A physicist is a scientist who specializes in the field of physics, which encompasses the interactions of matter and energy at all length and time scales in the physical universe.
Physicists generally are interested in the root or ultimate causes of phenomena, and usually frame their understanding in mathematical terms.
Physicists work across a wide range of research fields, spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic and particle physics, through biological physics, to cosmological length scales encompassing the universe as a whole.
The field generally includes two types of physicists: experimental physicists who specialize in the observation of physical phenomena and the analysis of experiments, and theoretical physicists who specialize in mathematical modeling of physical systems to rationalize, explain and predict natural phenomena.
Physicists can apply their knowledge towards solving practical problems or to developing new technologies (also known as applied physics or engineering physics).
Hi everyone.
I'm having a little crisis here. I'm really really good in math (I'm doing calculus right now, and it's a breeze), but classical mechanics are giving me a hard time. I'm also doing general chemistry right now and I find it fun and easy as well. Basically, the more abstract...
Next year I have been admitted to and plan on matriculating into a "mathematical physics" and computer science program. I feel my interests are likely to be in applied physics, in fields such as Quantum electronics, nano-physics, semiconductors. However I appreciate the Mathematics too much to...
Hello all, I'm new here. I'm at a point in life and in school where it's difficult to discern where I'm heading and what I should expect out of myself academically and professionally in the next few years.
I'm 23 years old and I didn't realize until the age of 21 what it was that I was...
Homework Statement
You are hired as a physicist in a team of Formula 1. Your driver is driving in the
Germany Grand Prix on the Hockenheim track. After the test session taken in sunny day
you and the driver discuss about the sharpest turn on the track. He tells you that when
driving at 90...
I am a year three who suffer badly from bipolar disorder II, it damages me both school grades and communication skills (and honestly speaking, not training myself on these things, I have been only doing only what I want, not what I need, bad idea) .
nevertheless, I like nature, I spent far...
For some reason when I think of physicists I sort of imagine them to be extremely serious people, don't consume alcohol, don't party, don't go on sunny holidays ect and I know this is stupid but when I think of a physicists I kinda think of them going to bed at 2am after trying to solve some...
Hi.
I'm looking for a good "popular press" treatment of quantum theory for a bright and interested layman. Specifically, something that will explain to me Bell's Inequality in a manner that I can grok, with an emphasis on concepts and (if at all possible) a minimum of mathematics.
Can...
Recently I have been a tad depressed. Whenever I look up how to become a professor if physics I come across discouraging things. Everyone seems to say that my dream of getting a job in academia is like a dream of playing in the olympics. Unfortunately, I cannot see myself being anything but a...
Hello,
I would like to know what can do theoretical physicist who don't get a job in academia, after a phd in theoretical physics or after a postdoc for example.
I am thinking about people working in theoretical high energy physics, cosmology or things like that. If we compare the number of...
I feel my dream has been crushed. I'm a sr in high school taking physics. My first test I got a b and and my 2nd test I failed hard. I still really want to be a physicist by I'm having doubts because of that test. Any thoughts?
I am currently a sophomore majoring in physics in college. I also plan to major in math because I am very interested in theoretical physics. The math adviser that I spoke to could not give me much information on what math subjects are important for a career path in theoretical physics, so if...
Hi all.
I am a first year freshman in B.Sc Physics and i am wandering that what fields in mathematics that is required for us to become a theoretical physicist?
As i know calculus is the fundamentals of physics,right? O.o
Correct me if i am wrong. Thank you :smile:
I'm a sophomore Physics major, and I'm looking for a solid Calculus review. I've taken classes on Single and Multivariable Calculus before, but the classes didn't push that hard, and the problems in the book (Hughes-Hallett) are all a breeze. I'm looking for something that I can teach myself...
I want to become an extraordinary physicist.
(I wrote top physicist because it's easier to understand, not for competitive reasons. My goal is to contribute as much as possible to physics, not to specifically be the top physicist)
However, I find many obstructions to my goal such as having...
I'm a historian, I don't know much about physics. My boyfriend and I are coming up on our 4th anniversary and I want to get him something related to his field and meaningful. He's focused so much on school, since he just started graduate school. He's trying to get into the loop quantum gravity...
My prof gave this kind of situation:
"Radioiodine therapy has been frequently used to help treat malignancies in the thyroid gland. Assume that a patient was administered 9GBq of I-131, and 27 hours later the patient suffered a cardiac arrest and died. If you were the medical physicist of the...
Hello guys,
The time has come where I have to step out into the dog eat dog world after university to look for a job but unfortunately I have a few problems which I fear will hinder my chances..
I am an introvert...I always prefer working alone rather in groups even though I have team work...
Believe me when I say I've done my thinking and just can't call up my thoughts on why I should doubt myself but I'm sure it will come up, and better yet I'd like to hear some ideas. What's it like, how rewarding is it and why, can you find a job? How much is the average pay? How do you know if...
Hi, I am in my 3rd year and have General Relativity as one of my options.
I'm kind of feeling the peer pressure of selecting General Relativity, but putting all the hype aside, is it really necessary to learn General Relativity for an Experimental Physicist?
I have to say, maths isn't really...
Hi! I'n my quantum mechanics homework I've been asked to proved the Poisson summation formula. The mathematicians seem to use abstract and confusing notation when proving this kind of thing so I'm hoping for some help from physicists in standard notation ;)
I'm starting with a function
f(x) =...
Hey,
I came across (http://www.staff.science.uu.nl/~hooft101/theorist.html) in which Gerard 't Hooft has written a guide on becoming a good theoretical physicist and was wondering if anyone is using it, and if so d'you like it?
Hello forum!
I once read a quote from a renowned physicist but I do not rememer his name or the quote.
