Vocabulary, Conventions and Alternative Representations

The vocabulary, conventions and alternative representations of the findings of the Physics subject make it an individual as well as a collective enterprise. When we try to understand the workings of the nature and its secret, the tools used for this purpose are also devised us. This article tries to gain further insight on this topic.

Vocabulary, Conventions and Alternative Representations:

·        Vocabulary is an umbrella term used to represent all the terminology used in the subject specifically.

·        Names of the physical quantities, their technical and operational definitions, units and dimensions and different concepts form its parts.

·        Conventions are the set of general rules followed all across the different branches of the study.

·        Ex: While some physical quantities have a natural sense of direction, other quantities are ascribed their direction for logical consistency. The natural direction is gravity is downwards. But, the direction of torque is upwards and perpendicular the plane containing force and radius vectors when their rotation is anti-clockwise.

·        Some conventions are made and followed unquestionably and become norms over a period of time. Ex: The test charge is always positive in nature.

·        Facts and findings in Physics can be represented in words, mathematical equations, pictures and tables.

·        Each of these representations is either used collectively with others or used strategically but with the sole purpose of knowing more about the physical system.

·        The analysis of the problem using one representation compliments other representation and takes the process of study forward.

·        Sometimes, the choice of a particular representation over another is a matter of convenience.