What is Fundamental: Definition and 946 Discussions

Given a topological space and a group acting on it, the images of a single point under the group action form an orbit of the action. A fundamental domain or fundamental region is a subset of the space which contains exactly one point from each of these orbits. It serves as a geometric realization for the abstract set of representatives of the orbits.
There are many ways to choose a fundamental domain. Typically, a fundamental domain is required to be a connected subset with some restrictions on its boundary, for example, smooth or polyhedral. The images of a chosen fundamental domain under the group action then tile the space. One general construction of fundamental domains uses Voronoi cells.

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  1. K

    Fundamental thermo systems problem

    1. Unit mass of a fluid at a pressure of 3 bar, and with a specific volume of 0.18 m3/kg, contained in a cylinder behind a piston expands reversibly to a pressure of 0.6 bar according to the law p = c/v2, where c is a constant. Calculate the work done during the process. 2. P1V1=P2V2 3. I know...
  2. J

    Fundamental frequency of an object with nonlinear stiffness.

    Hi all. It's been a few years since I've posted here, but it's remained a great go-to resource for me. Any time I have dealt with mechanical vibrations, the fundamental frequency was based on a constant stiffness. However, I have never encountered the subject of finding the fundamental...
  3. J

    Why Does Fundamental Freq Have Largest Amplitude?

    Please could somebody explain why the fundamental frequency always has the biggest amplitude in comparison to the rest of the harmonics?
  4. M

    What is the geometric interpretation of the fundamental theorem of calculus?

    hey pf! i'm trying to get a geometric understanding of the fundamental theorem: \int_a{}^{b}f'(x)dx=f(b)-f(a) basically, isn't the above just saying that if we add up a lot of slopes on a line at every point we will get the difference of the y values? thanks! feel free to add more or correct me
  5. N

    The fundamental forces and elementary particles at absolute zero

    We all know that there four fundamental forces in nature, viz. The gravitational force The electromagnetic force The strong nuclear force The weak nuclear force Now also we know that temperature of any system is the average kinetic energy possessed by the particles of the system Now...
  6. T

    Help with the fundamental forces.

    Could someone help me understand the four fundamental forces? I'd like to set up a thought experiment as well: Let's break up our solar system into individual atoms, and create a gas cloud about the size of our solar system. All things like they are, the gas should slowly come together...
  7. M

    Fundamental theories are gauge theories

    Hi folks -- I was reading some (non-technical) work by Frank Wilczek, in which he stated that any fundamental theory -- that is, well behaved in the E →∞ limit -- must be a local gauge theory. Does anyone know of the reasons for why this is thought to be the case? Even sketchy remarks...
  8. T

    Is all motion really the result of fundamental forces?

    I'm in 11th grade of high school and I'm currently in Advanced Pre-Calc and AP Stats and I am teaching myself Physics from a textbook at home (which is Algebra based) because of my intense interest in physics. I also taught myself how to differentiate (on Wikipedia) because of the boredom I felt...
  9. T

    Why is the Higgs Field not considered a fifth fundamental force?

    Why exactly is it that the Higgs field is not considered a fundamental force? Since the Higgs Boson has been confirmed would that not make it a force as it's presence has been confirmed by the discovery of the boson for the field?
  10. J

    Fundamental theorem of calculus for surface integrals?

    Hellow! A simple question: if exist the fundamental theorem of calculus for line integrals not should exist too a fundamental theorem of calculus for surface integrals? I was searching about in google but I found nothing... What do you think? Such theorem make sense?
  11. S

    Photon vs other fundamental particles - decoherence

    1. What (property) makes a photon less likely to decohere/(entangle with the environment) relative to other "fundamental" particles (non leptons?) such as an electron?...say during single particle interference experiment Photon single particle interference can done without the need for a...
  12. MarkFL

    MHB Solve Derivative of Integral with F(x) - SnowPatrol Yahoo Answers

    Here is the question: I have posted a link there to this thread so the OP can view my work.
  13. M

    Fundamental Frequency of a nano scale oscillator (graphene)

    Hi everyone, long time lurker, first time poster. I've just begun a phd which involves nanoribbons (a small strip of a 2D material connected at either end to a larger 'bulk' section of the same 2D material). A question has occurred to me. These nanoribbons look a lot like a piece of string...
  14. shounakbhatta

    Fundamental difference between quantum physics and classical physics

    Hello, There has been lot many articles, write up(s) pointing out the difference between classical and quantum physics. Well, I know that there has been thousand and one articles written on the topic, but my point is to find out the basic fundamental difference. One point is quiet evident...
  15. I

    Calculating Fundamental Frequency and Overtone Frequency of a Stretched Wire

    Homework Statement a flexible wire is 80 cm long has a mass of 0.40g. It is stretched across stops on a sonometer that are 50 cm apart by a force of 500N. Find the fundamental frequency with which the wire may vibrate. If it vibrates in 2 third overtone, what is it's frequency?Homework...
  16. Q

    Fundamental Theorem of Calculus

    Homework Statement The derivative of an integral with a constant as its lower bound and a function as its upper bound is the function at its upper bound multiplied by the derivative of the upper bound. The Attempt at a Solution How come the constant term has no bearing? I understand...
  17. S

    Fundamental Polynomial Operations

    Hi guys! I'm kind of stuck in my review here in Quantitave on the Polynomial part :confused: Homework Statement A. The first problem I had is Problem 7 on the link I will provide which has this. (x + y)3 + (x-y)3 = ? B. The second problem I had is Problem 8 on the same link I will...
  18. N

    What are the fundamental methods of generating motion?

    I know that motion today is usually generated by - generating a varying magnetic field and varying it in relation to a fixed one - ccombusion engines Are there other "fundamental" approaches to generate motion, or is that pretty much it? Your input is appreciated, thanks!
  19. P

    How fundamental are functions, really?

    I'm sorry if this is in the wrong place but I believe the answer is geometric in nature somehow. So as a young physics student it is banged into your head that vectors/tensors are genuine geometric and algebraic "objects" and the coordinates by which you label them are metaphysical, so to...
  20. T

    Need something better than Wiley Fundamental of Physics?

    I'm nearly done with my first semester of college as an electrical engineering student. I'm doing pretty well other than in my physics class which I am struggling. I'm maintaining around a C+ right now. While it's passing, I know I can do much better. The class is late at night and I can't...
  21. V

    Can the concept of negative mass shed light on the independence of momentum?

    To the best of my knowledge, General Relativity considers Momentum to be as fundamental a thing as Energy. However, in day-to-day descriptions of Things in Physics, Momentum always seems to be dependent upon something else (such as Mass in motion). It seems to me that if Momentum was truly a...
  22. T

    Integration using the fundamental theorem of calculus

    Hello PF. Homework Statement Find a function g such that \int_0^{x^2} \ tg(t) \, \mathrm{d}t = x^2+x Homework Equations From the fundamental theorem of calculus: f(x) = \frac{d}{dx}\int_a^x \ f(t) \, \mathrm{d}t The Attempt at a Solution After taking the derivative of...
  23. TrickyDicky

    Fundamental particles in physics

    I was reading this recent Scientific american article which I found interesting, and was spurred on by it to ask a couple of questions. Is the mathematical concept of fundamental point particle currently a basic postulate in physics(let's take as current physics the QM based-QFT modern...
  24. L

    Calculating Fundamental Forms for a Parametrized Graph: A Step-by-Step Guide

    Let ##f(x,y)=(x,y,h(x,y))## be a parametrization of the graph ##T_h## of ##h:\mathbb{R}^2\to \mathbb{R}##. Compute the first fundamental forms for ##T_h## and also compute the second fundamental form. For the first fundamental form. I got that ##f_u = \langle 1, 0, f_u \rangle## and ##f_v...
  25. P

    Smallest set of fundamental physical constants?

