Physics, our most powerful tool for comprehending the functioning of the universe, is inexplicably labeled as a monster according to my observations. I have witnessed how people shape their lives as far away from physics as possible worldwide. While this situation may seem tragicomic, it deeply saddens me. I believe this is why I constantly question the causes that create this situation. Through my inquiries and brainstorming sessions, I have arrived at several plausible conclusions. Therefore, I felt the need to put this into writing. Now, I am sharing my observations from the perspective of a physicist/applied physicist with you.
Although people’s introduction to physics dates back to a very early age, we can say that the first encounter in a rational manner occurs at birth. If we go a little further, we begin to feel physics in the womb after a certain number of weeks. Throughout your presence in the universe, your self becomes a part of physics, and even if you were to pass away, we cannot say that your existence has physically departed from the cosmos. From this perspective, physics becomes inevitable. So, I believe it is clear that taking an opposing stance does not make sense. For those who want to lead a pleasant life, being at peace with physics is essential, I can say that. Otherwise, it leads to a situation where we become our own enemies. But how do we become so immersed in physics? Let’s consider it with simple examples.
First and foremost, all biological and chemical processes in our bodies occur as a result of the laws of physics. It would not be wrong to say that humans are organic-element-based machines. Just as robots become complex systems where various components come together and work, machines based on electronic and mechanical systems, often composed of silicon, germanium, and metallic elements, also result from the consequences of physical laws. In this sense, it is clear that all natural sciences are based on the application of the rules of physics. This is another indicator of how much physics is within us.
Now, let’s continue with a more specific example. You are lying in bed in the morning, asleep, and you wake up to the sound of the alarm. For the alarm sound to reach your ears, vibrations transmit air pressure differences in the form of waves to your ears. This pressure fluctuation is transmitted to your eardrum, which is a piezoelectric material located in your ear. Piezoelectric materials are special materials that convert pressure differences applied to them into electrical signals. Our eardrum with this feature transmits this pressure difference to our brain as an electrical signal. The transmission path is our nervous system, which works just like conductive cables and logic gates, delivering the signal to the processing center. The brain, which processes data like a computer, quickly comprehends this alarm sound. During this process, we wake up from sleep, feeling groggy. We fill our lungs with air, which, again, opens our lungs as a result of the laws of fluid mechanics. The eyes that open during this process allow us to see our surroundings as a result of optics. Almost all of these events that will happen in less than three seconds contain the laws of physics. Now, if you generalize this for one day, you will better understand what I mean. A week, a month, a year, and a lifetime beyond that!
After these simple examples I have provided to explain why we cannot escape from physics, now the next question I ask is this: No one has a feeling of running away from physics, so when does this escape feeling arise? For almost every person, the starting point for learning about physics – which I can easily say based on my own experiences – is the period after our birth when we start experimenting through trial and error. While we progress in learning physics in this sweet experimental approach from birth to about school age, no child is disinterested in this subject. It can be said that we have a lot of knowledge about the functioning of the universe during this period, which is perhaps the most curious period for us.
Everything is going well up to this point. Unfortunately, there is an end to this as well. When we reach the age of five or six, we start to learn physics more theoretically rather than through experimental observations. We can say that this result is a bit of necessity and a bit of arbitrariness, but arbitrariness predominates. Because school lessons are generally based on intensive theoretical teaching. The point where we begin to turn physics into a monster can be said to be this point.
I have reached the end of this part of my writing, and I would be happy to inform you that there will be more to come in the future. Stay tuned for more about physics, and take care with love!
O'Conner Sycamore 