The Map of Physics by Dominic Walliman

Physics can be defined simply as the study of matter and energy. But that simple definition covers an enormous range of topics.

There’s the classical physics you learned about in high school: It can explain how much force it takes to slide a box across the floor, how heat transfers from one object to another, or how light bends through a prism. Then there are more modern branches, such as particle physics, which seeks to understand the fundamental building blocks of the universe. And physicists are always on the lookout for new branches yet to be discovered (they need something to account for mysteries like dark energy).

All of these topics fall under the umbrella of “physics,” and it’s a lot to keep track of. So here’s some help. In this video, physicist Dominic Walliman explains how all the subdisciplines of physics are related in one animated “map” of the science.