Built on Facts

In every branch of knowledge the progress is proportional to the amount of facts on which to build, and therefore to the facility of obtaining data.

- James Clerk Maxwell

Maxwell was of course one of the greatest physicists who ever lived.  Best known for formulating the classical theory of electromagnetism, he also contributed enormously to our understanding of thermodynamics.  This particular quote (which inspires the site name) describes in succinct detail just what physics is.  At its heart, physics and indeed all science is about data.  Everything else - hypothesis, theory, recognized authority and wild conjecture - stands or falls based on the observed facts.  This absolute reliance on data has made science the vast and successful enterprise that it is today.

Over the course of this blog, we’ll do everything from talk about physical principles to solving textbook problems to discussing current areas of experiment and theory.  It’s my hope that in some way I’ll be able to contribute a bit to providing an interesting and fun diversion for those on the internet who also share a deep fondness for physics, the central science.