Editing Outline of physics (section)

== Branches<span class="anchor" id="Branches of physics"></span> ==
* [[Outline of astronomy|Astronomy]] – studies the universe beyond Earth, including its formation and development, and the evolution, physics, chemistry, meteorology, and motion of celestial objects (such as galaxies, planets, etc.) and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth (such as the cosmic background radiation).
** [[Astrodynamics]] – application of [[ballistics]] and celestial mechanics to the practical problems concerning the motion of [[rocket]]s and other [[spacecraft]].
** [[Astrometry]] – the branch of astronomy that involves precise measurements of the positions and movements of [[star]]s and other celestial bodies.
** [[Astrophysics]] – the study of the physical aspects of celestial objects
** [[Celestial mechanics]] – the branch of theoretical astronomy that deals with the calculation of the motions of celestial objects such as planets.
** [[Extragalactic astronomy]] – the branch of astronomy concerned with objects outside our own [[Milky Way|Milky Way Galaxy]]
** [[Galactic astronomy]] – the study of our own Milky Way galaxy and all its contents.
** [[Physical cosmology]] – the study of the largest-scale structures and dynamics of the universe and is concerned with fundamental questions about its formation and evolution.
** [[Planetary science]] – the scientific study of planets (including Earth), moons, and planetary systems, in particular those of the Solar System and the processes that form them.
** [[Astronomy#Stellar astronomy|Stellar astronomy]] – natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects (such as stars, planets, comets, nebulae, star clusters, and galaxies) and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth (such as cosmic background radiation)
* [[Atmospheric physics]] – the study of the application of physics to the atmosphere
* [[Atomic, molecular, and optical physics]] – the study of how matter and light interact
** [[Optics]] – the branch of physics which involves the behavior and properties of light, including its interactions with matter and the construction of instruments that use or detect it.
* [[Biophysics]] – interdisciplinary science that uses the methods of physics to study biological systems
** [[Neurophysics]] – branch of biophysics dealing with the nervous system.
** [[Polymer physics]] – field of physics that studies polymers, their fluctuations, mechanical properties, as well as the kinetics of reactions involving degradation and polymerization of polymers and monomers respectively.
** [[Quantum biology]] – application of [[quantum mechanics]] to biological phenomenon.
* [[Chemical physics]] – the branch of physics that studies chemical processes from physics.
* [[Computational physics]] – study and implementation of numerical algorithms to solve problems in physics for which a quantitative theory already exists.
* [[Condensed matter physics]] – the study of the physical properties of condensed [[Phase (matter)|phases of matter]].
* [[Electricity]] – the study of electrical phenomena.
* [[Electromagnetism]] – branch of science concerned with the forces that occur between electrically charged particles.
* [[Geophysics]] – the physics of the Earth and its environment in space; also the study of the Earth using quantitative physical methods
* [[Magnetism]] – the study of physical phenomena that are mediated by [[magnetic field]].
* [[Mathematical physics]] – application of mathematics to problems in physics and the development of mathematical methods for such applications and the formulation of physical theories.
* [[Mechanics]] – the branch of physics concerned with the behavior of physical bodies when subjected to forces or displacements, and the subsequent effects of the bodies on their environment.
** [[Aerodynamics]] – study of the motion of [[air]].  
** [[Biomechanics]] – the study of the structure and function of biological systems such as humans, animals, plants, organs, and cells using the methods of mechanics.
** [[Classical mechanics]] – one of the two major sub-fields of mechanics, which is concerned with the set of physical laws describing the motion of bodies under the action of a system of forces.
*** [[Kinematics]] &ndash; branch of [[classical mechanics]] that describes the [[motion (physics)|motion]] of points, bodies (objects) and systems of bodies (groups of objects) without consideration of the causes of motion.<ref name="Whittaker">
{{cite book |title=[[A Treatise on the Analytical Dynamics of Particles and Rigid Bodies]] |author=Edmund Taylor Whittaker|author-link=E. T. Whittaker |year=1904 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-35883-5}}</ref><ref name=Beggs>{{cite book |title=Kinematics |author=Joseph Stiles Beggs |page=1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y6iJ1NIYSmgC&q=kinematics |isbn=978-0-89116-355-8 |year=1983 |publisher=Taylor & Francis}}</ref><ref name=Wright>{{cite book |title=Elements of Mechanics Including Kinematics, Kinetics and Statics|author=Thomas Wallace Wright |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-LwLAAAAYAAJ&q=mechanics+kinetics |at=Chapter 1 |year=1896 |publisher=E and FN Spon}}</ref>
**** [[Homeokinetics]] – the physics of complex, self-organizing systems
** [[Continuum mechanics]] – the branch of mechanics that deals with the analysis of the kinematics and the mechanical behavior of materials modeled as a continuous mass rather than as discrete particles.
** [[dynamics (mechanics)|Dynamics]] – the study of the causes of motion and changes in motion
** [[Fluid mechanics]] – the study of fluids and the forces on them.
*** [[Fluid statics]] &ndash; study of fluids at rest
*** [[Fluid kinematics]] &ndash; study of fluids in motion
*** [[Fluid dynamics]] &ndash; study of the effect of forces on fluid motion
** [[Statics]] – the branch of mechanics concerned with the analysis of loads (force, torque/moment) on physical systems in static equilibrium, that is, in a state where the relative positions of subsystems do not vary over time, or where components and structures are at a constant velocity.
* [[Medical Physics]] &ndash; the branch of physics that deals with the application of physics in medicine – such as imaging exams ([[Nuclear magnetic resonance|NMR]], [[Positron emission tomography|PET scans]], and so on), [[Radiation therapy|radiotherapy]] and [[nuclear medicine]].
* [[Statistical mechanics]] – the branch of physics which studies any physical system that has a large number of degrees of freedom.
* [[Thermodynamics]] – the branch of physical science concerned with heat and its relation to other forms of energy and work.
* [[Nuclear physics]] – field of physics that studies the building blocks and interactions of atomic nuclei.
* [[Particle physics]] – the branch of physics that studies the properties and interactions of the fundamental constituents of matter and energy.
* [[Psychophysics]] – quantitatively investigates the relationship between physical stimuli and the sensations and perceptions they affect.
* [[Plasma physics]] – the study of plasma, a state of matter similar to gas in which a certain portion of the particles are ionized.
* [[Quantum physics]] – branch of physics dealing with physical phenomena where the action is on the order of the Planck constant.
** [[Quantum field theory]] – the application of quantum theory to the study of fields (systems with infinite degrees of freedom).
** [[Quantum information|Quantum information theory]] – the study of the information-processing capabilities afforded by quantum mechanics.
** [[Quantum foundations]] – the discipline focusing in understanding the counterintuitive aspects of the theory, including trying to find physical principles underlying them, and proposing generalisations of quantum theory.
* [[Quantum gravity]] – the search for an account of gravitation fully compatible with quantum theory.
* [[Theory of relativity|Relativity]] – theory of physics which describes the relationship between space and time.
** [[General Relativity]] – a geometric, non-quantum theory of gravitation.
** [[Special Relativity]] – a theory that describes the propagation of matter and light at high speeds.
*'''Other'''
** [[Agrophysics]] – the study of physics applied to [[agroecosystems]]
*** [[Soil physics]] – the study of soil physical properties and processes.
** [[Cryogenics]] – cryogenics is the study of the production of very low temperature (below −150&nbsp;°C, −238&nbsp;°F or 123&nbsp;K) and the behavior of materials at those temperatures.
** [[Econophysics]] – interdisciplinary research field, applying theories and methods originally developed by physicists to solve problems in economics
** [[Materials physics]] – use of physics to describe materials in many different ways such as force, heat, light, and mechanics.
** [[Vehicle dynamics]] – dynamics of vehicles, here assumed to be ground vehicles.
* [[Philosophy of physics]] – deals with conceptual and interpretational issues in modern physics, many of which overlap with research done by certain kinds of theoretical physicists.