PHYSICS

Physics today is the study of matter and energy in all their forms. This entails physics studies all the forms of matter and all the forms of energy. The different forms of matter and different forms of energy are both topics of another time. Another science that studies matter is chemistry. What is therefore the difference between physics and chemistry? What physics studies in matter is not the composition like chemistry does.

If chemistry tells you that air is made up of carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen etc, physics will be more interested with how air travels as wind. It can hence be said that physics is not interested in the atomic and molecular structure of matter but finds interest in the way matter works. That is what brings the concept of energy.

Like, who is a magician without powers?

Nonetheless, physics is highly affiliated to chemistry and mathematics, more so to mathematics. As a matter of fact a good physicist is naturally a mathematics ‘buff’, rest assured.

How is physics studied?

Physics is a pure science and hence unlike other sciences like mathematics, it is not studied at the basic levels of education. Generally it starts off in secondary school. This is to allow the student develop a certain level of understanding as far as the physical world is concerned. This helps a lot in the comprehension of physics. Even at that, the study of physics does not begin with teaching learners how to build the IRONMAN suit. A gradual syllabus is used from JUNIOR SECONDARY through every progressive classroom.

At the beginning in most countries like Cameroon, everyone gets to study the basics of physics.

In Nigeria, with the 9-3-4 educational system according to infoguidenigeria.com a good number of Nigerians leave junior secondary (JSS) without encountering this subject or at best just one of the pure sciences.

You can also read about Education in Cameroon here:

Nevertheless, by the time students in all the variants of educational systems in the world get a degree in Physics, they are roughly at the same level of know-how. It is worth reminding that going for physics should equally mean you love mathematics. If not, you might face a tough resistance.

Of what use is the study of physics?

As a student, you should always walk and work towards a career. So, if physics is what you have chosen to study, here is a list (not exhaustive) of the various careers related to physics. The study of physics helps prone ones carefulness and problem solving capacity. With these qualities put together and of course the core matter of the subject itself, anyone with a degree in physics could function in;