# How do famous physicists create their formulas?

1. ### timespeed

2
So how does one create a formula. I've seen that it starts with proportionalities and constants, but how does one connect a constant to a proportionality? Can you provide a step by step example?

2. ### Khashishi

I think you need to be a little more specific. Like, how did Newton come up with the formula ##F=ma##? Still, I don't see what you are trying to get at here.

3. ### mikeph

It starts with observation and insight, not proportionality and constants.

4. ### CWatters

Last edited by a moderator: Sep 25, 2014
5. ### ZeroPivot

54
they look into a cristalball and then they smoke ganja and pray to Manon. And then the formula just shows up in their dream in bright hot magenta (new times roman font).

6. ### Claude Bile

1,479
Famous or no, either one fits a formula to experimental observations (called empyrical formulae), or they are derived from more fundamental facts/assertions, where they are then subsequently tested against observation.

Claude.

7. ### timespeed

2
thank you cwatters