STADIA / NUMBERS & THE UNIVERSE
The universe.
Written in equations.
Understand the symbols.
Discover the physical relationship.
From motion and gravity to Einstein’s relativity: learn what a formula means, how to read it and where it applies.
Explore the equations ↓How to understand a formula →PHYSICAL LAWS / MATHEMATICAL MODELS
A formula expresses
a relationship.
The symbols in a physical equation describe measurable quantities or mathematical structures. Understanding the equation means connecting the symbols with an experiment, a prediction or a model.
Different theories work in different regimes. Newtonian mechanics describes many everyday situations very well. Relativity becomes essential for high speeds, strong gravity and precise spacetime measurements.
There is no experimentally established single equation that fully describes every phenomenon. Quantum theory and general relativity remain distinct frameworks, and a complete account of quantum gravity is still an open problem.
THE METHOD / UNDERSTAND BEFORE CALCULATING
How to read a physical formula
- Name the quantities. What does each symbol mean, and what can be measured?
- Check the units. Both sides must describe the same kind of quantity.
- Read the relationship aloud. Which quantities multiply, divide or appear squared?
- Change one quantity. Predict the effect while keeping the others fixed.
- Check the assumptions. Is the model classical or relativistic? Is the field weak? Is the speed constant?
Dimensional consistency is necessary but does not prove that a physical law is correct. Predictions must be compared with observations.
FROM NEWTON TO EINSTEIN
Six equations, explained step by step.
Motion and change
The symbols
F: net force in newtons; m: constant mass in kilograms; a: acceleration in metres per second squared.
Read the relationship
Read it as: the net force equals the mass multiplied by the acceleration. Acceleration describes a change of velocity, not velocity itself.
A worked example or first reading step
A net force of 10 N acting on a mass of 2 kg gives an acceleration of 5 m/s². Doubling the force doubles the acceleration if the mass is unchanged.
Conditions and limits
For constant mass in an inertial frame, within classical mechanics. Force and acceleration are vectors; this scalar form can describe one chosen direction.
Newtonian gravity
The symbols
G: gravitational constant; m₁ and m₂: the two masses; r: distance between their centres for spherical bodies.
Read the relationship
The force grows with each mass and decreases with the square of separation. The formula gives the magnitude of an attractive force.
A worked example or first reading step
Keep both masses fixed and double r. The denominator becomes 4r², so the force becomes one quarter of its previous value.
Conditions and limits
Exact for ideal point masses in Newtonian gravity; also applies to separated spherically symmetric bodies. It is a useful approximation in weak gravitational fields with slow motion.
Special relativity: time
The symbols
Δτ: proper time measured by a clock between events on its path; Δt: time interval in an inertial frame; v: constant clock speed in that frame; c: speed of light in vacuum.
Read the relationship
An inertial observer assigns a longer time interval than the elapsed time on a clock moving at constant speed relative to that observer. The moving clock measures its own proper time normally.
A worked example or first reading step
At v = 0.6c, γ = 1/√0.64 = 1.25. If the moving clock records 8 seconds between two events, the inertial frame assigns 10 seconds.
Conditions and limits
This calculation assumes constant relative speed and neglects gravity. Comparing twins who reunite requires analysing their complete paths, not simply applying this formula symmetrically.
Mass and energy
The symbols
E₀: rest energy in joules; m: invariant mass in kilograms; c = 299,792,458 m/s in vacuum.
Read the relationship
A system has rest energy associated with its mass. This is not the same as saying all of that energy is available for extraction.
A worked example or first reading step
For m = 1 kg, E₀ is approximately 8.99 × 10¹⁶ J. Squaring c includes squaring its units: kg × m²/s² is a joule.
Conditions and limits
E₀ is rest energy. More generally E² = p²c² + m²c⁴, where p is momentum magnitude. A photon has zero rest mass and can still carry energy.
General relativity: spacetime
The symbols
Gμν: Einstein tensor, built from spacetime curvature; gμν: metric tensor; Λ: cosmological constant; