What is Law: Definition and 1000 Discussions

Law is a system of rules created and enforced through social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior, with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been variously described as a science and the art of justice. State-enforced laws can be made by a group legislature or by a single legislator, resulting in statutes; by the executive through decrees and regulations; or established by judges through precedent, usually in common law jurisdictions. Private individuals may create legally binding contracts, including arbitration agreements that adopt alternative ways of resolving disputes to standard court litigation. The creation of laws themselves may be influenced by a constitution, written or tacit, and the rights encoded therein. The law shapes politics, economics, history and society in various ways and serves as a mediator of relations between people.
Legal systems vary between countries, with their differences analysed in comparative law. In civil law jurisdictions, a legislature or other central body codifies and consolidates the law. In common law systems, judges make binding case law through precedent, although on occasion this may be overturned by a higher court or the legislature. Historically, religious law influenced secular matters, and is still used in some religious communities. Sharia law based on Islamic principles is used as the primary legal system in several countries, including Iran and Saudi Arabia.Law's scope can be divided into two domains. Public law concerns government and society, including constitutional law, administrative law, and criminal law. Private law deals with legal disputes between individuals and/or organisations in areas such as contracts, property, torts/delicts and commercial law. This distinction is stronger in civil law countries, particularly those with a separate system of administrative courts; by contrast, the public-private law divide is less pronounced in common law jurisdictions.Law provides a source of scholarly inquiry into legal history, philosophy, economic analysis and sociology. Law also raises important and complex issues concerning equality, fairness, and justice.

View More On Wikipedia.org
Recent contents Top users
  1. P

    How do you identify the systems in which Newton's Third Law is obeyed?

    eg. For a ball in free fall (ignoring air resistance) there is only one force acting if the system is just considered to be the ball. It seems necessary to go to the system which includes the Earth for identification of the reaction force to be made. Is there any rule for how big a system must...
  2. A

    I Newton's 3rd law and ether in space

    Hey everyone, I've read in an article that Newton's 3rd law proves that there is no ether in space. It says, according to Newton's 3rd law, the mass of the space between objects should be 0; then, ether does not actually exist. Could you please explain to me why Newton's 3rd law imply that the...
  3. Mikasun1108

    Newton's First law of motion -- Boy jumping vertically on a moving train

    I'm not sure if my answer is correct but I think the answer is false. Thank you for your help :) -sun1108
  4. E

    B Is Newton's first law of motion applicable when walking?

    Is Newton's first law of motion applicable when walking?
  5. H

    Chemistry Henry's law applied to a solution of a solute in a solvent

  6. rudransh verma

    I Another way of stating Gauss' law?

    Gauss law relates the net flux phi of an electric field through a closed surface to the net charge q that is enclosed by that surface. It tells us that Phi = q/permittivity Can I say it like this : The gauss law states that the net flux of the surface depends upon the net charge enclosed by that...
  7. warhammer

    Maxwell's Distribution Law (Thermal Physics)

    There are two questions in the photo. I have attempted the solution (attached below) and I would be highly obliged if someone would verify the same. Edit- Sorry the images of the solution have uploaded in the wrong order. 5th and 1st Image comprise of both parts of Q1 while the remaining of Q2.
  8. P

    What is the R^3 in Kepler's 3rd Law?

    In a binary elliptical/circular orbit, the R^3 refers to the distance between the 2 planets. In the picture below, ##T^2 = kr^3##. However, for an elliptical orbit about the sun (which is assumed to be fixed as it is so heavy), and where the sun is located at a focus of the ellipse, ##T^2 =...
  9. Einstein44

    Relationship between B and induced EMF using Faraday's Law

    .
  10. Leo Liu

    Gauss' law in differential form

    My book claims that the diff. form of Gauss' law is $$\nabla\cdot\mathbf E=4\pi\rho$$ Can someone tell me why it isn't ##\nabla\cdot\mathbf E=\rho/\epsilon_0##?
  11. warhammer

