Module 6 unit 1

Physics

Over the last 50 years our knowledge about elementary particles and their interactions has advanced tremendously. Actually, a whole ‘zoo’ of new particles has been detected, some of which are extremely short-lived.The development of new particle accelerators operating at much higher energies was a crucial factor in the rapid advances in particle physics.Theoretical physicists have made substantial progress in uncovering the principles governing their interaction. Another breakthrough was the experimental demonstration of the existence of antimatter.

Moreover 20^th century physics has had a tremendous technological impact. The development of the atomic bomb, and as a consequence the increased knowledge of nuclear physics led to developing reactors to produce electric energy.

Giant steps in research in electron optics led to the development of instruments such as high resolution electron microscope, the scanning tunneling microscope, etc. that allow single atoms to be studied and manipulated. A new area of technology was born.

In the 1980s, spectacular advances were made in the production of ceramic materials that exhibit superconductivity at much higher.

Lasers have proved to have innumerable technological applications. These include a host of different measuring instruments such as detectors for air pollution, high-speed photography, new mass storage devices for computers (CD-ROMs), surgical instruments of various kinds, and even methods to trap and cool atoms, to name just a few.

Perhaps the most pervasive scientific innovation in the last 50 years was research on semiconductors.

Microprocessors had an enormous impact on electrical engineering. Their astounding efficiency and small size gave rise to a host of applications in the most diverse fields. Although computer design had started earlier this century, the extremely rapid development of ever faster computers with vastly expanded memory became possible with the advent of transistors integrated in microprocessors. Virtually all of today’s computing and communication devices are based on this technology.

Another development stemming from semiconductor research was the invention of photo-voltaic cells which can convert light into electric energy. They bring the promise that some day much of our energy needs will be supplied directly by the sun without producing significant pollution.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14