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Concept
Classical physics
Summary
Classical physics is a group of physics theories that predate modern, more complete, or more widely applicable theories. If a currently accepted theory is considered to be modern, and its introduction represented a major paradigm shift, then the previous theories, or new theories based on the older paradigm, will often be referred to as belonging to the area of "classical physics".
As such, the definition of a classical theory depends on context. Classical physical concepts are often used when modern theories are unnecessarily complex for a particular situation. Most often, classical physics refers to pre-1900 physics, while modern physics refers to post-1900 physics, which incorporates elements of quantum mechanics and relativity.
Classical theory has at least two distinct meanings in physics. In the context of quantum mechanics, classical theory refers to theories of physics that do not use the quantisation paradigm, which includes classical mechanics and relativity. Likewise, classical field theories, such as general relativity and classical electromagnetism, are those that do not use quantum mechanics. In the context of general and special relativity, classical theories are those that obey Galilean relativity.
Depending on point of view, among the branches of theory sometimes included in classical physics are variably:
Classical mechanics
Newton's laws of motion
Classical Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalisms
Classical electrodynamics (Maxwell's Equations)
Classical thermodynamics
Special relativity and general relativity
Classical chaos theory and nonlinear dynamics
In contrast to classical physics, "modern physics" is a slightly looser term that may refer to just quantum physics or to 20th- and 21st-century physics in general. Modern physics includes quantum theory and relativity, when applicable.
A physical system can be described by classical physics when it satisfies conditions such that the laws of classical physics are approximately valid.
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