# Tags

A tag is a keyword or label that categorizes your question with other, similar questions. Using the right tags makes it easier for others to find and answer your question.

 Type to find tags:
 heat× 313 energy transferred from one system to another by thermal interaction. In contrast to work, heat is always accompanied by a transfer of entropy. Heat flow is characteristic of macroscopic objec… integration× 313 For questions about problems related to physics that involve evaluating integrals. Purely mathematical questions should be asked at math.SE. lie-algebra× 312 A vector space $\mathfrak{g}$ over some field $F$ and kitted with a bilinear, antisymmetric and Jacobi-identity-fulfilling product ("Lie Bracket" or "commutator"). In physics, most often arises as the… time-dilation× 312 higgs× 308 This higgs field breaks electroweak symmetry and provides mass to particles though a process called the higgs mechanism. The excitation of the higgs field is called a higgs boson. representation-theory× 305 The systematic study of group representations, which describe abstract groups in terms of linear transformations of vector spaces, such that group elements or their generators are represented as matri… symmetry-breaking× 299 In explicit symmetry breaking, the equations of motion of a physical system are variant under the broken symmetry; by contrast, for spontaneous symmetry breaking (SSB), these equations are invariant, … dirac-equation× 296 A fully relativistic (Lorentz covariant) description, first put forward by Paul Dirac in 1928, of the first quantized, spin one half fermion with nonzero mass. Physical notions to do with this equatio… oscillators× 295 wave-particle-duality× 295 for questions relating to the "wave-nature of particles" or the "particle-nature of waves" as they are often discussed in quantum mechanics, where a single object has properties of both c… dimensional-analysis× 292 Dimensional analysis means to obtain results by analyzing the units in question, etc. DO NOT USE THIS TAG if your question is about degrees of freedom or spatial dimensions. boundary-conditions× 292 commutator× 291 A mathematical construct quantifying the difference in effect of applying two operators in two alternate successions. It is the defining product of a Lie algebra, the efficient underlying description … tensors× 290 action× 285 the integral of the Lagrangian over time, or the integral of the Lagrangian Density over both time and space. topology× 282 In mathematics, topology examines the properties of space (such as connectedness and compactness) that are preserved under continuous deformations, such as stretching and bending, but not tearing or … spinors× 279 singularities× 279 for questions about singularities in physical quantities, i.e. cases where a quantity becomes or appears to become infinite or ill-defined. Consider the more specific tags [tag:black-hole… density× 277 defined as the mass per unit volume of a substance. observers× 277 rocket-science× 276 Colloquially referred to as one of the hardest professions, rocket science is actually a common name for spacecraft/space-systems engineering. However, one can also generalize this to include all form… event-horizon× 275 a type of boundary such that any information past this boundary is inaccessible to the observer it is defined for. Common examples are the Schwarzschild radius of a black hole (whi… free-body-diagram× 274 A pictorial device which analyzes forces present on any body with the use of vectors. Allows easier grasping of problems involving either objects at equilibrium or in motion. Can be used to predict pr… galaxies× 270 Massive systems held together by gravitational attraction, consisting of stellar associations, star systems, star clusters and types of interstellar clouds, stellar remnants, gasses, cosmic dust and a… vector-fields× 267 vector valued functions which define a vector at each point in space. Examples of the vector field include the electric field and the velocity of a fluid. stress-energy-tensor× 266 A rank-2 tensor in relativity, which expresses the flux of energy-momentum along timelike and spacelike axes. Also known as the energy-momentum tensor. In the Einstein field equations, it is the sourc… causality× 266 flow× 265 The motion of fluids (gases, liquids and granular material). noethers-theorem× 264 A theorem that relates continuous symmetries (continuous transformations that don't affect the value of the lagrangian) to quantities conserved in time. centripetal-force× 264 any force responsible for maintaining an object on a curved path around a fixed center. In introductory coursework this is usually "uniform circular motion" and yields several simple and useful relati… surface-tension× 263 Surface tension occurs due to the tendency of liquid molecules to favor their own kind. Surface tension is important in fluid multiphase systems typically at small length and velocity perturbation-theory× 260 Perturbation theory refers to methods for understanding physical systems by treating them as small modifications to exactly solvable systems. plasma-physics× 260 Theory, lab and space experiments, and calculations related the physics of [plasmas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_(physics)), i.e., matter constituted by [ionized atoms](https://en.wikipedia.o… elasticity× 259 Questions related to the Continuum Mechanics Division of Elasticity. The bending of beams, deflection of rods, or in general, applications of Hooke's Law generalized to three dimensions. cosmological-inflation× 256 Cosmological inflation refers to an era of expansion that lasted for approximately $10^{-34}$ seconds, during which the universe expanded by a factor of approximately $10^{26}$ in every direction. Thi… resonance× 255 driving a vibrating system to oscillate with greater amplitude at a specific preferential ("resonant") frequency, at which the system absorbs vibrational energy most efficiently.