Physics is the study of matter and energy. Students learn the laws that govern matter and energy. They learn how to test these laws and apply them to everyday situations. They may also study physics at the molecular level or apply mathematical theories and models that describe the laws of physics.

You can find the rules of physics in action in the wildest places. The best example is the roller coaster. The law of gravity brings the car flying to the bottom of the hill. Centrifugal force keeps you in your seat when you go into a loop. Even electromagnetism is used to bring the car to a gentle stop. Physics makes the ride both safe and exciting.

In the study of physics, you learn to design and perform experiments. Based on your observations and analysis, you try to explain physical events. You learn how to use sophisticated tools such as lasers, and instruments such as mass spectrometers to help measure small particles. You also learn about how light and light energy interact with materials, devices, and components. You also learn about thermodynamics or how temperatures change things. In addition, you study about motion or kinetics.

You can apply this knowledge to make discoveries and solve problems in many areas, including nuclear energy, electronics, communication, aerospace, and medical instrumentation. Physics overlaps into other sciences such as chemistry, biology, geology, mathematics, and engineering. You can apply what you learn in physics to further our understanding of the world around us.

Some community colleges offer a two-year program in physics. This program may prepare you to work as a lab technician. Many colleges offer a bachelor's degree in physics. This takes four years of full-time study beyond high school. A bachelor's degree may prepare you for an entry-level position as a technician in engineering-related industries.

Most people employed as physicists have a Ph.D. In some settings, a master's degree may be sufficient. It takes about six years beyond high school to complete a master's degree program. A Ph.D. in physics takes at least two to three more years. More than 200 universities offer a master's degree, and about 180 offer the doctorate.

Most graduate students in physics concentrate on a particular subfield of physics. Some of these include:

• Acoustics
• Atomic and Molecular Physics
• Elementary Particle Physics
• Nuclear Physics
• Physics of Condensed Matter (solid-state physics)
• Physics of Fluids
• Plasma Physics
• Optics

Some even specialize in subdivisions of these subfields. For instance, within the field of condensed matter, you can concentrate in:

• Crystallography
• Semiconductors
• Superconductivity