It was something like: if your theory disagreed with Maxwell or with experimentalists, it was their problem, but if it disagreed with 2nd thermo then you were finished.
Google aren't very...
Hi,
I am a graduate physics student and I am looking to buy a new desktop. I was wondering if anyone had any opinion on a great desktop for a theoretical physicist.
I mostly use mathematica for symbolic computations but from time to time I use C or C++ to write numerical programs. Any...
Unsure if this is the right section to post this in, but anyway...
There is a professor in my university's physics department that I have great respect for, as he is an obviously intelligent, likeable man and an accomplished physicist. However, I recently found out that he is also a catholic...
How difficult is it to acquire a job in these professions? Which would you recommend? I have discovered that the career prospects for a physicist (who works in research- astronomy, particle physics etc) are bleak but what about for an aerospace engineer?
Also, I live in the UK and yield a...
Hi friends,
I am Harsh kumar from India. I am a computer graduate, with a good sense of district Mathematics. I always want to be an theoretical physicist but i unfortunately ended with computer graduation due to my personal reasons I am physically handicap, never mind that, but as my life leads...
Hi guys,
I'm passionately curious about physics and applying it to pure mathematics, but for some reason I'm learning medical field and I'm senior high school student,
What I want to know is :
1 - Which books should I cover to become good at mathematics ?
2 - How did Albert Einstein do that...
It was about 20 years ago but since I've started studying physics independently I keep reminiscing about what my high school physics teacher taught me even though it doesn't have any utility. One thing he said was that Einstein showed his theory of SR to a physicist and the latter responded...
Hi, I will be starting college (grade 11 and 12 in the UK) in September 2012. I am very interested in Physics and Maths. I have always showed brilliance in those two subjects even in my early childhood. So I am planning to go for a Physics Master's Degree. I have a lot of family to support and I...
I know for most jobs it is recommended that you shadow someone of the profession you are interested in and I was wondering if this is possible with a physicist. Is it possible to shadow a physicist for a day in their workplace to see a first hand view of what they do in day to day life? (note: I...
My plan is to major in Physics and to minor in Computer Science. Here are the classes required for a minor in Computer Science at the college I will be attending:
http://www.unf.edu/catalog/link/MINORCCIS3/
Here is a link for course descriptions...
Hello,
I've read PF for a while now and received a lot of useful information regarding academic and career guidance, thanks to all of you. I myself am heavily interested in physics and science in general (I read Origin of Species in junior high and was absolutely thrilled) and I'm planning a...
hello all, I am a new here. I just graduated as a physicist. I know that my bachelor on physics will not give me a good job, I am thinking to go from being physicist to be a mechanical engineer. Is that easy? does anyone tried that? what courses do I have to take? and the most important, is this...
Interest in being a physicist.. what to take??
Hey I'm in a dilemma right now so I really need help. I want to study physics in the future and be able to write my own research papers. But I also want to get a settled job first to keep my options open in the future. I won't take engineering...
I'm looking for an analysis book. I was recommended Rudin but it proved too difficult for me. I've heard Lang's "Undergraduate Analysis" is a pretty good textbook. I'm an undergraduate in physics so my math backround is more limited than that of a math undergraduate.
I'm an electrical engineer student, with a big passion for physics. I've started working on Mary L Boas' Mathematical Methods in the Physical Sciences, and I'll have finished the book by the end of the summer (I'm in a coop program so I have a lot of free time in the summer to work on personal...
This question goes out to all those currently making a living doing physics.
I just finished up my junior year with a 4.0 GPA, I'm currently on my third research project, and right now it seems the default course of action is to go to grad school, get a PhD and pursue a career in Physics...
Hi Guys
I am an young professional in the finance field. I have a bright future ahead of me and currently make into 6 digit salary at 25 years old. It will increase over the next 5-15 years when evenutally it will level off likely near the salary of a Doctor if I work hard enough. Earning this...
Ok, I've known for awhile now, that I want to be a physicist however, since I've started reading online materials at a higher level, my grades have been suffering. I'm wondering if I've begun to over think things. For example studying heat we were told to "Ignore" some heat transfers taking...
Hey guys,
Im 2nd year undergrad majoring in Medical Physics and Imaging Tech.
This week we got a presentation from the graduates of my course and was told that the chance of getting into the field is very very small, specifically the hospital physicst and actually advised us to think of other...
Trouble viewing "So You Want To Be A Physicist"
Is anybody else having trouble viewing this document on Google documents? When I click on the links provided by ZapperZ in the thread (https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=240792), all I get is an error on the Google Documents page that...
What to choose: physicist, engineer, or something else??
To those who read this post, thank you first for reading this
I really need help as soon as possible. Currently I'm a freshman majoring in materials engineering. I chose that major because I thought it's a combination of chemistry and...
http://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motoramic/physicist-claims-victory-over-traffic-ticket-physics-paper-151808710.html
A physicist at the University of California San Diego used his knowledge of measuring bodies in motion to show in court why he couldn't be guilty of a ticket for failing to halt at...
What are the top traits that are important for a physicist's ability to contribute (theoretical or experimental)?
How important of a role does creativity play in theoretical physics?
Hi I'm 16 years old. I'm currently in grade 11.
I wanted to know if I could become a Physicist or Chemist with a relatively good understanding of the subjects. In physics I'm trying my best to understand it I had problems with Waves and some parts of Mechanics. I don't understand everything...
can a physicist do everything that an engineer can do or both of them are on separate boats,
I am interested in physics,electronics and in computer science.
What am I supposed to do?
I really would like to become a physicist, but the problem is I am really horrible at math. My grades are great though I have A, A, A,A, B, D and that D is in math. It makes me frustrated it is the only thing that is wrong in my life(no joke I would be fifty percent happier). I ask myself...