The role of mathematics in physics : Building knowledge and describing the empirical world

Journal article

Doran, Y. J.. (2017). The role of mathematics in physics : Building knowledge and describing the empirical world. Onomázein. Número especial II, pp. 209-226. https://doi.org/10.7764/onomazein.sfl.08
AuthorsDoran, Y. J.
Abstract

This paper considers why mathematics is used in physics. It traces the use of mathe-matics in physics through primary school, junior high school and senior high school in NSW, Australia, considering its role from the point of view of Systemic Functional Linguistics and Legitimation Code Theory. To understand the development of mathematics, two genres that play differing roles in the discipline of physics are introduced: ‘derivation’ and ‘quantifica-tion’. Through an analysis using the concepts of semantic density and semantic gravity from Legitimation Code Theory, these genres are shown to aid physics in developing new knowl-edge and linking its theory to the empirical world. This paper contributes to the growing body of research considering forms of knowledge in academic disciplines and the role of non-lin-guistic semiotic resources in organizing this knowledge.

Keywordsmathematics; physics; semantic density; genre; Systemic Functional Linguistics; Legitimation Code Theory
Year2017
JournalOnomázein
Journal citationNúmero especial II, pp. 209-226
PublisherFacultad de Letras, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile
ISSN0717-1285
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.7764/onomazein.sfl.08
Scopus EID2-s2.0-85018494926
Web address (URL)http://ojs.uc.cl/index.php/onom/article/view/30407
Open accessOpen access
Research or scholarlyResearch
Page range209-226
Publisher's version
License
File Access Level
Open
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Online2016
Publication process dates
Accepted29 Jan 2016
Deposited19 May 2022
Permalink -

https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/8xwv2/the-role-of-mathematics-in-physics-building-knowledge-and-describing-the-empirical-world

Log in to edit

Download files

Publisher's version
Doran_2017_The_role_of_mathematics_in_physics.pdf
License: CC BY-ND 4.0
File access level: Open

  • 92
    total views
  • 45
    total downloads
  • 3
    views this month
  • 4
    downloads this month
These values are for the period from 19th October 2020, when this repository was created.

