When we hear about science, we instantly think of some high-end theories like quantum physics, the theory of relativity, etc. We always think of science as something that needs a really high IQ to understand and is out of our everyday life, but little do we know that science is there in our everyday life. It influences everything around us, whether we wake up with an alarm or go to our offices/colleges by car or bus; we switch on electricity with just a click when needed, and a lift comes to us with a single press. Whatever we do is influenced by science. So, in this blog, we will be coming across some of the science theories that are influencing our day-to-day lives. We will read about a total of 5 theories in this blog that are easy to remember and are always around us.
Let’s see what science looks like in our daily life:
Newton’s Laws of Motion:
Newton’s Laws of motion are a widely accepted theory in science that is applicable in our daily lives without us even noticing. When we try to push something off the floor or we have to stop a rolling ball or even if we are walking, we are unknowingly applying Newton’s Laws of Motion. Let us see what the three laws of motion are and how we are using them.
First Law of Motion or Law of Inertia: It states that “An object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by an external force.”
In simple terms, an object will remain still or in motion unless any external force is acted upon it, such as when a moving car stops, and you fall forward since your body is still in the motion.
Second Law of Motion: It states that “the acceleration of an object depends on the mass of the object and the force applied.”
Suppose you have to kick a rolling ball that came near you; it would be easy, right? But when you need to push a car, it becomes a challenge. Hence, we know that the mass of any object affects its acceleration.
Third Law of Motion: Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.
Simply put, for every action applied, there is always a reaction received, such as walking. The simple real-life application for the third law of motion is walking. You exert a force on the ground for moving forward, and in turn, the ground applies the same force on you that helps you in moving. Another example is a rocket launch. Rocket applies a force through hot gases, then the gases push the rocket back.
Theory of Gravity:
All of us have heard of or read about Gravity at some point. Gravity is a force that attracts objects towards each other and is affected by mass; the greater the mass, the greater the force of attraction. The Law of Gravity was also formulated by Sir Isaac Newton.
F = (G m1 m2) / d^2
Where:
- F = Gravitational Force
- G = Gravitational Constant (6.674 × 10⁻¹¹ Nm²/kg²)
- m₁ & m₂ = Masses of two objects
- r = Distance between them
Gravity is applicable to us all the time. When we try to jump, we come towards land through gravity. When we drop a ball, even satellites are held by gravity. Everything is held together on Earth through gravity.
Thermodynamics:
Thermodynamics is the study of heat and energy. Thermodynamics explains the movement of heat and energy through one system (a part in which study is being conducted) to another and its effects. There are four laws of thermodynamics:
Zeroth law of thermodynamics:
The zeroth law states that if two thermodynamic systems are in thermal equilibrium with the third system, then the two thermodynamic systems will also be in thermal equilibrium.
We see the application of the zeroth law in our day-to-day life. Think of having a cup of tea. When a cup of tea is placed in a temperature of 30 degrees, the tea will also obtain the same temperature slowly.
First Law of Thermodynamics:
The first law of thermodynamics states that energy can neither be created nor be destroyed. It can only be converted from one form to another.
In daily life, we see motor cars, which are run by fuels. When the engine is started, chemical energy (fuel) is converted into heat energy that is again converted into mechanical energy that helps the vehicle move.
Second Law: Entropy & Heat Flow:
The second law states that heat always moves from hotter objects to colder ones.
In summer, you start to sweat because of temperature differences. When your body is surrounded by heat, it releases sweat through small pores on your body, which then evaporates, taking heat from your body and helping to cool you down.
Third Law of Thermodynamics: Absolute Zero:
The third law of thermodynamics states that the entropy (degree of disorder or randomness) of a closed system at thermodynamic equilibrium approaches a constant value when its temperature approaches absolute zero.
In simple terms, the coldest possible temperature is absolute zero, at which molecules stop moving.
If said about a real-life example, we can refer to the freezing of water as water molecules stop moving at zero temperature and form a molecular structure called a crystal lattice.
The Doppler Effect:
The Doppler Effect is the change in frequency or wavelength of a wave when the source and observer are moving relative to each other. In other words, if the observer is moving towards the source, the waves compress, and waves stretch if the observer is moving away from the source.
The most common real-life example of the Doppler effect is a moving vehicle with a siren. When the vehicle moves toward you, the sound increases, which indicates compression in sound waves, and when it moves away from you, the sound decreases, which is the result of the stretch in sound waves.
Buoyancy:
Buoyancy is the upward force exerted by a fluid (liquid or gas) on an object placed in it. A body experiences buoyancy equal to its weight.
When an object is immersed in water, it displaces some water depending on its weight. The main factor to be remembered in buoyancy is that the weight of water that is displaced with the object should be greater than the object to not sink. Buoyancy acts opposite to gravity. As liquid applies an equal force on the object placed on it, it helps the object to float.
Ships are created with heavy metals, but still they manage to float due to their water displacement by hull. The shape is designed in a particular way to help displace more water than the weight of the ship. But then, how do submarines sink?
Submarines contain ballast tanks that are used to float or sink. When the submarine has to sink, the ballast is filled with water that increases the weight of the submarine, and when they have to float, water is pumped out from the water.
