Solid State Physics - What is it?

Solid state physics is exactly what the name says, it's the study of the physics (physical properties) of solids and how they emanate from properties at the atomic level.

In other words, it is about how the micro impacts the macro.

Practically speaking, solid state physics is the theoretic basis of the very practical science of Materials. Materials science has led to the development, for example, of composite materials.

Many universities are pursuing research into solid state physics. Examples include Warwick University which has a research team focusing on ssNMR (solid state nuclear magnetic resonance).

Solid state physics aside, it is extraordinarily beneficial to understand physics in general to understand:

a) how the world works
b) understand the future of science

Spectre (2015) - Big Data on the Big Screen

Set in Mexico City and Rome (including the Tiber River), Daniel Craig returns as Bond with Sam Mendes directing (following on from his direction of Skyfall). References to drones and big data threaten to obliterate the double-0 program but Bond triumphs in the end.

The film also stars former wrestler and MMA champion Dave Bautista (who will be starring in Kickboxer: Vengeance, in a remake of the 1989 kickboxing classic). In training sessions, Dave always does two to three sets of key exercises.

Obertilliach, Austria, the highest village in Lesachtal, is also featured quite prominently in Spectre. Silesians (originally from the area largely taken up by Poland) settled in the area around 1375.

Sicario (2015)

Sicario is a thriller directed by Denis Villeneuve, from Quebec. It stars Emily Blunt as FBI agent Kate Macer. It is partly set in Juarez, Mexico, in the state of Chihuahua adjacent to New Mexico and Texas in the United States. It also stars Benicio del Toro, a Puerto Rican star who plays the mysterious Alejandro. It also stars Josh Brolin who played Beck Weathers in Everest. Gross takings were $80m versus a budget of $30m.

One of the places featured in the movie is the Bridge of the Americas, a group of bridges connecting Juarez and El Paso, crossing the Rio Grande (or Rio Bravo del Norte in Spanish, Bravo meaning, among other things, furious or agitated), which forms part of the Mexico-US border.

False Trail (2011)

False Trail is a Swedish film set in Norrland, the northernmost province of Sweden.

Gobi Desert

The Gobi is Asia's largest desert. It is notable in the history of the Mongol Empire, the largest contiguous land empire in history. Many fossils have been found in the Gobi desert.

Acacia Trees

Acacia is a species of tree found in many parts of the world including Australia. Africa and South America. Subspecies include silver wattle and Sydney golden wattle.

How do Solar Cells Work? (Think Photons and Electrons)

A photovoltaic system uses solar panels to supply usable electric power.

Solar panels make use of the PHOTOVOLTAIC effect whereby photons from the sun hit the semiconducting material and liberate electrons.

Carrier generation and recombination knowledge is needed to understand properly how solar cells work. This is part of solid state physics, the largest branch of condensed matter physics.

Note: the photovoltaic effect is closely related to the photoelectric effect, whereby electrons are emitted when light is shone on a material. According to the "classical electromagnetic theory" this is due to the transfer of energy from the light to an electron.