optical engineering Photonics Cavity optomechanics Lasers Photonic crystals Geophysics Materials physics Medical physics Health physics Radiation dosimetry Medical imaging Magnetic resonance imaging Radiation therapy Microscopy Scanning probe microscopy Atomic force microscopy Scanning tunneling microscopy Scanning electron microscopy Transmission electron microscopy Nuclear physics Fission Fusion Optical physics Nonlinear optics Quantum optics Plasma physics Quantum technology Quantum computing Quantum cryptography Renewable energy Space physics Spectroscopy See also [ edit ] Applied science Applied mathematics Engineering Engineering Physics High Technology References [ edit ] ^ "General Information on Applied Physics" . Stanford Department of Applied Physics. Archived from

1900-407: Is studied in the following levels. Atomic structure deals with the atoms of the material, and how they are arranged to give rise to molecules, crystals, etc. Much of the electrical, magnetic and chemical properties of materials arise from this level of structure. The length scales involved are in angstroms ( Å ). The chemical bonding and atomic arrangement (crystallography) are fundamental to studying

1976-614: Is the Nobel Prize in Physics , awarded since 1901 by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences . National physical societies have many prizes and awards for professional recognition. In the case of the American Physical Society , as of 2023, there are 25 separate prizes and 33 separate awards in the field. Chartered Physicist (CPhys) is a chartered status and a professional qualification awarded by

2052-405: Is the application of physics to solve scientific or engineering problems. It is usually considered a bridge or a connection between physics and engineering . "Applied" is distinguished from "pure" by a subtle combination of factors, such as the motivation and attitude of researchers and the nature of the relationship to the technology or science that may be affected by the work. Applied physics

2128-417: Is the study of the rates at which systems that are out of equilibrium change under the influence of various forces. When applied to materials science, it deals with how a material changes with time (moves from non-equilibrium state to equilibrium state) due to application of a certain field. It details the rate of various processes evolving in materials including shape, size, composition and structure. Diffusion

2204-525: Is used to protect the surface of the shuttle from the heat of re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere. One example is reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC), the light gray material, which withstands re-entry temperatures up to 1,510 °C (2,750 °F) and protects the Space Shuttle's wing leading edges and nose cap. RCC is a laminated composite material made from graphite rayon cloth and impregnated with

2280-436: Is widely used, inexpensive, and annual production quantities are large. It lends itself to a vast array of applications, from artificial leather to electrical insulation and cabling, packaging , and containers . Its fabrication and processing are simple and well-established. The versatility of PVC is due to the wide range of plasticisers and other additives that it accepts. The term "additives" in polymer science refers to

2356-602: The American Physical Society , the Institute of Physics , with the oldest physical society being the German Physical Society . Applied physics Connection between physics and engineering For a topical guide, see Outline of applied physics . For other uses, see Applied Physics (disambiguation) . [REDACTED] Experiment using a laser [REDACTED] A magnetic resonance image Applied physics

Physicist - Misplaced Pages Continue

2432-659: The Babylonian astronomers and Egyptian engineers , the Greek philosophers of science and mathematicians such as Thales of Miletus , Euclid in Ptolemaic Egypt , Archimedes of Syracuse and Aristarchus of Samos . Roots also emerged in ancient Asian cultures such as India and China, and particularly the Islamic medieval period , which saw the development of scientific methodology emphasising experimentation , such as

2508-640: The Bronze Age and Iron Age and is studied under the branch of materials science named physical metallurgy . Chemical and physical methods are also used to synthesize other materials such as polymers , ceramics , semiconductors , and thin films . As of the early 21st century, new methods are being developed to synthesize nanomaterials such as graphene . Thermodynamics is concerned with heat and temperature , and their relation to energy and work . It defines macroscopic variables, such as internal energy , entropy , and pressure , that partly describe

2584-697: The Institute of Physics . It is denoted by the postnominals "CPhys". Achieving chartered status in any profession denotes to the wider community a high level of specialised subject knowledge and professional competence. According to the Institute of Physics, holders of the award of the Chartered Physicist (CPhys) demonstrate the "highest standards of professionalism, up-to-date expertise, quality and safety" along with "the capacity to undertake independent practice and exercise leadership" as well as "commitment to keep pace with advancing knowledge and with

