What Happens If We Change Just One Physical Constant?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion explores the implications of altering a single physical constant, such as the gravitational constant or the speed of light, and how such changes might affect other constants and the fundamental forces of nature. The scope includes theoretical considerations and speculative scenarios regarding the nature of constants in physics.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions whether changing the gravitational constant would necessitate changes in other constants, suggesting a potential interconnectedness of physical laws.
  • Another participant speculates that altering the speed of light could drastically impact the strength of the electromagnetic force, raising questions about the broader consequences of such a change.
  • There is a query about which constant would be the most catastrophic to change, implying a concern for the stability of the universe.
  • One participant asserts that if a value could change, it would no longer be considered a constant, prompting further discussion about the definition of constants.
  • A later reply introduces the idea of values in other universes, suggesting a broader context for the discussion.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the implications of changing physical constants, with no consensus reached on the interconnectedness of constants or the potential consequences of such changes.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include assumptions about the nature of constants and their interdependencies, as well as the speculative nature of discussing alternate universes.

Lamdbaenergy
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So, I know that there are already three absolutely mandatory physical constants, like the gravitational constant, the Planck constant, and the speed of light. But what if you only changed the value of one constant? For example, if you changed the value of the gravitational constant to 4.4663 x 10^ -19, would other constants change too, or would they stay the same? In another case, you end up changing the light constant from 299,792,458 meters per second to only 45,643,111 meters per second. I'm pretty sure that would inevitably mean a drastic change in the strength of the electromagnetic force, but would it also lead to a change in pretty much all other constants, also?

One last thing, which constant would be the worst to change? Like, "destroy a universe" kind of worst?
 
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Sommerfield's Fine Structure Constant 7.29735257×10−3
 
if the value could change, it wouldn't be a constant any more, aye
 
davenn said:
if the value could change, it wouldn't be a constant any more, aye

Alright, but what about values in other universes?
 

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