Talk:Physical object

Basic outline

This article needs a lot of work. I'm still pretty new to this, so I'm not sure of the best practices, however, I'm proposing this general outline for additional sections, and to redistribute the "In common useage" section.

"Characteristics

(Basic introduction outlining types of properties, emphasizing measurability and interaction)

• Physical Properties:
  • Mass, volume, shape, density, etc.
• Chemical Properties
  • Chemical structure, chemical reactions, flamability, acidity, etc.
• Spatial and Temporal properties:
  • (The long talk on Boundaries can go here, changing position in space and time, changing what it is made of over time, etc.)
• Interaction with Forces:
  • (e.g., gravity, electromagnetism)
• Perception:
  • How physical objects are detected via sensory experience or instruments

Measurement of Physical Properties:

• Tools and techniques used to measure mass, volume, etc.

Simulation of Physical Objects:

• Computer models and digital representations of physical objects

Physical Objects in Other Fields

• Law:
  • Legal definitions (e.g., property law, ownership)
• Art and Aesthetics:
  • (sculpture, installations, symbolism, etc.)
• Psychology"

The philosophy section could also probably be expanded, probably repeating quite a bit from the Physicalism, Materialism and Mind–body dualism articles.

Thoughts? Farkle Griffen (talk) 03:27, 25 October 2024 (UTC)

My suggestion: don't do this. Not only is this too ambitious, it is a massive change of topic.

I think you need to start far more modestly.

Almost none of the page has sources, and much looks like one or more of WP:OR, WP:SYNTH and is not WP:NPOV. Take a single section, (e.g. classical mechanics), find multiple sources looking for consensus and rewrite with sources. If there are several views this needs to be stated. At the same time check that the section is not trivial.

Then repeat for another section.

To repeat, please do not change this page to what you are suggesting. Ldm1954 (talk) 06:21, 1 November 2024 (UTC)

@Farkle Griffen You could draft it in draft space to clarify its feasibility. fgnievinski (talk) 11:20, 1 November 2024 (UTC)

@Farkle Griffen Thanks for asking about Wikipedia practices! In my experience the aspect most new editors slip up on is the importance of reliable sources to verify content. Other editors will defend and expand your content if you have sources. Finding good sources on broad non-specialist topics like this may be difficult. I would encourage you to seek several good "secondary" sources as discussed under Primary, secondary and tertiary sources before you start.

Another idea specific to this article is to consider forming it as a summary article. In general we don't want large sections of repeats but rather each subtopic gets a paragraph that gives the concept and a wikilink that allows readers to dive in for more.

Thanks again for asking. Johnjbarton (talk) 15:47, 1 November 2024 (UTC)

Extended discussion at WT:Physics

A pro-forma note that there is an extended discussion at WT:Physics#Help on Physical object on this article. Questions there are more general than the rewrite suggestions here. Ldm1954 (talk) 16:13, 5 November 2024 (UTC)