Reorganizing the Physics forum

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

At the moment, the Physics forum isn't very well-organized. For example, where do I go to post a question about electromagnetism? It doesn't belong in "classical physics," because that forum says it's about "facets of mechanics," but electromagnetism isn't exactly "modern and theoretical physics" either.

 

Is there a better organizational strategy that would improve the Physics section?

[Sisyphus]

How about just changing classical physics to classical mechanics, and adding electromagnetism?

 

BTW, physicsforums has:

General Physics

Classical Physics (Mechanics, Electrodynamics, & Thermodynamics)

Quantum Physics (Quantum Mechanics & Field Theory)

Special & General Relativity (Exp. & theo. topics in theories of relativity)

Atomic, Solid State, Comp. Physics (Exp. & theo. methods for atoms, molecules, condensed matter)

High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics (Exp. & theo. physics of nuclei & elementary particles)

Beyond the Standard Model (Professionally researched theories... strings, branes, & LQG)

 

With a separate category with general astronomy, astrophysics, and cosmology

Edited April 5, 2010 by Sisyphus

[swansont]

I agree that classical's description should be expanded to include E&M, and also thermodynamics. Condensed matter and particle/high energy physics don't seem to have well-defined homes.

[Sisyphus]

How distinct is "particle physics" from "quantum physics?" (Not a rhetorical question.)

[swansont]

How distinct is "particle physics" from "quantum physics?" (Not a rhetorical question.)

 

Quantum physics really encompasses a lot and isn't particularly descriptive. Anything that is done these days is basically either classical, relativity, or quantum physics. Atomic physics is quantum physics. Scattering is quantum physics. Feynman path integrals are quantum physics. Superconductors are quantum physics.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

So if we make Classical Physics also encompass E&M, what other changes do we have to make to reorganize?

[swansont]

Make classical encompass E&M and thermodynamics. Anything predating 1905 that still holds true.

 

Post-1905 encompasses relativity, QM, and all of the advances that they allowed. We already have a section for relativity. Then you want somewhere to put atomic physics, nuclear/particle/high energy physics (and they don't all necessarily go together, but that's a discussion for another time and place), solid state and condensed matter physics. And keep a separate area for basic quantum mechanics questions about wave functions and the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, etc. And a catch-all for anything not covered by these. IOW, physicsforums has it pretty much right.

[D H]

I would suggest splitting classical into mechanics and E&M. For one thing, classical mechanics and E&M don't quite jibe. The same kind of tension that exists today between relativity and quantum mechanics existed more than 100 years ago between classical mechanics and classical electromagnetism. The two were irreconcilable. It is important to remember that the Michelson-Morley experiment was an attempt by classical mechanists to falsify Maxwell's equations.

[ewmon]

Perhaps consider existing knowledge classification systems for ideas. What systems/categories do other countries use?

 

Dewey Decimal System:

530 Physics

_ 531 Solid mechanics

_ 532 Fluid mechanics

_ 533 Gas mechanics

_ 534 Sound

_ 535 Light

_ 536 Heat

_ 537 Electricity

_ 538 Magnetism

_ 539 Modern physics

 

Library of Congress:

QC1-999 Physics

_ QC1-75 General

_ QC81-114 Weights and measures

_ QC120-168.85 Descriptive and experimental mechanics

_ QC170-197 Atomic physics. Constitution and properties of matter -- Including molecular physics, relativity, quantum theory, and

solid state physics

_ QC221-246 Acoustics. Sound

_ QC251-338.5 Heat

_ _ QC310.15-319 Thermodynamics

_ QC350-467 Optics. Light

_ _ QC450-467 Spectroscopy

_ QC474-496.9 Radiation physics (General)

_ QC501-766 Electricity and magnetism

_ _ QC501-(721) Electricity

_ _ _ QC669-675.8 Electromagnetic theory

_ _ _ QC676-678.6 Radio waves (Theory)

_ _ _ QC701-715.4 Electric discharge

_ _ _ QC717.6-718.8 Plasma physics. Ionized gases

_ _ QC750-766 Magnetism

_ QC770-798 Nuclear and particle physics. Atomic energy. Radioactivity

_ _ QC793-793.5 Elementary particle physics

_ _ QC794.95-798 Radioactivity and radioactive substances

_ QC801-809 Geophysics. Cosmic physics

_ QC811-849 Geomagnetism

_ QC851-999 Meteorology. Climatology -- Including the earth’s atmosphere

_ _ QC974.5-976 Meteorological optics

_ _ QC980-999 Climatology and weather

_ _ _ QC994.95-999 Weather forecasting

[swansont]

I think the organizational purpose here is answering the questions of "Where should I post this?" and "Where would I find posts on this?" I think having too many sections is going to be a bit of a nightmare if the people posting don't have an appreciation for the differences between them.

[Farsight]

I'd like electrodynamics to be in with quantum mechanics and quantum electrodynamics rather than classical mechanics.

[D H]

Classical E&M, as embodied by Maxwell's equations, is not quantum mechanics, Farsight.

[Amr Morsi]

I think that changing the definition of "Classical Phyics", which is now: "Vector forces, gravity, acceleration, and other facets of mechanics.", to include EM. The name is "Classical Physics" not "Classical Mechanics".

 

May be these definitions are to be written in the first page.

 

"Physics" Section also contains general threads. So, the classification is good and involves all types of physics.

[Bob_for_short]

I like the organization in http://www.physicsforums.com/.