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| Laws of Nature |
Laws of Nature
‘Law of nature’ is a term sometimes used to describe basic properties that are easily stated, or can be expressed by a simple equation. Scientifically, there is no distinction between the authority of a theory and a law of nature.
A law of nature can also describe a single aspect of a more general theory. For example ‘Hooke’s Law’ is a simple equation describing the force required to extend a spring, and is part of a larger theory of material science. Similarly, ‘Snell’s Law of Refraction’ can be described by a simple equation, and is one part of a larger theory of optics. Snell’s Law has a wide range of applications, from the design of lenses in reading glasses, to the cut that will give a diamond maximum sparkle.
A law of nature may be so pervasive that it becomes an umbrella structure for a whole theory. For example, although ‘Newton’s law of universal gravitation’ can be expressed by a simple equation, it also defines the fundamental notion of Newtonian gravity – that every mass in the universe is attracted to every other mass in a very predictable manner.
The term ‘law of nature’ also implies that a relationship applies for all time, and in all places. Of course, one has to be aware that no law of nature has ever been tested for all time and in all places. In fact, after 300 years of successful applications, Newton’s universal law of gravitation was rewritten to become a component of Einstein’s theory of general relativity.
Despite the sometimes-confusing use of terminology, the concepts described by models, theories, and laws are very efficient approaches for organizing and summarizing large amounts of data. A successful model, theory, or law helps you to make sense out of a collection of individual cases, and provides direction in exploring untested but related cases.
‘Law of nature’ is a term sometimes used to describe basic properties that are easily stated, or can be expressed by a simple equation. Scientifically, there is no distinction between the authority of a theory and a law of nature.
A law of nature can also describe a single aspect of a more general theory. For example ‘Hooke’s Law’ is a simple equation describing the force required to extend a spring, and is part of a larger theory of material science. Similarly, ‘Snell’s Law of Refraction’ can be described by a simple equation, and is one part of a larger theory of optics. Snell’s Law has a wide range of applications, from the design of lenses in reading glasses, to the cut that will give a diamond maximum sparkle.
A law of nature may be so pervasive that it becomes an umbrella structure for a whole theory. For example, although ‘Newton’s law of universal gravitation’ can be expressed by a simple equation, it also defines the fundamental notion of Newtonian gravity – that every mass in the universe is attracted to every other mass in a very predictable manner.
The term ‘law of nature’ also implies that a relationship applies for all time, and in all places. Of course, one has to be aware that no law of nature has ever been tested for all time and in all places. In fact, after 300 years of successful applications, Newton’s universal law of gravitation was rewritten to become a component of Einstein’s theory of general relativity.
Despite the sometimes-confusing use of terminology, the concepts described by models, theories, and laws are very efficient approaches for organizing and summarizing large amounts of data. A successful model, theory, or law helps you to make sense out of a collection of individual cases, and provides direction in exploring untested but related cases.