    Question on First Law of Thermodynamics (Paramagnet)

    For the first part, I have expressed it in the following differential form- dU= delta (Q) + BdM Now for the second part I am having major confusion. I know that B corresponds to P and M corresponds to V as generalised force and generalised displacement respectively for a Paramagnetic substance...
  12. MichPod

    I 1st law of Newton as a special case of the 2nd law (historical aspect)

    I am speaking here not of the modern definitions (like a 1st Newton law as a definition of an inertial reference frame), but rather on the way the 1st law was formulated in the time of Newton. That is, it's obvious that the 1st Newton law in its original formulation is a corollary of the 2nd...
  13. bob012345

    I Exact Integration of Newton's Gravitational Law?

    I realized I never actually derived the kinematic equations of motion for the exact Newtonian gravitational force. For an object falling near the surface of the earth, how do we handle integrating the equation of motion to derive the kinematics equations without using the approximation of...
  14. V

    Gauss's Law application in Electrostatics

    (a) Due to Coulomb's law all charges whether internal or external to Gaussian surface will contribute to the electric field. This is also mentioned as it's correct answer. (b) The answer is "equal to", which makes no sense to me. It could be greater than, equal to, or less than that obtained...
  15. C

    Capstan equation, Euler's formula, power law friction

    Dear colleagues, I am dealing with rope friction and the so-called Capstan equation. Situation: A rope wraps around a cylinder with a wrap angle. It depends on the input force. There are very comprehensive approaches by other colleagues, where the friction value depends on the normal force or...
  16. This Is Me

    How Is Ampere's Law Applied to Calculate Magnetic Fields?

    (I accidentally missed my lesson and I don't know how to apply this question to the formula)
  17. Einstein44

    What are the Simplifying Assumptions for Calculating Eddy Current Forces?

    .
  18. M

    Help with Coulomb's law: Net electrostatic force

    I tried just calculating the force with Coulomb's law, then calculating the forces for each vector individually and adding, but I got it wrong both ways
  19. D

    I Black Hole to Other Universe: Violation of 1st Law?

    So I am a fan of astronomy, cosmology and astrophysics from a FAR. The math is way beyond my abilities but I like to just sometimes read and think about the very small parts I am able to comprehend. So my hats off to all of you that are able to fully enjoy this stuff, you're very lucky...
  20. Ebi Rogha

    B Is time a consequence of 2nd law of thermodynamics?

    I have heard from a knowledgeable physics proffessor, time exists independently and it is not a consequence of arrow of time. Could some body explain this?
  21. robphy

    I "Testing the black-hole area law with GW150914"

    (I haven't been actively following this line of research... but I think it is possibly interesting reading. It's been in the science news today.) "Black Hole Area Law Tested" (synopsis) https://physics.aps.org/articles/v14/s87 "Testing the Black-Hole Area Law with GW150914" Maximiliano Isi...
  22. B

    Show that Faraday's Law holds

    I've calculated the negative time derivative of B(r, t) as: $$-\frac{\partial B}{\partial t} = k~\text x~E_0~\text{sin}(k \cdot r - \omega t + \phi)$$ The cross product can be easily expanded, I'd just rather not do the LaTeX for if I can avoid it. The Curl of the electric field...
  23. G

    Does Poiseuille's Law apply for vertical motion of fluids down a tube?

    I investigated the flow rate of differing dilutions of glycerol through an orifice of a vertical tube and obtained the following: I'm looking for a way to quantify these results so looked to Poiseuille's Law; I'm pretty sure my graph does not show inverse proportion? Could anyone advise me as...
  24. S

    Newton's 3rd law question -- A gun firing a bullet

    I'm confused by which forces should be equal to each other and what I solve for. How should I approach this problem?
  25. L

    Prove the Extended Law of Sines

    I just want to know if this proof is okay, and I would like advise on how to improve it. Proof: i. Proving that ∠BAC ⩭∠BDC: Let gamma be the circumscribed circle of ABC. Let D be the point on gamma such that DB is a diameter of gamma. The sum of the angles within a triangle equal to 180°. Adding...
  26. millo

    Faraday's law -- How is the RHS required for all surfaces?

