Physical Laws and the Theory of Special Relativity
| Scientific Paper | |
|---|---|
| Title | Physical Laws and the Theory of Special Relativity |
| Read in full | Link to paper |
| Author(s) | Georg Galeczki |
| Keywords | physical law, diffusion equation, radioactive decay, conservation principles |
| Published | 1994 |
| Journal | Apeiron |
| Volume | 1 |
| Number | 20 |
| No. of pages | 6 |
| Pages | 26-31 |
Read the full paper here
Abstract
The meaning of a physical law is discussed. A distinction is made between specific laws such as: the 1/r2 law, the diffusion equation, the law of radioactive decay, Hubble's law, and fundamental laws such as conservation principles. The status of Maxwell's equations is reexamined. It is concluded that: a) physical laws pertain to closed systems, b) physical laws are formulated in inertial reference frames, determined by the center of mass of the closed system, c) there exists a unique, global inertial reference frame, and d) physical laws need not be Lorentz covariant.