2660-621: The material's properties and performance. The understanding of processing structure properties relationships is called the materials paradigm. This paradigm is used for advanced understanding in a variety of research areas, including nanotechnology , biomaterials , and metallurgy . Materials science is also an important part of forensic engineering and failure analysis  – investigating materials, products, structures or their components, which fail or do not function as intended, causing personal injury or damage to property. Such investigations are key to understanding. For example,

2736-495: The "plastic" casings of television sets, cell-phones and so on. These plastic casings are usually a composite material made up of a thermoplastic matrix such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) in which calcium carbonate chalk, talc , glass fibers or carbon fibers have been added for added strength, bulk, or electrostatic dispersion . These additions may be termed reinforcing fibers, or dispersants, depending on their purpose. Polymers are chemical compounds made up of

2812-589: The United States was catalyzed in part by the Advanced Research Projects Agency , which funded a series of university-hosted laboratories in the early 1960s, " to expand the national program of basic research and training in the materials sciences ." In comparison with mechanical engineering, the nascent materials science field focused on addressing materials from the macro-level and on the approach that materials are designed on

2888-409: The approach to problem-solving) developed in your education or experience as a physicist, in all cases regardless of whether the experience is in academia, industry, government, or elsewhere. Management of physics-related work qualifies, and so does appropriate graduate student work. The South African Institute of Physics also delivers a certification of Professional Physicist (Pr.Phys). At a minimum,

2964-436: The atomic scale, all the way up to the macro scale. Characterization is the way materials scientists examine the structure of a material. This involves methods such as diffraction with X-rays , electrons or neutrons , and various forms of spectroscopy and chemical analysis such as Raman spectroscopy , energy-dispersive spectroscopy , chromatography , thermal analysis , electron microscope analysis, etc. Structure

3040-584: The basis of knowledge of behavior at the microscopic level. Due to the expanded knowledge of the link between atomic and molecular processes as well as the overall properties of materials, the design of materials came to be based on specific desired properties. The materials science field has since broadened to include every class of materials, including ceramics, polymers , semiconductors, magnetic materials, biomaterials, and nanomaterials , generally classified into three distinct groups- ceramics, metals, and polymers. The prominent change in materials science during

3116-496: The causes of various aviation accidents and incidents . The material of choice of a given era is often a defining point. Phases such as Stone Age , Bronze Age , Iron Age , and Steel Age are historic, if arbitrary examples. Originally deriving from the manufacture of ceramics and its putative derivative metallurgy, materials science is one of the oldest forms of engineering and applied sciences. Modern materials science evolved directly from metallurgy , which itself evolved from

Physicist - Misplaced Pages Continue

3192-569: The chemicals and compounds added to the polymer base to modify its material properties. Polycarbonate would be normally considered an engineering plastic (other examples include PEEK , ABS). Such plastics are valued for their superior strengths and other special material properties. They are usually not used for disposable applications, unlike commodity plastics. Specialty plastics are materials with unique characteristics, such as ultra-high strength, electrical conductivity, electro-fluorescence, high thermal stability, etc. The dividing lines between

3268-520: The designation of Professional Engineer (P. Eng.). This designation was unveiled at the CAP congress in 1999 and already more than 200 people carry this distinction. To get the certification, at minimum proof of honours bachelor or higher degree in physics or a closely related discipline must be provided. Also, the physicist must have completed, or be about to complete, three years of recent physics-related work experience after graduation. And, unless exempted,

3344-436: The desired micro-nanostructure. A material cannot be used in industry if no economically viable production method for it has been developed. Therefore, developing processing methods for materials that are reasonably effective and cost-efficient is vital to the field of materials science. Different materials require different processing or synthesis methods. For example, the processing of metals has historically defined eras such as

3420-439: The early 21st century includes a large increase in understanding physical cosmology . The broad and general study of nature, natural philosophy , was divided into several fields in the 19th century, when the concept of "science" received its modern shape. Specific categories emerged, such as "biology" and "biologist", "physics" and "physicist", "chemistry" and "chemist", among other technical fields and titles. The term physicist

3496-658: The effects of the crystalline arrangement of atoms is often easy to see macroscopically, because the natural shapes of crystals reflect the atomic structure. Further, physical properties are often controlled by crystalline defects. The understanding of crystal structures is an important prerequisite for understanding crystallographic defects . Examples of crystal defects consist of dislocations including edges, screws, vacancies, self interstitials, and more that are linear, planar, and three dimensional types of defects. New and advanced materials that are being developed include nanomaterials , biomaterials . Mostly, materials do not occur as

