Article
Article
Theoretical physics
Article By:
Bethe, Hans A. Formerly, Floyd R. Newman Laboratory of Nuclear Studies, Cornell University, New York, New York. Nobelist.
Barger, Vernon D. Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin.
Last reviewed:March 2022
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.688900
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- Theoretical physics, published January 2021:Download PDF
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The description of natural phenomena in mathematical form. As a branch of physics, theoretical physics involves the construction of models and abstractions (see illustration) to both explain and predict nature. Theoretical physics fundamentally differs from experimental physics, which observes, measures, and examines natural phenomena through the designing of experiments and use of instrumentation. Theoretical physics and experimental physics are inevitably intertwined, however, because a complete understanding of nature can be obtained only by the application of both theory and experiment. See also: Experiment; Mathematics; Model theory; Physics
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