Related papers: In Praise of Slowness
Over the past year and a half we have developed an innovative approach to the teaching of `Physical Science', a general education course typically found in the curricula of nearly every college and university. The new approach uses popular…
This paper investigates the mathematical representation of time in physics. In existing theories time is represented by the real numbers, hence their formal properties represent properties of time: these are surveyed. The central question…
Formal definition of the reference frame is given. This definition is valid for nonrelativistic and relativistic cases. Proposed definition allows using wide classes of reference frames without restriction to inertial, uniformly accelerated…
We develop a theory for describing composite objects in physics. These can be static objects, such as tables, or things that happen in spacetime (such as a region of spacetime with fields on it regarded as being composed of smaller such…
Some thoughts are presented on the inter-relation between beauty and truth in science in general and theoretical physics in particular. Some conjectural procedures that can be used to create new ideas, concepts and results are illustrated…
This paper introduces a new object called the momentum tensor. Together with the velocity tensor it forms a basis for establishing the tensorial picture of classical and relativistic mechanics. Some properties of the momentum tensor are…
We elaborate on the existing notion that quantum mechanics is an emergent phenomenon, by presenting a thermodynamical theory that is dual to quantum mechanics. This dual theory is that of classical irreversible thermodynamics. The linear…
We present a general approach for the formulation of equations of motion for compact objects in general relativistic theories. The particle is assumed to be moving in a geometric background which in turn is asymptotically flat. Our approach…
We consider a very general class of theories, process theories, which capture the underlying structure common to most theories of physics as we understand them today (be they established, toy or speculative theories). Amongst these…
Newtonian gravity can be regarded as a hypothetic-deductive system where the inverse square law is the starting point from which gravitational phenomena are deduced. This operational form of presenting gravity endorses problem solving and…
Renewed interest in deriving gravity (more precisely, the Einstein equations) from thermodynamics considerations [1, 2] is stirred up by a recent proposal that 'gravity is an entropic force' [3] (see also [4]). Even though I find the…
It is demonstrated that energy conservation allows for a straight derivation of Newtonian mechanics without an apriori definition of the concept of work. Furthermore it is shown that energy must be depicted as a function of position and…
Many have wondered how mathematics, which appears to be the result of both human creativity and human discovery, can possibly exhibit the degree of success and seemingly-universal applicability to quantifying the physical world as…
We speculate on the role of relativistic versions of delayed differential equations in fundamental physics. Relativistic invariance implies that we must consider both advanced and retarded terms in the equations, so we refer to them as…
We present the theory of special relativity here through the lens of differential geometry. In particular, we explicitly avoid any reference to hypotheses of the form "The laws of physics take the same form in all inertial reference frames"…
In this paper, we consider a moving rigid solid immersed in a potential fluid. The fluid-solid system fills the whole two dimensional space and the fluid is assumed to be at rest at infinity. Our aim is to study the inverse problem,…
It is a common view in philosophy of physics that thermodynamics is a non-fundamental theory. This is motivated in particular by the fact that thermodynamics is considered to be a paradigmatic example for a theory that can be reduced to…
A derivation of the relative velocity used in the definition of the relativistic cross-section is given in terms of manifestly Lorentz invariant quantities. Along the way we find that there is a certain arbitrariness in the usual definition…
A null ray approaching a distant astronomical source appears to slow down, while a massive particle speeds up in accordance with Newtonian gravitation. The integration of these apparently incompatible aspects of motion in general relativity…
We postulate the applicability of the general form-invariance principle in special relativity. It is shown that this principle holds in classical mechanics. Some examples of transformations between the reference frames which satisfy this…