3572-456: The exploration of space. Materials science has driven, and been driven by the development of revolutionary technologies such as rubbers , plastics , semiconductors , and biomaterials . Before the 1960s (and in some cases decades after), many eventual materials science departments were metallurgy or ceramics engineering departments, reflecting the 19th and early 20th-century emphasis on metals and ceramics. The growth of material science in

3648-443: The field was long considered by academic institutions as a sub-field of these related fields. Beginning in the 1940s, materials science began to be more widely recognized as a specific and distinct field of science and engineering, and major technical universities around the world dedicated schools for its study. Materials scientists emphasize understanding how the history of a material ( processing ) influences its structure, and also

3724-446: The final properties of the materials produced. For example, steels are classified based on 1/10 and 1/100 weight percentages of the carbon and other alloying elements they contain. Thus, the extracting and purifying methods used to extract iron in a blast furnace can affect the quality of steel that is produced. Solid materials are generally grouped into three basic classifications: ceramics, metals, and polymers. This broad classification

3800-755: The increasing expectations and requirements for which any profession must take responsibility". Chartered Physicist is considered to be equal in status to Chartered Engineer, which the IoP also awards as a member of the Engineering Council UK, and other chartered statuses in the UK. It is also considered a "regulated profession" under the European professional qualification directives. The Canadian Association of Physicists can appoint an official designation called Professional Physicist ( P. Phys. ), similar to

3876-1173: The largest employer being the last. Physicists in academia or government labs tend to have titles such as Assistants, Professors , Sr./Jr. Scientist, or postdocs . As per the American Institute of Physics , some 20% of new physics Ph.D.s holds jobs in engineering development programs, while 14% turn to computer software and about 11% are in business/education. A majority of physicists employed apply their skills and training to interdisciplinary sectors (e.g. finance ). Job titles for graduate physicists include Agricultural Scientist , Air Traffic Controller , Biophysicist , Computer Programmer , Electrical Engineer , Environmental Analyst , Geophysicist , Medical Physicist , Meteorologist , Oceanographer , Physics Teacher / Professor / Researcher , Research Scientist , Reactor Physicist , Engineering Physicist , Satellite Missions Analyst, Science Writer , Stratigrapher , Software Engineer , Systems Engineer , Microelectronics Engineer , Radar Developer, Technical Consultant, etc. The majority of Physics terminal bachelor's degree holders are employed in

SECTION 50

#1732775436063

3952-421: The laws of thermodynamics and kinetics materials scientists aim to understand and improve materials. Structure is one of the most important components of the field of materials science. The very definition of the field holds that it is concerned with the investigation of "the relationships that exist between the structures and properties of materials". Materials science examines the structure of materials from

4028-399: The material properties. Macrostructure is the appearance of a material in the scale millimeters to meters, it is the structure of the material as seen with the naked eye. Materials exhibit myriad properties, including the following. The properties of a material determine its usability and hence its engineering application. Synthesis and processing involves the creation of a material with

4104-411: The material scientist or engineer also deals with extracting materials and converting them into useful forms. Thus ingot casting, foundry methods, blast furnace extraction, and electrolytic extraction are all part of the required knowledge of a materials engineer. Often the presence, absence, or variation of minute quantities of secondary elements and compounds in a bulk material will greatly affect

4180-500: The nanoscale (i.e., they form nanostructures) are called nanomaterials. Nanomaterials are the subject of intense research in the materials science community due to the unique properties that they exhibit. Nanostructure deals with objects and structures that are in the 1 – 100 nm range. In many materials, atoms or molecules agglomerate to form objects at the nanoscale. This causes many interesting electrical, magnetic, optical, and mechanical properties. In describing nanostructures, it

4256-404: The nanoscale often have unique optical, electronic, or mechanical properties. The field of nanomaterials is loosely organized, like the traditional field of chemistry, into organic (carbon-based) nanomaterials, such as fullerenes, and inorganic nanomaterials based on other elements, such as silicon. Examples of nanomaterials include fullerenes , carbon nanotubes , nanocrystals, etc. A biomaterial

