Division and subdivision of physics?

Physics can be divided into a variety of sub-groups because it is such a complex subject. For a start there is classic physics and modern physics. There are also a number of areas that physics examines and they include mechanics, wave motion, heat and thermodynamics, nuclear physics and electromagnetism.

• Nuclear physics

This is the subdivision of physics that examines the interactions and building blocks of atomic nuclei. The most well known application of nuclear physics are nuclear weapons technology and the generation of nuclear power, but it also has many more applications.

These include nuclear medicine; ion implantation in materials engineering; magnetic resonance imaging; and radiocarbon dating in archaeology and geology.

• Electromagnetism

This is the force that causes interaction between particles that are electrically charged, and is responsible for nearly everything that we encounter in our daily lives, excluding gravity. It is also the force that holds protons and electrons together inside atoms.

• Mechanics

This is the part of physics that concerns itself with the behavior of physical bodies when they are subjected to displacements and forces and their effects.

• Thermodynamics

Thermodynamics is the part of physics that studies the effects on radiation and on material bodies in areas of space. It looks at the transfer of heat and at work done by, or on, bodies or radiation.

It interrelates variables such as volume, temperature and pressure.

• Wave motion

This area of physics examines seismology, acoustics, geophysics, optics fluid and solid mechanics. There is also some overlap with electromagnetics.