Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. Physics is one of the most fundamental scientific disciplines, with its main goal being to understand how the universe behaves. It encompasses a wide range of phenomena, from the subatomic particles that make up all matter (quantum mechanics) to the evolution of the entire universe (cosmology).
The term 'physics' comes from the Ancient Greek 'physikos', meaning 'natural' or 'of nature'. Physics is one of the oldest academic disciplines, possibly the oldest through its inclusion of astronomy. Over the last two millennia, physics was a part of natural philosophy along with chemistry, biology, and certain branches of mathematics, but during the Scientific Revolution in the 17th century, the natural sciences emerged as unique research programs in their own right.
Physics has driven the development of many technologies that transform modern society. Advances in the understanding of electromagnetism, solid-state physics, and nuclear physics led directly to the development of new products that have dramatically transformed modern-day society, such as television, computers, domestic appliances, and nuclear weapons; advances in thermodynamics led to the development of industrialization; and advances in mechanics inspired the development of calculus.