    Hi, everyone. I once saw a science program with the danish astrophycisist Jens Martin Knudsen, who said that there exists seven absolutely fundamental constants of nature, and if one of these were changed ever so slightly, it would lead to drastic changes in the whole universe. So my...
  26. J

    Maximally strong fundamental theorem

    This is still not clear to me. Here's the conjecture: Assume that f:[a,b]\to\mathbb{R} is such function that it is differentiable at all points of its domain, and that \int\limits_{[a,b]}|f'(x)|dm(x) < \infty holds, where the integral is the ordinary Lebesgue integral. Then also...
  27. A

    What is temperature and why is it a fundamental quantity?

    Since temperature is just average energy per mole why is it a fundamental quantity ? Can't we simply have the unit of temperature as Joule / mole ?
  28. S

    Use fundamental theorem of calculus to compute definite integral

    Homework Statement The problem and my (incorrect) work are typed and attached as TheProblemAndMyWorkTypedUp.jpg. Homework Equations Integral from a to b of f(t) = F(b) – F(a) The Attempt at a Solution As mentioned above, my work is attached as TheProblemAndMyWorkTypedUp.jpg. (The (2 –...
  29. M

    What is the fundamental frequency of an aluminum rod?

    Homework Statement A longitudinal standing wave can be created in a long, thin aluminum rod by stroking the rod with very dry fingers. This is often done as a physics demonstration, creating a high-pitched, very annoying whine. From a wave perspective, the standing wave is equivalent to a...
  30. O

    Fundamental Forces: Explaining to a 13yo

    How are the normal, static friction, kinetic friction, gravity, electrical and magnetic forces related to the four fundamental forces of nature? I have a 13 year old asking and I am not sure what to say! Any help is kindly appreciated.
  31. J

    I feel like the term fundamental fields is a cop out

    Whenever I ask someone what an electromagnetic field is exactly, they say that science does how questions, not why questions (which doesn't really make sense in this context, maybe i worded my question differently). We say that there are four fundamental forces that create the universe we live...
  32. C

    Fundamental Property of Integers

    So there is a proof that the sum of any two even numbers is an even number. 2k + 2l = 2(k +l) We have written the sum as 2 times an integer. Therefore the sum of any two even numbers is an even number. An essential part of this proof is that k + l is an integer. How do we know this? Is it an...
  33. D

    Fundamental laws and differential equations

    why are many fundamental laws of nature formulated in the form of differential equations?
  34. S

    Fundamental Theorem of Calculus - Variables x and t

    Hello, I'm getting slightly confused by the following so was hoping someone may be able to clear my problem up. For integrals, if b is the upper limit and a is the lower limit, I will write ∫[b,a]. From the Fundamental Theorem of calculus part 1 we can show that: if F(x) = ∫[x,a]...
  35. Daaavde

    Fundamental relationship between thermodynamics and stat. mechanics

    From the Greiner (Thermodynamics and statistical mechanics) on the relationship between the number of microstates of two systems and the total entropy: ...for two statistically independent systems the total number of compatible microstates \Omega_{tot} is obviously the product of the...
  36. R136a1

    Are Abelian fundamental groups always isomorphic in path connected spaces?

    Hello everybody! So, I've learned that in a path connected space, all fundamental groups are isomorphic. Indeed, if ##\gamma## is a path from ##x## to ##y##, then we have an isomorphism of groups given by \Phi_\gamma : \pi_1(X,x)\rightarrow \pi_1(X,y): [f]\rightarrow [\overline{\gamma}]\cdot...
  37. SamRoss

    What's fundamental for quantum mechanics?

