Physics (from the
Ancient Greek φύσις
physis meaning "
nature") is the fundamental branch of
science that developed out of the study of nature and
philosophy known, until around the end of the 19th century, as "
natural philosophy". Today, physics is ultimately defined as the study of
matter,
energy and the relationships between them. Physics is, in some senses, the oldest and most basic pure science; its discoveries find applications throughout the
natural sciences, since matter and energy are the basic constituents of the natural world. The other sciences are generally more limited in their scope and may be considered branches that have split off from physics to become sciences in their own right. Physics today may be divided loosely into
classical physics and
modern physics.