Relativity theory, physical laws

According to the special theory of relativity, all physical laws are postulated to be invariant in any inertial frame of reference. Furthermore, the equations of motion must be invariant under a Lorentz transformation. 

The general theory of quantum mechanics is now almost complete, the imperfections that still remain being in connection with the exact fitting in of the theory with relativity ideas. These give rise to difficulties only when high-speed particles are involved, and are therefore of no importance in the consideration of atomic and molecnlar stractnre and ordinary chemical reactions — The tmderly ing physical laws necessary for the mathematical theory of a large part of physics and the whole of chemistry are thns completely knowrt, and the difficulty is only that the exact application of these laws leads to eqrratiorrs much too complicated to be soluble ... 

In this work, Einstein s theory of special relativity (SRT) is fully accepted, with the supposition that it is valid in the region of the spacetime where v < c is possible only. There are many experimental proofs that support the concepts of SRT, which justify the main postulate c = constant. However, none of the experimental proofs for the validity of the special relativity concepts have led to the fundamental postulate c = constant being accepted as a physical law. It still remains a postulate, that is, an assumption. It is a justified assumption for the theory of special relativity, but still an assumption only [1-3]. 

In contrast, the first class of applications can require very precise solutions. Increasingly, computers are being used to solve very well defined but difficult mathematical problems. For example, as Dirac [1] observed in 1929, the physical laws necessary for the mathematical theory of a large part of physics and the whole of chemistry are completely known and it is only necessary to find precise methods for solving the equations for complex systems. In the intervening years fast computers and new computational methods have come into existence. In quantum chemistry, physical properties must be calculated to chemical accuracy (say, 0.001 Rydberg) to be relevant to physical properties. This often requires a relative accuracy of 10s or better. Monte Carlo methods are used to solve the electronic... 

The use of hypertext in information science is superior to a traditional linear presentation. It relies on a tree structure. However, it has a serious drawback. Sitting on a branch, we have no idea what that branch represents in the whole diagram, whether it is an important branch or a remote tiny one does it lead further to important parts of the book or it is just a dead end, and so on. At the same time, a glimpse of the TREE shows us that the thick trunk is the most important structure. What do we mean by important At least two criteria may be used. Important for the majority of readers, or important because the material is fundamental for an understanding of the laws of nature. I have chosen the first. For example, relativity theory plays a pivotal role as the foundation of physical sciences, but for the vast majority of chemists its practical importance and impact are much smaller. Should relativity be represented therefore as the base of the trunk, or as a minor branch I have decided to make the second choice not to create the impression that this topic is absolutely necessary for the student. Thus, the trunk of the TREE corresponds to the pragmatic way to study this book. 

Besides, if one of the reference systems moves relative to another, additional effects can appear. All these questions are the subjects of different theories of relativity, realizing the relationships between physical laws in reference systems moving relative each other (refer to Section 1.6). 

It is somewhat surprising that despite all of his contributions to science and engineering, including his work on Brownian motion and the theory of relativity, Albert Einstein (1879-1955) won his only Nobel Prize in 1921 for his services to Theoretical Physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect. ... 

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