Smallest set of fundamental physical constants?

[PeetH]

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 question is: what is the smallest set of physical constants, by which all other contants of nature, in principle, can be derived? How many are needed? I know the set is probably not unique, but a sensible set then. I guess three of them would be the speed of light in vacuum, Plancks constant and Newtons gravitational constant.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Dale]

I like this page on the topic:
http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/constants.html

 

[PeetH]

Hi DaleSpam, thanks for the link. Very interesting page. I guess these 26 constants are the most fundamental if we look so deep into the fundamentals of particle physics. So I surely got, what I asked for :-).

But if we lift us up, just above this very deep level, where Plancks constant, speed of light etc. is considered as universal constants, is there a similar collection of independent constants, from which you could calculate all others.

I'm quite sure JMK said 6 or 7 such constants, but unfortunately without specifing which. What could he had ment? He was primarily an astrophycisist, so he was probably not that deeply immersed into the field of particle physics.

 

[DennisN]

I'm quite sure JMK said 6 or 7 such constants, but unfortunately without specifing which. What could he had ment? He was primarily an astrophycisist, so he was probably not that deeply immersed into the field of particle physics.

It's tough to say, since we don't know what he said, what he meant, or when he said it (which year).

I would link to exactly the same page as in post #2 above, but DaleSpam had already done it .

 

[pmacias]

I would say that the smallest set of fundamental physical constants is a topic of ongoing research and debate in the scientific community. While some may argue that there are only seven fundamental constants, others may argue for more or less. It is also important to note that the concept of a "fundamental" constant may change as our understanding of the universe evolves.

Currently, the most widely accepted set of fundamental physical constants includes the speed of light in vacuum, Planck's constant, and the gravitational constant. These constants are essential in understanding and describing the fundamental forces and laws of nature. However, there are also other constants that are considered fundamental, such as the mass of the electron and the fine structure constant.

Ultimately, the answer to the question of the smallest set of fundamental physical constants may never be fully agreed upon, as it is constantly evolving with new discoveries and theories in the field of physics. What is certain is that these constants play a crucial role in our understanding of the universe and its workings.