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Elementary Constants of Nature
Author(s) -
Hantzsche E.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
annalen der physik
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.009
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1521-3889
pISSN - 0003-3804
DOI - 10.1002/andp.19905020505
Subject(s) - physical constant , character (mathematics) , theoretical physics , meaning (existential) , notice , natural (archaeology) , point (geometry) , relation (database) , epistemology , physics , constant (computer programming) , mathematics , philosophy , computer science , quantum mechanics , law , history , geometry , political science , archaeology , database , programming language
Elementary constants of nature play a decisive role in physics, though they are not taken notice in most physical investigations, compared with the much more interesting variables: They are normally regarded as a kind of self‐evident ingredients or accessories of physical laws. However, from a more general point of view such a neglect is not justified. In this commenting paper several aspects of the occurrence, the meaning and measurement, of the origin, the character and the properties of elementary constants are discussed, as well as the use of such constants to define “natural” unit systems. The question of variability is mentioned, and finally the deep roots of fundamental constants in nature are emphasized.