macrophysics

Macrophysics is an umbrella term used to describe the study of physical processes that occur at macroscopic scales, where bulk properties and collective behavior emerge from many interacting constituents. It emphasizes macroscopic laws and continuum descriptions, often employing tools from classical mechanics, thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, and applied mathematics to understand phenomena that are not easily reduced to microscopic components.

Core topics include fluid and solid mechanics at large scales, heat and mass transport, rheology of complex media, and phase transitions in bulk materials. It also encompasses geophysical and atmospheric processes, astrophysical and cosmological systems at macroscopic levels, and the behavior of granular, porous, or composite media. Researchers may use coarse-grained models, constitutive relations, and computational simulations to study stability, pattern formation, turbulence, and non-linear dynamics in these systems.

Macrophysics is not a universally standardized discipline; the term is used variably and often overlaps with established fields such as continuum mechanics, thermodynamics, meteorology, geophysics, and materials science. Its value lies in providing a common language for discussing macroscopic phenomena and in highlighting connections across disciplines that analyze bulk behavior. See also continuum mechanics, statistical mechanics, and turbulence.