A number of rationalists, mathematicians, and physicists have studied the relationship between math and material science. More so now that historians and educators have started conducting additional in-depth research on this subject. However, math by itself is not a physical science.1 Language is the means by which we express our thoughts. But the fundamental consideration is part of the notion we need to articulate. It was only as knowledge grew and specialization became necessary that the four disciplines became specialized. For many years, chemistry, physics, and biology were grouped together under the umbrella of natural philosophy.2

The need to read the papers in dynamics, statics, and fluids is sometimes questioned by students seeking their bachelor’s and master’s degrees in math. In a similar vein, students majoring in physics must study mathematical physics, which necessitates the study of differential equations and modern algebra. The straightforward response to this frequently asked question is that math is interdisciplinary and is used to identify issues and solve numerical problems in physical science. Physical science involves math in all circumstances and is dependent on theory and numbers for reading and study. Physical science relies on tests, hypotheses, and numbers.1 

Physics and math are two subjects that are intertwined. Math is a tool that physicists use to find answers to questions. For instance, Newton created calculus to describe motion. Mathematicians can draw inspiration from theories like general relativity and quantum theory in physics to create new mathematical techniques. Imagine a world in which we understand gravity but not its acceleration. The only way to comprehend the mathematical foundations of physics is through math, so math is the key to understanding physics. Without math, physics is just philosophy.2

Atoms

Despite their close ties, math and physics use different approaches. Physics includes the study of both the large and small, from galaxies and planets to atoms and particles, as it is the systematic study of how matter behaves. New theories regarding the nature of the cosmos are either supported or disproved using combinations of theories, experiments, models, and observations. Math, on the other hand, focuses on abstract concepts like quantity, structure, and space. By utilizing only pure logic and mathematical reasoning, mathematicians search for patterns and create new concepts and theories. Mathematicians rely on proofs rather than experiments or observations to back up their theories.2

One point of view is brought to the discipline by mathematicians and their emphasis on thorough, meticulous proofs, and another is brought by physicists with their preference for intuitive understanding. That is what makes this connection so fulfilling.3

Over the centuries, physics and math have been intertwined and have grown tangled with advances in both fields, like a complex tapestry. There are countless situations in which a well-placed set of calculational tools could be useful to physicists or where a challenging concept from physics could motivate mathematicians to develop entirely new mathematical objects or theories.3

Now that you know how math and physics share a connection, you can move on and check out other related articles at BYJU’S FutureSchool Blog.

References:

  1. Relationship Between Mathematics and Physics. (n.d.). Retrieved July 20, 2022, from https://mathdart.com/relationship-between-mathematics-and-physics/ 
  2. Where math meets physics | Penn Today. (n.d.). Retrieved July 20, 2022, from https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/where-math-meets-physics 
  3. The coevolution of physics and math | symmetry magazine. (n.d.). Retrieved July 20, 2022, from https://www.symmetrymagazine.org/article/the-coevolution-of-physics-and-math 
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