Save 1 Scientific Theory/Formulae: A Big Question

[quddusaliquddus]

Title says it all!

 

[Artman]

F = ma

Probably the most practical for a time immediately following the loss of all other scientific formulas.

 

[quddusaliquddus]

Good one!


I must say, I'm expecting sum1 to create a forumula with as many different aspects of physics in it post it ... but then again...whose Italics[that] bothered?

 

[quddusaliquddus]

Personally - Theory of Evolution has to be one of the top 5 [though not as immediately practical as f=ma].

Maybe the choice should be based on practicality. Jus had a thought-What about one that the medieval mind-set of seeing the heavens as different from Earth i.e. sum of Galilieos ideas maybe. Or maybe Roger Bacon's advocacy of the experimentalism..

 

[RBS_5]

If all science was to disappear, which 1 scientific theory/formulae would you save?

why?

 

[quddusaliquddus]

It's like an interesting (?) way of asking your favourite or most important scientific theories/formulae ... like what would-u-take-to-a-desert-island kind of question.

Oh...i c...you're asking 'y would u save ANY of the formulases' ...lol

 

[RBS_5]

Exactly. I mean if science is gone ... =)

 

[quddusaliquddus]

lol

You're in the wrong forum then ... :D

 

[RBS_5]

I suppose so.

 

[Janitor]

The principle of extremal action.

 

[quddusaliquddus]

What's that Janotor? Haven't heard of that one b4 ...

 

[Janitor]

It's a fancy-pants way of deriving the dynamics of a system, at least in cases where there is no friction.

 

[quddusaliquddus]

Oh, ok ... basically advanced stuff I don't understand :D

 

[Ebolamonk3y]

What is an elektron. Then rest of science can come from that.

 

[arildno]

$$e^{\pi{i}}+1=0$$
It's such a beatiful formula that it doesn't deserve to die.

 

[Adam]

If it all vanished, which idea would I keep?

The scientific method.

 

[quantumdude]

I'd keep the standard model of particle physics, since classical physics can be derived from it.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

1 = 1; if it’s really true. I have seen a 150 or so page proof of such, but I still think it may just be a vicious rumor.

 

[quddusaliquddus]

1 = 1; if it’s really true. I have seen a 150 or so page proof of such, but I still think it may just be a vicious rumor.

Really? ... what's the problem with working that out?

 

[i_wish_i_was_smart]

i'd keep calculus, you can do anything with calculus

 

[Hypercase]

In Feynman's opinion, its the fact that" stuff is made of atoms "that ought to be saved.
And i quite agree with him...

 

[quddusaliquddus]

I disagree with him. It doesn't really have much immediate use nor does it take a giant leap of imagination to think things are made of atoms.

 

[Hurkyl]

Well, there's one important clarification that needs to be made...

Do we get to keep the science necessary to understand the formula?

 

[quddusaliquddus]

Erm ... yes I guess. A formulae with no understanding-pretty useless.

 

[quddusaliquddus]

I'm guessing, but i think "stuff is made of atoms" means just that - things are made of atoms which doesn't requires us to know nature of atoms

 

[Hurkyl]

Excellent, then I'll choose some obscure formula in string theory that simply couldn't be understood without knowing most of modern physics.

 

[quddusaliquddus]

Lol...I knew it! I knew sum1 would do that - even better - expand the forumulae to include as much physics as possible! lol

 

[Hurkyl]

I wasn't going to cheat that much...

 

[Artman]

I still say F = ma.

First of all, you can work out necessary equations for pumping water, building stresses for construction, horsepower equations, physics of power generation, clock movement, machinery, automotive engineering, pulley systems, etc., things necessary to our day-to-day existence.

From F=ma you can work out the gravitational constant, once you know that, you can consider the movements of the planets and our motion to the Sun. From that you can work out the necessary formulas for planetary distance, speed of light calculations, this leads to E=MC^2, which leads to Qantum physics, String theory, etc...

 

[quddusaliquddus]

F=ma gets my vote (for the moment)