The focus of this guide is on software designed for use in physics, the science that studies the structure of matter and the interactions between the fundamental constituents of the observable universe.
One of the natural sciences, Physics is studies matter, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related properties of energy and force. The broad goal of physics is to learn how the universe behaves.
The two main branches of physics are classical physics and modern physics. Others include acoustics, astrophysics, atomic physics, biophysics, geophysics, mechanics, optics, and thermodynamics. Like many other branches of science, there may be significant overlapping.
Classical physics is largely concerned with the laws of motion and gravitation that were outlined by Sir Isaac Newton and James Clark Maxwell's kinetic theory and thermodynamics, respectively. This branch of physics deals with matter and energy, mostly.
Modern physics is occupied with the theory of relativity and quantum mechanics, with Albert Einstein and Max Plank viewed as the pioneers of modern physics.
Acoustics is the branch of physics that studies the production, transmission, reception, and control of sound.
Astrophysics is more commonly considered a branch of astronomy as of physics. It is concerned with the study of the universe.
Atomic physics deals with the composition of the atom apart from the nucleus, and particularly the arrangement and behavior of electrons in the shells around the nucleus. Atomic physics study electrons, ions, and neutral atoms.
Biophysics is the study of biological phenomena and problems, using the principles of techniques of physics. Obviously, there is significant overlap with the field of biology and, indeed, biophysics is more often considered a field of biology.
Geophysics involves the study of the Earth, and particularly its shape, structure, and composition, although gravitational force, magnetic fields, earthquakes, magma, and other subjects are included.
Mechanics is the branch of physics that deals with the motion of material objects under the influence of forces. There are two main sub-branches: classical mechanics and quantum mechanics.
Optics involves the study of electromagnetic radiation, such as light and infrared radiation, and its interactions with matter, as well as the instruments used to gather information brought about through these interactions.
Thermodynamics, is the study of heat and temperature, as well as their relation to energy and work.
The focus of this category is not on the science of physics, but on the software that is used by physicists or others in the various fields of physics. Software designed to aid in teaching a physics course would be more appropriately listed in the Education & Training section of the Software category.
Recommended Resources
Created by Algoryx, AGX Dynamics is a professional multi-purpose physics engine for simulators, virtual reality, engineering, large-scale granular simulations, and other applications. Its features are listed, along with examples of some of its uses, with specific features for each, video, and screenshots. Other information includes customer testimonials, and an overview of the FMI standard, used to allow different simulation tools to be used together.
https://www.algoryx.se/products/agx-dynamics/
Founded in 1975, Astro-Physics offers a line of precision telescopes, mountings, and accessories for advanced amateur astronomists. Also offered are software and software updates for use in astronomy, such as the Astro-Physics Command Center, available in standard or professional versions, ATM Optical Design and Analysis Software, and AtmosFRINGE, each of which are described and made available for purchase online.
https://astro-physics.com/software/
A general-Purpose platform software for modeling engineering applications, COMSOL Multiphysics is available for Linux, macOS, and Windows systems. The core package can be used as a standalone application, or its functions can be extended through add-on modules for simulating designs and processes based on several variables. The products available are COMSOL Multiphysics, COMSOL Server, and COMSOL Compiler, and several optional modules.
https://www.comsol.com/
Developed by CSC-IT Center for Science, Elmer is an open-source (GNU General Public License) multiphysyical simulation software that includes physical models of fluid dynamics, structural mechanics, electromagnetics, heat transfer, and acoustics, described by partial differential equations solved through the Finite Element Method. The software may be freely downloaded from the site, which includes documentation, white papers, and application examples.
https://www.csc.fi/web/elmer
Multiphysics Object-Oriented Simulation Environment
Developed by Idaho National Laboratory, MOOSE is an object-oriented C++ finite element framework for developing tightly coupled multi-physics solvers. Available as open-source (GNU Lesser General Public License), the software works on Linux, Mac, and Windows, and includes a plug-in infrastructure that simplifies definitions of physics, material properties, and post-processing, and a set of physics modules.
https://mooseframework.org/
Open Physics Abstraction Layer
OPAL is an open-source (Lesser GNU General Public License and BSD License) real-time physics engine API, similar to PAL, designed to provide a high-level interface for low-level physics engines used in games, robotics simulations, and other 3D applications. Its features are listed, along with development news, acknowledgment of developers, a gallery of user projects, documentation, and a user support forum.
http://opal.sourceforge.net/
