When, if ever, will Einstein's Relativity become laws and not theories?

Answer 1

Eh.......you're not too bright

Light is bent around the Sun

Answer 2

Never.

Theories NEVER, EVER "grow up" to become laws.

A law is a simple empirical relationship that has been observed. For instance, Galileo's Law of Falling Bodies or Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion. In both of these cases, there was no theoretical backing to either of them when they were measured. So there was no deeper understanding as to why they happened.

A theory is a small set of starting assumptions (axioms) and the logical conclusions that follow from them. General Relativity's axioms are: (1) no local experiment can ever determine the laboratory's velocity, (2) The speed of light is c to all observers, and (3) inertial and gravitational mass are equal. Everything else in Relativity is a logical conclusion from these three statements.

Choosing the correct axioms is an art form, and it is what the most famous theorists are known for. Most theorists spend their lives deducing the logical conclusions, which allow experimentalists to go out and check them.

Theories make a wide range of predictions, even involving experiments that have not yet been performed. And when they make a prediction, everyone understands *why* it should be that way, because there is a chain of argument, starting at the axioms. A law makes one kind of prediction about one kind of experiment that has already been done many times, and does not provide any reasons for why things are the way they are. Good theories derive known laws. You can derive Kepler's Laws from General Relativity.

When the predictions of a theory have been thoroughly tested, and the theory hasn't failed, it becomes accepted as an explanation for the way the world works. Relativity is an accepted theory, which is the highest pinnacle a scientific idea can ever achieve.

Answer 3

Theory.
NOUN: 1. A set of statements or principles devised to explain a group of facts or phenomena, especially one that has been repeatedly tested or is widely accepted and can be used to make predictions about natural phenomena.

It is a mistake to believe that theory is simply an unfounded guess to explain how things work. The guess is rightfully called a hypothesis.

Hypothesis.
NOUN: 1. A tentative explanation for an observation, phenomenon, or scientific problem that can be tested by further investigation.

The important difference between theory and hypothesis is in the testing. The theory has been tested and validated through that testing...like Einstein's relativity has been in many ways. The hypothesis has not been tested, but it can be (given the resources).

Now, to scientific law, which is what you are talking about. Check this out:

"The concept of a scientific law is closely related to the concept of a scientific theory. A scientific law attempts to describe an observation in nature while a scientific theory attempts to explain it.' [See source.]

I personally think this is mincing words or splitting hairs. When we describe what we see (e.g., the acceleration of a box being pushed), that description typically includes an explanation (e.g., F = ma). By the way, the source also makes it clear the observations have to be replicable.

Be that as it may, the observation that time dilates as velocities approach the speed of light is, by the above statement, a law...who's law is up for grabs. Since time dilation has been observed in particle accelerators, perhaps the first observers in the lab should name it their law.

Answer 4

Your question indicates a basic misunderstanding about meanings of the term "law" and "theory" in the scientific world.

A "law" is a statement used to explain known physical phenomena under known conditions. The "Law of Gravity" explains the acceleration of bodies toward each other, under specific known conditions.

A "theory" is collection of laws which can be used to predict the outcome of experiments. Thus, Einstein's Theory of General Relativity is a collection of specific laws, such as the equivalence of matter and energy (E = mc²). Relativity will never become a "law" because it will always be a collection of more basic laws.

Answer 5

Theories do not become laws. Theories INCLUDE laws and facts and observations. They not only tell you what will happen, but WHY it will happen. Relativity, both Special and General, has been successfully tested on many occasions.

Answer 6

One of them became a law at the Trinity test site in New Mexico in 1945.

Answer 7

It will become a law when it can be proven that it happens every time or under specific rules. Otherwise it is just a theory. Short answer - probably never.

Answer 8

never

Answer 9

Hi. When they are proven.