E-Book Content
The Natural Laws of the Universe Understanding Fundamental Constants Jean-Philippe Uzan and BeÂneÂdicte Leclercq The Natural Laws of the Universe Understanding Fundamental Constants Published in association with Praxis Publishing Chichester, UK Dr Jean-Philippe Uzan CNRS ± Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris Paris France Dr BeÂneÂdicte Leclercq Pour la science Paris France Original French edition: De l'importance d'eÃtre une constante Published by # Dunod, Paris 2005 Ouvrage publie avec le concours du MinisteÁre francËais charge de la culture ± Centre national du livre This work has been published with the help of the French MinisteÁre de la Culture ± Centre National du Livre Translator: Bob Mizon, 38 The Vineries, Colehill, Wimborne, Dorset, UK SPRINGER±PRAXIS BOOKS IN POPULAR ASTRONOMY SUBJECT ADVISORY EDITOR: John Mason B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. ISBN 978-0-387-73454-5 Springer Berlin Heidelberg New York Springer is a part of Springer Science + Business Media (springeronline.com) Library of Congress Control Number: 2008921345 Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside those terms should be sent to the publishers. # Copyright, 2008 Praxis Publishing Ltd. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. Cover design: Jim Wilkie Copy editing and graphics processing: Alex Whyte Typesetting: BookEns Ltd, Royston, Herts., UK Printed in Germany on acid-free paper Table of Contents Foreword Acknowledgements ix xi Introduction Cat among the pigeons Searchlights into the past Inspired ± or cranky? The joys of oxymoron `Constantology' 1 1 1 2 5 6 1 Foundations: universality in physics Universal truths Harmonious ellipses Inertia and relativity The fall . . . of accepted ideas `Grave' revelations: gravity Measure in all things The value of a constant A fruitful expedition 7 8 9 13 14 15 17 19 20 2 Fundamental constants: pillars of the edifice An inventory of constants The flavour of the times A `select' list The limits of explanation A classification of constants One weight, one measure The decimal system An international system The atom: a universal reference Measuring time The evolution of constants The disappearance of constants The inquiry goes on 21 21 22 23 24 25 25 27 28 30 32 33 34 35 vi Table of Contents 3 Planning the edifice: structure of theories Fast, but there is a limit A wave. . . . . .and an electromagnetic one The invisible ether New syntheses G for `great leaps forward' Gravity and space-time General relativity: from success to success Getting to grips with the black body Quanta of light A planetary system in the atom Some disconcerting physics Syntheses and limits The cube of physical theories 37 37 39 41 41 43 44 46 47 48 51 52 54 54 56 4 Proportions: dimensionless parameters Coherent units The SysteÁme International (SI) A trio of irreducibles Dimensionless physics? Natural units Essential parameters What if they were different? Prime suspect 59 59 60 61 63 64 66 67 69 5 Atoms under close examination The lines explained Fine structure . . .