Physical Laws and the Theory of Special Relativity
Georg Galeczki
Keywords: physical law, diffusion equation, radioactive decay, conservation principles
The meaning of a physical law is discussed. A distinction is made between specific laws such as: the 1/r2 law, the diffusion equation, the law of radioactive decay, Hubble's law, and fundamental laws such as conservation principles. The status of Maxwell's equations is reexamined. It is concluded that: a) physical laws pertain to closed systems, b) physical laws are formulated in inertial reference frames, determined by the center of mass of the closed system, c) there exists a unique, global inertial reference frame, and d) physical laws need not be Lorentz covariant.
