h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I loved Maths at school.

It was my best subject. So much so that at A level I did Maths, Further Maths and Physics.

I was good at English Language too but didn't really care for it.

2/3

Chemistry interfaces with all sciences? Well, doesn't physics? Physics basically constitues all natural sciences... the others are just specialized ways of looking at physical systems that are too complex for normal physics.

Not as well as chemistry. Take, for example, Biology. All matter is made up of atoms (which may link together to form molecules). Hence the behaviour of teeth, the strength of bones, muscle action, cell reproduction etc etc etc are all understood in terms of chemistry, rather than physics. i.e. chemical (and therefore biochemical) reactions are due to interactions of atoms at the electronic level. (Chemistry has beeen defined as 'the study of the behaviour of the electron') Physics, in my view, when it is dealing with atoms, is working at the sub-nuclear level. This would be unrecognisable and irrelevant to most biologists. (However, I agree, the biologist will use physical techniqques for studying his sytems - for example spectroscopic techniques. For example Scanning Probe Microscopy is being used to study nucleic acids at the atomic level, and antibody-antigen interactions.

Well in my view, physics deals with matter on all levels. Maybe I just haven't had enough experiance yet.

Yes , well it does. of course. It's just that the biologist, f'instance doesn';t notice it most of the time.

True, I see your point. You win .

Have a consolation