    ∫c Edl =-d/dt∫sBda
  27. S

    I Special Theory of Relativity & Conservation of Mass

    Does the law of conservation of mass fail to meet the first postulate of the special theory of relativity(the laws of physics are the same in all inertial frames of reference)?
  28. D

    Cauchy's law from Lorentz model

    Hello fellow physicists, I need to prove that when ##\omega << \omega_0##, Lorentz equation for refractive indexes: ##n^2(\omega) = 1 + \frac {\omega^2_p} {\omega^2_0 - \omega^2}## turns into Cauchy's empirical law: ##n(\lambda)=A+\frac B {\lambda^2}## I also need to express A and B as a...
  29. JD_PM

    A Exploring Planck 2015 Results on Power Law Potential Models

    I am reading Planck 2015 results. In particular, I focused on "Power law potentials" subsection. The issues I have are 1. I do not understand why the validity of the model can be determined by the value of the ##B## mode. 2. Why the ##B## mode values ##\ln B = −11.6## and ##\ln B = −23.3## for...
  30. TonyCross

    Mixing Newton's law with Adiabatic Process

    I have attached an image showing the perimeters of the problem. I have included what I think is the solution, could someone please take a look and tell me if I am on the correct path, in the solution I am taking Joules as a common term to attempt to solve the question. The gas I have used is N...
  31. P

    Ampere's Law for a toroid (finding relative permeability of iron)

    Why is this equation: B(D - d)/mu + Bd = mu0 N I true? B = magnetic field in the hole of the toroid D = Average diameter of the toroid d = Diameter of hole of toroid mu = relative permeability of iron, or whatever the toroid is made of mu0 = 4pi x 10^-7 N = Number of turns on the toroid I =...
  32. DeathByKugelBlitz

    What exactly does the proposed 4th law of thermodynamics mean?

    'Every non-equilibrium state of a system or local subsystem for which entropy is well defined must be equipped with a metric in state space with respect to which the irreversible component of its time evolution is in the direction of steepest entropy ascent compatible with the conservation...
  33. P

    Thermodynamics problem (ideal gas law, kinetic theory, processes, etc.)

    It is a long problem, but it is simple to understand. I am having trouble with part A. My attempt: Pressure outside > pressure inside container. pV = constant (isothermal). At equilibrium, all gases are at atmospheric pressure. Because it is quasi-static, the pressures of both compartments are...
  34. Mayan Fung

    I How is Coulomb's Law compatible with quantum physics?

    In classical physics, we treat an electron as a point charge with a Coulomb potential ## V = \frac{q}{4\pi\epsilon_o r}##. However, in quantum mechanics, we treat it as an electron cloud. In this situation, how shall we describe the Coulomb potential? Shall we treat the electron as a charge...
  35. X

    Is Coulomb's law valid in a non-inertial frame?

    Hi, I was wondering, if the charges do not move in a non inertial frame and I don't move too in this frame, will I see the same Coulomb force, some fictitious forces and radiation coming from these static charges? Thanks!
  36. C

    Ohm's Law graphing inversed gradient value

    Hey all. This is about Ohm's Law (and specifically resistance). When you plot the change in current vs the change in voltage you should get a linear trend line (providing it is from an ohmic device). The gradient should be the resistance. My questions is why does the gradient value need to be...
  37. N

    MHB Limit of Newton's Law of Cooling....2

    Given u(t) = (u_0 - T)e^(kt) + T, find the limit of u(t) as t tends to 0 from the right side. The answer is u_0. How is the answer found? Seeking a hint or two. Can this Law of Cooling be graphed? If so, what does the graph look like?
  38. N

    MHB Limit of Newton's Law of Cooling....1

    Given u(t) = (u_0 - T)e^(kt) + T, find the limit of u(t) as t tends to positive infinity. The answer is T. How is the answer found? Seeking a hint or two.
  39. Demystifier

    Insights The Gravity of Laser Light: How Does It Impact Acceleration?