    As I understand it, a lot of what is taught about quantum mechanics are special techniques for solving problems. I'm not a physicist, so something like perturbation theory is not what I'm after. To be more specific, i would like to know the minimum that is necessary for "doing" quantum...
  38. L

    First Fundamental Form from tangent vectors

    Hi Appologies for formatting issues this is the first time I have submitted something to the forum. I have a pretty simple problem, I am just going through the derivation of the First Fundamental Form and I think I am missing something in the derivation. If we have a point x = (x1,x2)...
  39. T

    Distorting spacetime: Links/references about fundamental limits

    I'm interested in reading about the fundamental limits imposed by known physics on distorting spacetime in ways that bring two masses closer together so that speed of light travel time between them is reduced. I'm familiar with the concept of inflation theory. I think of it as a rapid...
  40. V

    Questions about fundamental concepts

    I am confused about what I think should be the most basic concepts in quantum mechanics.. As far as I understood, a system that can be in only one of two states, can literally be only in one of those two states, right? So if I were to make a hypothetical measurement of the configuration of...
  41. P

    First Fundamental Theorem of Calculus

    Hi, I just learned about the First Fundamental theorem of calculus. From my understanding, it talks specifically about definite integrals. I was wondering if there is any sort of theorem that proves that the derivative of the indefinite integral of a function is equal to the function itself...
  42. A

    Second fundamental form and Mean Curvature

    Homework Statement Metric ansatz: ds^{2} = e^{\tilde{A}(\tilde{\tau})} d\tilde{t} - d\tilde{r} - e^{\tilde{C}(\tilde{\tau})} dΩ where: d\tilde{r} = e^{\frac{B}{2}} dr Homework Equations How to calculate second fundamental form and mean curvature from this metric? The Attempt at a...
  43. B

    Fundamental theorem in 2 dimensions.

    Hello I have heard that Greens, Stokes and the Divergence theorem is the equivalent of the fundamental theorem in multiple dimensions. But is there some way to show the result under: if F(x,y) = \int_{-\infty}^x\int_{-\infty}^yf(x^{*},y^{*})dx^{*}dy^{*} this implies that...
  44. S

    Constraints on possible fifth fundamental force

    Anyone read the article on this? http://phys.org/news/2013-06-precise-quantum-electrodynamics-constrain-fundamental.html I made an effort to read to arXiv paper, but I'm still working on my understanding of QFT, so I didn't get too much out of it.
  45. B

    Calculate fundamental overtone and length of tube

    Homework Statement It is observed that a tube open at both ends exhibits harmonics at 438 Hz, 584 Hz, and 730 Hz. A) Calculate the fundamental overtone of the tube. B) Calculate the length of the tube. Homework Equations L=lambda/2 x n, v = f x lambda The Attempt at a...
  46. L

    About fundamental social psychology

    I have always interested in psychology and never properly studied psychology in my life. But over the years I have learned about many things by learning about famous psychology experiments. However I cannot seem to get sufficient enough information to ‘understand’ human’s fundamental social...
  47. M

    Can one derive all of physics from the 5 fundamental force equations?

    If one knew the equations for the 5 fundamental forces, would that not explain the entirety of all physical phenomenon in the universe? (Presuming there were not undiscovered forces?) Or would something like quantum mechanics not be explainable via those interactions? Does the nature of the 5...
  48. adjacent

    Where does potential energy come from?

    Gravity pulls things down.Things then gain kinetic energy.When you lift something it has gravitational potential energy.I know that potential energy is transformed into kinetic but according to the law of conservation of energy, potential energy must also be transformed from some other type of...
  49. L

    Is the Universe able to evolve due to fundamental forces?

    I'm sorry if I posted this is the wrong section, but I was wondering if fundamental forces evolve? In other words, can universes evolve. Since stagnant ones eventually die out. And the successful ones produce black holes; transferring matter into a whole new beginning.
  50. J

    Fundamental Thermodynamic Relation and Helmholtz Energy

    I'm confused about the condition for spontaneity for the Helmholtz energy. My textbook (McQuarrie, "Physical Chemistry") derives the conditions as follows. We start with the combined law of thermodynamics: dU = δq + δw ≤ TdS – PdV since δq/T ≤ dS dU – TdS + PdV ≤ 0 For a process at...
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