What are the axioms of Classical Physics?

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In summary, the axioms of classical physics include: Newton's laws of motion, the theorem of conservation of work, the conservation of momentum, the laws of thermodynamics, Maxwell's equations for electromagnetism, and the principle of conservation of mass. These axioms serve as the foundation for classical mechanics, electrodynamics, equilibrium thermodynamics, and statistical physics.
  • #1
Son Goku
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I've read several QM texts which list five or four axioms for Qm, from which the rest is derived.

I was wondering what might the axioms of Classical Physics be.

I'm assuming one of them is:
[tex]\delta{S} = 0 [/tex]
What might the others be?
 
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  • #2
i can't think of any other axioms besides Newton's three laws of motion, there's ofcourse the theorem of conservation of work (but it's not an axiom), and also of momentum.
 
  • #3
Thermodynamics - the laws of thermodynamics
Electromagnetism - maxwell's equations
Mechanics and gravity - Newtons laws
Statisical mechanics - boltzmann's laws for gases

The axioms of these physical sciences were the axioms of classical physics.
 
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  • #4
meemoe_uk said:
Electromagnetism - maxwell's equations
The Maxwell Equations are derived though. I would have thought the axioms for Electromagnetism would have been something along the lines of:

1. "Particles have a quantity associated with them called charge..."
2. "..."
e.t.c.

From which Maxwell's Equations are derived.
 
  • #6
Yeah, I'd go for

[tex]\mbox{1. extremizing } \int L dt \mbox{ with respect to neighbouring paths}[/tex]

I can't think of anymore... you couldn't specify L = T - V, of course, because for some systems, that won't hold.
 
  • #7
A fundamental axiom in classical mechanics is conservation of mass for the material object.
This is as fundamental as Newton's laws of motion for the material object.
 
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  • #8
An axiomatic basis for Classical Nonrelativistic Mechanics could be

1. Newton's first law.
2. Newton's second law.
3. The principle of independence of the action of forces.
4. Newton's third law.
5. The weak principle of equivalence (stating the equality between inertial mass and gravitational mass).

From these all classical mechanics in inertial reference frames can be derived.

In the Lagrange formulation, we only have the variational principle and the same goes for Hamilton and Hamilton-Jacobi formulations.

For electrodynamics, one could postulate the most general form of Maxwell equations for nonmoving material media.

For equilibrium thermodynamics, we have two formulations, each with its own axioms: CTPCN and neogibbsian.

For statistical physics, we have an axiomatical formulation as well.

Daniel.
 
  • #9
And add to that conservation of mass.
 

1. What are the five axioms for Qm?

The five axioms for Qm, or quantum mechanics, are the mathematical principles that govern the behavior of subatomic particles. They are: superposition, wave-particle duality, uncertainty principle, entanglement, and quantum tunneling.

2. What is the superposition axiom in Qm?

The superposition axiom states that a particle can exist in multiple states or locations simultaneously until it is observed or measured. This means that a particle can be in two or more places at once, or have two or more properties at the same time.

3. What is the wave-particle duality axiom in Qm?

The wave-particle duality axiom describes the dual nature of subatomic particles. It states that particles can exhibit both wave-like and particle-like behaviors, depending on how they are observed or measured.

4. What is the uncertainty principle axiom in Qm?

The uncertainty principle axiom states that it is impossible to simultaneously know the exact position and momentum of a particle. The more precisely one quantity is known, the less accurately the other can be known.

5. What is quantum entanglement in Qm?

Quantum entanglement is the phenomenon where two or more particles become connected in such a way that the state of one particle is dependent on the state of the other, regardless of the distance between them. This allows for instantaneous communication and has implications for quantum computing and cryptography.

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