In the last few episodes, we explored several topics about computers — binary representation, information, and internet safety. Now, it’s time to shift gears and look at something more fundamental: the physics that underlies it all.
This episode is inspired from the book Ghost in the Atom, edited by P. C. W. Davies and J.R. Brown, a must read if you are curious about mysteries of quantum physics. You can get it here (in India) or here (in Germany).
The Grand Assumption of Physics
Physics begins with one grand assumption: nature follows fundamental laws. Everything that happens in the universe — from the motion of planets to the vibration of atoms — obeys a consistent framework of rules.
If that’s true, our task as physicists is clear:
Discover what those laws are.
Use them to predict how systems behave.
Prediction is at the heart of physics. But “predicting how systems behave” is a very broad goal. A good place to start is by focusing on one particular aspect — motion.
Why Motion Matters
At first glance, studying motion may seem narrow. After all, understanding “how things move” sounds simpler than understanding their complete behavior. But motion is surprisingly central:
Heat arises from the motion of atoms.
Electric current is caused by moving electrons.
Sound and light are waves — organized patterns of motion.
So, when we study motion, we’re not just learning about moving objects. We’re uncovering the principles that govern almost every physical phenomenon.