    [url="https://www.physicsforums.com/insights/tolman-law-in-a-nutshell/"]Continue reading...
  40. Mayhem

    Electrostatics: Coloumb's law and the Electric Field

    Hi. How does the charge ##q## relate to the charges ##q_1, q_2## (see equations). For example, if ##q_1## is an electron and ##q_2## is a proton, is ##q## just a product or sum or something else of the two? Also, in Columb's law, how would I conceptualize charges ##q_1, q_2## in a system of a...
  41. D

    Induced Electrical Field (Maxwell-Faraday's Law)

    As we know that the magnetic induction causes an electric current in a wire and Faraday has formulated his Electromotive equation ##\epsilon=-\frac{d\Phi}{dt}##. And then Maxwell-Faraday's equation is: ##\nabla \times E=-\frac{\partial B}{\partial t}##, until now this was just an introduction...
  42. Pipsqueakalchemist

    Engineering Solving Moment Equations with Newton's 2nd Law: Help Needed!

    So I set up 3 equation for this problem. 1st was the moment equation about point G, 2nd and 3rd were from applying Newton's 2nd law to each of the blocks. I thought once I set those equations up I could solve for alpha (angular acceleration) and then find acceleration of each block but when i...
  43. Pipsqueakalchemist

    Engineering Rigid body Newton’s law homework

    For this problem I know how to get the answers but I have a few things I’m not 100% sure about. First how do we know that the rod is experiencing centripetal motion? Second, when using moment about point G how do we know that the angular acceleration is equal to zero? And third the radius is 0.4...
  44. L

    Engineering Find the volume of a gas using Boyle's law

    Is this right go confused with the 37 degrees Q) pV = Constant pressure of a gas is ‘10’ (kPa) and the constant ‘37 degrees celcus’ = ‘0.6’, calculate the volume that the gas. pV = C C/p = V 0.6/10 = C V = 0.06
  45. L

    Engineering First Law ΔU = Q − W | Understanding & Math Example

    Is the non flow energy equation just the first law equation Im writing about the first law i write the definition and that the first law equation ΔU = Q − W or can be written as Equation: Q - W = (U2 - U1). Then gave a math example using Equation: Q - W = (U2 - U1) to show the first law...
  46. A

    Discover the Law of Levers: Uncovering Evidence and Documents | Prove It Now!

    Does anyone has any documents to prove (law of lever)? Thank you!
  47. J

    Finding temperature change, thermodynamics first law

    So I calculated the final and initial pressures using the given eqns, ended up with the final pressure of 96629 and initial pressure of 62639. Then I used the PV=nRT eqn to calculate the final and initial temperatures. T=P*V/(n*1.5*R). I got an initial temperature of 81.79 and a final...
  48. DavidGarcia

    Gauss Law general physics 2 question

  49. guyvsdcsniper

    Law of Conservation of energy and Wnc

    This is my understanding of the law of conservation of energy and the role non conservative forces factor into it. Could someone confirm if I have this right or explain where I am going wrong if I am? I would appreciate it. With the law of conservation of mechanical energy, ΔKE+ΔPE=0. This...
  50. T

    MTW Exercise 22.7 -- Calculate the law of local energy conservation for a viscous fluid with heat flow

    I've come to a grinding halt with this and I can't see a way forward. Can someone please take a look at what I've done so far and let me know if what I have done is OK and then if it is, give me a hint on how to proceed. First up, Is ## u \cdot \nabla \cdot T = u_\alpha...
Back
Top