4332-400: The nanoscale, i.e., the particle is between 0.1 and 100 nm in each spatial dimension. The terms nanoparticles and ultrafine particles (UFP) often are used synonymously although UFP can reach into the micrometre range. The term 'nanostructure' is often used, when referring to magnetic technology. Nanoscale structure in biology is often called ultrastructure . Microstructure is defined as

4408-1845: The original on 7 March 2007. [REDACTED] Physics portal v t e Major branches of physics Divisions Pure Applied Engineering Approaches Experimental Theoretical Computational Classical Classical mechanics Newtonian Analytical Celestial Continuum Acoustics Classical electromagnetism Classical optics Ray Wave Thermodynamics Statistical Non-equilibrium Modern Relativistic mechanics Special General Nuclear physics Particle physics Quantum mechanics Atomic, molecular, and optical physics Atomic Molecular Modern optics Condensed matter physics Solid-state physics Crystallography Interdisciplinary Astrophysics Atmospheric physics Biophysics Chemical physics Geophysics Materials science Mathematical physics Medical physics Ocean physics Quantum information science Related History of physics Nobel Prize in Physics Philosophy of physics Physics education Timeline of physics discoveries Authority control databases : National [REDACTED] Germany Japan Czech Republic Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Applied_physics&oldid=1155517189 " Categories : Applied and interdisciplinary physics Engineering disciplines Hidden categories: Articles with short description Short description matches Wikidata Materials science Materials science

4484-441: The owner must possess a three-year bachelors or equivalent degree in physics or a related field and an additional minimum of six years' experience in a physics-related activity; or an Honor or equivalent degree in physics or a related field and an additional minimum of five years' experience in a physics-related activity; or master or equivalent degree in physics or a related field and an additional minimum of three years' experience in

4560-471: The passage of carbon dioxide as aluminum and glass. Another application of materials science is the study of ceramics and glasses , typically the most brittle materials with industrial relevance. Many ceramics and glasses exhibit covalent or ionic-covalent bonding with SiO 2 ( silica ) as a fundamental building block. Ceramics – not to be confused with raw, unfired clay – are usually seen in crystalline form. The vast majority of commercial glasses contain

4636-501: The passage of carbon dioxide, relatively inexpensive, and are easily recycled, but are also heavy and fracture easily. Metal (aluminum alloy) is relatively strong, is a good barrier to the diffusion of carbon dioxide, and is easily recycled. However, the cans are opaque, expensive to produce, and are easily dented and punctured. Polymers (polyethylene plastic) are relatively strong, can be optically transparent, are inexpensive and lightweight, and can be recyclable, but are not as impervious to

SECTION 60

#1732775436063

4712-431: The private sector. Other fields are academia, government and military service, nonprofit entities, labs and teaching. Typical duties of physicists with master's and doctoral degrees working in their domain involve research, observation and analysis, data preparation, instrumentation, design and development of industrial or medical equipment, computing and software development, etc. The highest honor awarded to physicists

4788-429: The properties and behavior of any material. To obtain a full understanding of the material structure and how it relates to its properties, the materials scientist must study how the different atoms, ions and molecules are arranged and bonded to each other. This involves the study and use of quantum chemistry or quantum physics . Solid-state physics , solid-state chemistry and physical chemistry are also involved in

4864-512: The properties of common components. Engineering ceramics are known for their stiffness and stability under high temperatures, compression and electrical stress. Alumina, silicon carbide , and tungsten carbide are made from a fine powder of their constituents in a process of sintering with a binder. Hot pressing provides higher density material. Chemical vapor deposition can place a film of a ceramic on another material. Cermets are ceramic particles containing some metals. The wear resistance of tools

4940-498: The recent decades is active usage of computer simulations to find new materials, predict properties and understand phenomena. A material is defined as a substance (most often a solid, but other condensed phases can also be included) that is intended to be used for certain applications. There are a myriad of materials around us; they can be found in anything from new and advanced materials that are being developed include nanomaterials , biomaterials , and energy materials to name

5016-463: The structure of a prepared surface or thin foil of material as revealed by a microscope above 25× magnification. It deals with objects from 100 nm to a few cm. The microstructure of a material (which can be broadly classified into metallic, polymeric, ceramic and composite) can strongly influence physical properties such as strength, toughness, ductility, hardness, corrosion resistance, high/low temperature behavior, wear resistance, and so on. Most of

