Are Newton's three laws of motion essentially correct

AI Thread Summary
Newton's three laws of motion remain largely valid, especially the first and third laws, even when considered alongside the theory of relativity. The second law, while generally true, is more accurately expressed as F = dp/dt, emphasizing the relationship between force and momentum rather than simply mass and acceleration. Discussions highlight that Newton's ideas are seen as incomplete rather than incorrect, as they do not account for the variations of time, space, and mass at high velocities. The third law's applicability is debated, particularly in electromagnetic contexts, where it may not hold without considering the momentum of fields. Overall, Newton's principles continue to serve as foundational concepts in physics, despite being extended and refined by modern theories.
  • #51
But for all relativistic mechanics, it is the square of energy that can describe the linear momentum of light

E^2 = c^2 \mathbf{p}^2 + m^2 c^4

when the mass is zero, such as that for a photon, its energy becomes purely kinetic, then its momentum is

p =\frac{E}{c}

this implies that when mass is zero, the momentum turns from a vector into a scalar at the maximum speed of c. In other words, the photon has none of that directional properties. Its is motionless. So applying Newton's 1st law, the photon is either at rest or moving at a constant speed of c in an inertial frame of reference.
 
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  • #52
The virial theorem says that <T> = <V>/2, so the kinetic energy is
double the potential for a 1/r potentialv Also,we know that Newton's Third law works for gravity, which is a 1/r potential.
 
  • #53
In order to do this RIGHT you need to use 4 vector analysis which does
indeed have directions to it. The E = p*c is the magnitude of the
momentum. What is right is E = sqrt(p^2*c^2) where p^2 is really the
inner product of the regular momentum (as a vector).
 
  • #54
Thanks for the math. Gonna work on it some more till I am eligible for a PhD.
 
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