Export as

Related outputs

Chemical formalisms : Toward a Semiotic Typology
Yu, Zhigang and Doran, Yaegan. (2024). Chemical formalisms : Toward a Semiotic Typology. Semiotica: journal of the international association for semiotic studies. pp. 1-29. https://doi.org/10.1515/sem-2022-0110
Interpreting history : Valuing events in a postcolonial world
Doran, Yaegan. (2024). Interpreting history : Valuing events in a postcolonial world. In In Hao, Jing and Martin, J.R. (Ed.). The Discourse of History - A Systemic Functional Linguistic Perspective pp. 73 Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009024884.005
Rethinking context : Realisation, instantiation and individuation in Systemic Functional Linguistics
Doran, Yaegan, Martin, J. R. and Herrington, Michele. (2024). Rethinking context : Realisation, instantiation and individuation in Systemic Functional Linguistics. Journal of World languages. pp. 1-44. https://doi.org/10.1515/jwl-2023-0051
Archiving an academic legacy : The Halliday and Hasan archive project
Caple, Helen, Butt, David, Christie, Frances and Doran, Yaegan. (2023). Archiving an academic legacy : The Halliday and Hasan archive project. Language, Context and Text: the social semiotics forum. 5(1), pp. 2-15. https://doi.org/10.1075/langct.00042.cap
Structure markers : A subjacency duplex analysis.
Martin, J.R. and Doran, Y.J.. (2023). Structure markers : A subjacency duplex analysis. Language, Context and Text : the social semiotics forum. 5(1), pp. 16-48. https://doi.org/10.1075/langct.22007.mar
Using historical evidence : The semantic profiles of Ancient History exam responses in senior secondary school
Macnaught, Lucy, Matruglio, Erika and Doran, Yaegan. (2023). Using historical evidence : The semantic profiles of Ancient History exam responses in senior secondary school. Historical Encounters. 10(1), pp. 76-99. https://doi.org/10.52289/hej10.106
Semiotic description : Grappling with mathematics
Doran, Yaegan. (2022). Semiotic description : Grappling with mathematics. In Appliable Linguistics and Social Semiotics: Developing Theory from Practice pp. 341-354 Bloomsbury Academic. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781350109322
Building complexity in Chemistry through images
Yu, Zhigang, Maton, Karl and Doran, Yaegan. (2022). Building complexity in Chemistry through images. In Enhancing Science Education: Exploring Knowledge Practices with Legitimation Code Theory pp. 1-30 Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003055549-6
Sundanese nominal groups : Meaning in text
Doran, Y. J. and Bangga, Lungguh Ariang. (2022). Sundanese nominal groups : Meaning in text. Word. 68(2), pp. 145-199. https://doi.org/10.1080/00437956.2021.2024353
Winning the discursive struggle? The impact of a significantenvironmental crisis event on dominant climate discourses on Twitter
Bednarek, Monika, Ross, Andrew S., Boichak, Olga, Doran, Y. J., Carr, Georgia, Altmann, Eduardo G. and Alexander, Tristram J.. (2022). Winning the discursive struggle? The impact of a significantenvironmental crisis event on dominant climate discourses on Twitter. Discourse, Context and Media. 45, p. Article 100564. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcm.2021.100564
Field relations : Understanding scientific explanations
Doran, Y. J. and Martin, J. R.. (2021). Field relations : Understanding scientific explanations. In In Maton, Karl, Martin, J. R. and Doran, Y. J. (Ed.). Teaching science : Knowledge, language, pedagogy pp. 105-133 Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351129282-7
Constellating science : How relations among ideas help build knowledge
Maton, Karl and Doran, Y. J.. (2021). Constellating science : How relations among ideas help build knowledge. In In Maton, Karl, Martin, J. R. and Doran, Y. J. (Ed.). Teaching science : Knowledge, language, pedagogy pp. 49-75 Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351129282-4
Multimodal knowledge : Using language, mathematics and image in physics
Doran, Y. J.. (2021). Multimodal knowledge : Using language, mathematics and image in physics. In In Maton, Karl, Martin, J. R. and Doran, Y. J. (Ed.). Teaching science : Knowledge, language, pedagogy pp. 162-184 Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351129282-9
A systemic functional sketch of material clauses in Sundanese
Bangga, Lungguh Ariang and Doran, Y. J.. (2021). A systemic functional sketch of material clauses in Sundanese. Word. 67(2), pp. 208-233. https://doi.org/10.1080/00437956.2021.1909840
Language in action : Sport, mode and the division of semiotic labour
Doran, Yaegan J., Caldwell, David and Ross, Andrew S.. (2021). Language in action : Sport, mode and the division of semiotic labour. Language, Content and Text. 3(2), pp. 275-303. https://doi.org/10.1075/langct.20009.dor
Nominal group grammar : System and structure
Martin, J. R., Doran, Y. J. and Zhang, Dongbing. (2021). Nominal group grammar : System and structure. Word. 67(3), pp. 248-280. https://doi.org/10.1080/00437956.2021.1957545
The teaching of science : New insights into knowledge, language and pedagogy
Doran, Y. J., Maton, K. and Martin, J. R.. (2021). The teaching of science : New insights into knowledge, language and pedagogy. In In Maton, K., Martin, J. R. and Doran, Y. J. (Ed.). Teaching science : Knowledge, language, pedagogy pp. 1-19 Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351129282-1
Academic formalisms : Toward a semiotic typology
Doran, Y. J.. (2020). Academic formalisms : Toward a semiotic typology. In In Martin, J. R., Doran, Y. J. and Figueredo, Giacomo (Ed.). Systemic functional language description : Making meaning matter pp. 331-358 Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351184533-11
Describing languages, understanding language : Systemic functional theory and description
Doran, Y. J. and Martin, J. R.. (2020). Describing languages, understanding language : Systemic functional theory and description. In In Martin, J. R., Doran, Y. J. and Figueredo, Giacomo (Ed.). Systemic functional language description : Making meaning matter pp. 1-31 Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351184533-1
Academic discourse : An inter-disciplinary dialogue
Martin, J. R., Maton, Karl and Doran, Y. J.. (2020). Academic discourse : An inter-disciplinary dialogue. In In Martin, J. R., Maton, Karl and Doran, Y. J. (Ed.). Accessing academic discourse : Systemic functional linguistics and legitimation code theory pp. 1-31 Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429280726-1
Seeing values : Axiology and affording attitude in Australia’s ‘Invasion’
Doran, Y. J.. (2020). Seeing values : Axiology and affording attitude in Australia’s ‘Invasion’. In In Martin, J. R., Maton, Karl and Doran, Y. J. (Ed.). Accessing academic discourse : Systemic functional linguistics and legitimation code theory pp. 151-176 Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429280726-6
J. R. Martin, language and linguistics
Doran, Y. J.. (2020). J. R. Martin, language and linguistics. In In Zappagina, Michele and Dreyfus, Shoshana (Ed.). Discourses of hope and reconciliation : On J. R. Martin's contribution to systemic functional linguistics pp. 1-20 Bloomsbury Academic. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781350116092.ch-001
Cultivating values : Knower-building in the humanities
Doran, Yaegan. (2019). Cultivating values : Knower-building in the humanities. Estudios de Lingüística Aplicada. 37(70), pp. 169-198. https://doi.org/10.22201/enallt.01852647p.2019.70.965
Building knowledge through images in physics
Doran, Y. J.. (2019). Building knowledge through images in physics. Visual Communication. 18(2), pp. 251-277. https://doi.org/10.1177/1470357218759825
Intrinsic functionality of mathematics, metafunctions in Systemic Functional Semiotics
Doran, Y. J.. (2018). Intrinsic functionality of mathematics, metafunctions in Systemic Functional Semiotics. Semiotica: journal of the international association for semiotic studies. 2018(225), pp. 457-487. https://doi.org/10.1515/sem-2017-0004
The discourse of physics : Building knowledge through language, mathematics and image
Doran, Y. J.. (2018). The discourse of physics : Building knowledge through language, mathematics and image Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315181134
Systemic functional linguistics and code theory
Maton, Karl and Doran, Y. J.. (2017). Systemic functional linguistics and code theory. In In Bartlett, Tom and O’Grady, Gerard (Ed.). The Routledge handbook of systemic functional linguistics pp. 605-618 Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315413891-51
Condensation : A translation device for revealing complexity of knowledge practices in discourse, part 2 - clausing and sequencing
Maton, Karl and Doran, Y. J.. (2017). Condensation : A translation device for revealing complexity of knowledge practices in discourse, part 2 - clausing and sequencing. Onomázein. Número especial II, pp. 77-110. https://doi.org/10.7764/onomazein.sfl.04
Semantic density : A translation device for revealing complexity of knowledge practices in discourse, part 1-wording
Maton, Karl and Doran, Yaegan. (2017). Semantic density : A translation device for revealing complexity of knowledge practices in discourse, part 1-wording. Onomázein. Número especial II, pp. 46-76. https://doi.org/10.7764/onomazein.sfl.03