James Reimer, age 10, of St. James, Manitoba, Canada, for his question:

What exactly do they mean by atomic physics?

Physics is the science of matter and energy. If you think about it, you will see that this topic pokes a finger into just about everything in the world. Ail solids, liquids and gases are made of matter. If you tried to list all the different kinds of energy, you would be kept busy for years. The list would include such items as tripping over a stone, boiling a kettle of water, combing your hair and even writing to Andy. And the science of physics is not satisfied until it understands all the rules and regulations, all the laws that matter and energy must obey.

Atoms, of course, are the tiny particles of matter from which all solid, liquid and gaseous. materials are made. They are energetic midgets and they act according to strict scientific laws. The science that probes into this miniature world of matter and energy is called atomic physics. The experts in the field delve into the secrets of the nucleus of the atom  which is why they refer to their science as nuclear physics.