Is There Perfection in Physical Laws?

In summary, Newton's laws, coulomb's law are all very neat but are they totally accurate? According to modern instruments which can measure up-to remarkable precision, do these laws behave perfectly?
  • #36
Even the more modern theories are not accurate?

That's not quite what I posted. I was implying in my earlier post many not 'perfect' or 'not perfectly accurate' theories. One sense in which they are not 'perfect' is that already expressed by sophiecentaur.

I had something different in mind: An example where GR and QM each 'go awry' [diverge] are at 'singularities'...like the big bang and the centers of black holes. That doesn't mean the theories we have are not VERY useful, but all have domains of application. 'Coulombs law' [of electrostatic charges] is another example of a very useful, but not absolutely precise, 'law': It also diverges at r=o rendering useless results right there and it turns out is only generally valid for stationary or charges. [It IS known how to adjust that for moving charges but I'm not sure about arbitrarily small radii.]

If we had REALLY perfect theories and the underlying math, we would not have recently discovered that the expansion of the universe is accelerating, that dark matter and dark energy constitute some 95% of all the matter-energy in the universe and that ALL dogs are descended from gray wolves with over 99% of their DNA. Now that we have those insights we can proceed to the next steps in the evolution of our theoretical knowledge.
 
<h2> How do we know that physical laws are accurate?</h2><p>Physical laws are based on extensive observations and experiments that have been repeated and verified by multiple scientists. These laws have been tested and proven to accurately describe the behavior of the physical world.</p><h2> Can physical laws ever change or be disproven?</h2><p>While physical laws are considered to be accurate, they are not necessarily considered to be absolute. As our understanding of the universe evolves and new evidence is discovered, physical laws may be revised or expanded upon. However, this does not mean that the previous laws were inaccurate, but rather that our understanding has deepened.</p><h2> Are there any exceptions to physical laws?</h2><p>Physical laws are considered to be universal and apply to all aspects of the physical world. However, there are certain situations, such as at the quantum level, where the laws may behave differently. These exceptions are still being studied and researched by scientists.</p><h2> How do physical laws apply to the entire universe?</h2><p>Physical laws are considered to be fundamental and apply to all aspects of the universe. They are not limited to just Earth or our solar system, but are believed to hold true throughout the entire universe. This is based on the idea that the laws of physics are constant and do not vary in different parts of the universe.</p><h2> Can physical laws be used to predict future events?</h2><p>Physical laws are often used to make predictions about future events. However, these predictions are not always 100% accurate as they are based on our current understanding and may change as new evidence is discovered. Additionally, there may be external factors that can influence the outcome of an event, making it difficult to predict with complete certainty.</p>

FAQ: Is There Perfection in Physical Laws?

How do we know that physical laws are accurate?

Physical laws are based on extensive observations and experiments that have been repeated and verified by multiple scientists. These laws have been tested and proven to accurately describe the behavior of the physical world.

Can physical laws ever change or be disproven?

While physical laws are considered to be accurate, they are not necessarily considered to be absolute. As our understanding of the universe evolves and new evidence is discovered, physical laws may be revised or expanded upon. However, this does not mean that the previous laws were inaccurate, but rather that our understanding has deepened.

Are there any exceptions to physical laws?

Physical laws are considered to be universal and apply to all aspects of the physical world. However, there are certain situations, such as at the quantum level, where the laws may behave differently. These exceptions are still being studied and researched by scientists.

How do physical laws apply to the entire universe?

Physical laws are considered to be fundamental and apply to all aspects of the universe. They are not limited to just Earth or our solar system, but are believed to hold true throughout the entire universe. This is based on the idea that the laws of physics are constant and do not vary in different parts of the universe.

Can physical laws be used to predict future events?

Physical laws are often used to make predictions about future events. However, these predictions are not always 100% accurate as they are based on our current understanding and may change as new evidence is discovered. Additionally, there may be external factors that can influence the outcome of an event, making it difficult to predict with complete certainty.

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