Presented by Steve Kane, Associate Head of School of Physics, Astronomy and Mathematics

A group of Year 9 students went to listen to an Institute of Physics talk about how some of the principals of physics are used in the finance world. Mr Kane began by talking about Robert Brown, a biologist who in 1827 when looking through a microscope at pollen grains in water, noted that the grains moved randomly around the field of view. This motion was called Brownian motion in his honour. In 1905, Einstein described the mathematics behind Brownian Motion attacting the attention of physicis who used the theory to confirm the existance of atoms and molecules.

Mathematical models based on Brownian motion has several real-world applications for example in the stock market where it is used to try to predict the rises and falls in stock values.

Taonga Chabva-Shoperai 9RP: 'I enjoyed the talk very much and was captivated. This was also my first insight and view into finance, a complex, yet interesting world. The main thing I learnt was however big the brain behind the graph it could never predict the next move in the market as it is unpredictable.'

Daniel Coleman 10MR: very good, interesting and worthwhile coming to the talk. I've learnt alot more about Isaac Newton than I already knew and have found out about Louis Jean-Baptiste, Alpose Bachelier and the Monte Carlo methods. '

Students on the Trip: Joseph Thomas 9MT, Daniel Coleman 9MR, Tara Jeffreys 9RMP, Holly Playle 9RMP, Taonga Chabva-Shoperai 9RP, Jordan Byford 9RMP, Isaac Lucia 9NF

Mrs G Wright

Science Curriculum Development Manager