When you think about science, many things might come to
mind. Maybe you think about the space shuttle blasting off, or maybe you
think about someone in a lab coat mixing chemicals. You might think of a
famous scientist like Einstein or Darwin. But what is science and how do
we explain science to kids?
Science tries to understand the nature of basic things such
as motion, forces, energy, matter, heat, sound, and light. Because these
are found throughout the universe, physicists study a wide range of things.
Black holes, atoms, engines, elevators, all obey the laws of physics. You
might find a physicist smashing atomic particles together to find out how
the universe began, or you might find a physicist orbiting the earth as
an astronaut. Physicists also work in hospitals designing new instruments
or scanning techniques. Some physicists create smaller, faster electronics
for the next generation of computers.