Thanks for putting the real scientific terms behind a lot of questions I am asking...it is making it easier to look things up. Before I go any further, I am not trying question the very foundations of science...I fully recognize that I need to reading in many areas. Having said that, the other...
How would you define particle/mass...someone on this thread suggested anything that resists change and that seems reasonable...perhaps a little too inclusive, but it's the best thing that I can digest conceptually.
I think you are answering your own question...we have the concept of mass because it is convenient and works real well in the Newtonian world...it does not tell you anything about the universe...granted that is a very tall order to come up with a formula that actually gives us insight. What is...
Generally speaking, the intro chem courses are based on empirical data. It's not until you get into the later courses where they basically tell you that the stuff you learned in the first year isn't quite accurate. The subsequent chem courses try to use basic concepts to derive formulas that...
:smile: I think that is why I majored in chemistry...less empirically derived formulas...but the questions physics seeks to answer are definitely funner to think about. Point well made. Though, string theory is not empirically derived which is probably why, in my opinion, it has attracted a...
In reference to empirically derived formulas.
I get nauseated when I see an empirically derived formula...they tell us very little. The ideal gas law PV=nRT, does a decent job at cranking out accurate numbers...doesn't do a thing for telling us how gases behave at the atomic level. Well...
Thanks for your reply. I'll have to ponder the concept of mass being defined as anything that resists change...interesting concept...I like the fact that it is unitless. Never could understand "kilogram" - what the heck is that metaphysically speaking. Let me take that and do a layman review...
Definitely, for teaching purposes, billiard balls are definitely convenient. But for explaining black holes and quantum mechanics the whole thing breaks down. I will, however, take some time to read about your other suggestions in the physics world where "mass" may be necessary.
At the end of the day we don't actually measure a particle. We have no idea that it exists...it's a garbage pail variable incorporating a number of concepts that we don't understand. What is the physical basis for it's existence other than empirical observation. Does it make sense that the...
At the end of the day we don't actually measure a particle. We measure a force applied to the particle. I don't see the need for "building blocks" in our physical universe.
One thing I don't understand is that most of our theories include particles...the oversimplified analogy is, of course, balls on a billiard table. Even the "theory of everything" or String Theory/M-theory tries to explain everything with one particle and one force. My question is this...why do...