5092-526: The study of bonding and structures. Crystallography is the science that examines the arrangement of atoms in crystalline solids. Crystallography is a useful tool for materials scientists. One of the fundamental concepts regarding the crystal structure of a material includes the unit cell , which is the smallest unit of a crystal lattice (space lattice) that repeats to make up the macroscopic crystal structure. Most common structural materials include parallelpiped and hexagonal lattice types. In single crystals ,

5168-1091: The time and effort to optimize materials properties for a given application. This involves simulating materials at all length scales, using methods such as density functional theory , molecular dynamics , Monte Carlo , dislocation dynamics, phase field , finite element , and many more. Radical materials advances can drive the creation of new products or even new industries, but stable industries also employ materials scientists to make incremental improvements and troubleshoot issues with currently used materials. Industrial applications of materials science include materials design, cost-benefit tradeoffs in industrial production of materials, processing methods ( casting , rolling , welding , ion implantation , crystal growth , thin-film deposition , sintering , glassblowing , etc.), and analytic methods (characterization methods such as electron microscopy , X-ray diffraction , calorimetry , nuclear microscopy (HEFIB) , Rutherford backscattering , neutron diffraction , small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), etc.). Besides material characterization,

5244-686: The traditional computer. This field also includes new areas of research such as superconducting materials, spintronics , metamaterials , etc. The study of these materials involves knowledge of materials science and solid-state physics or condensed matter physics . With continuing increases in computing power, simulating the behavior of materials has become possible. This enables materials scientists to understand behavior and mechanisms, design new materials, and explain properties formerly poorly understood. Efforts surrounding integrated computational materials engineering are now focusing on combining computational methods with experiments to drastically reduce

5320-510: The traditional materials (such as metals and ceramics) are microstructured. The manufacture of a perfect crystal of a material is physically impossible. For example, any crystalline material will contain defects such as precipitates , grain boundaries ( Hall–Petch relationship ), vacancies, interstitial atoms or substitutional atoms. The microstructure of materials reveals these larger defects and advances in simulation have allowed an increased understanding of how defects can be used to enhance

5396-643: The use of fire. A major breakthrough in the understanding of materials occurred in the late 19th century, when the American scientist Josiah Willard Gibbs demonstrated that the thermodynamic properties related to atomic structure in various phases are related to the physical properties of a material. Important elements of modern materials science were products of the Space Race ; the understanding and engineering of metallic alloys , and silica and carbon materials, used in building space vehicles enabling

5472-439: The various types of plastics is not based on material but rather on their properties and applications. For example, polyethylene (PE) is a cheap, low friction polymer commonly used to make disposable bags for shopping and trash, and is considered a commodity plastic, whereas medium-density polyethylene (MDPE) is used for underground gas and water pipes, and another variety called ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)

5548-509: The way for the creation of advanced, high-performance ceramics in various industries. Another application of materials science in industry is making composite materials . These are structured materials composed of two or more macroscopic phases. Applications range from structural elements such as steel-reinforced concrete, to the thermal insulating tiles, which play a key and integral role in NASA's Space Shuttle thermal protection system , which

5624-471: The work of Ibn al-Haytham (Alhazen) in the 11th century. The modern scientific worldview and the bulk of physics education can be said to flow from the scientific revolution in Europe, starting with the work of astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus leading to the physics of Galileo Galilei and Johannes Kepler in the early 1600s. The work on mechanics , along with a mathematical treatment of physical systems,

5700-742: Was coined by William Whewell (also the originator of the term "scientist") in his 1840 book The Philosophy of the Inductive Sciences . A standard undergraduate physics curriculum consists of classical mechanics , electricity and magnetism , non-relativistic quantum mechanics , optics , statistical mechanics and thermodynamics , and laboratory experience. Physics students also need training in mathematics ( calculus , differential equations , linear algebra , complex analysis , etc.), and in computer science . Any physics-oriented career position requires at least an undergraduate degree in physics or applied physics, while career options widen with

5776-497: Was further developed by Christiaan Huygens and culminated in Newton's laws of motion and Newton's law of universal gravitation by the end of the 17th century. The experimental discoveries of Faraday and the theory of Maxwell's equations of electromagnetism were developmental high points during the 19th century. Many physicists contributed to the development of quantum mechanics in the early-to-mid 20th century. New knowledge in

#62937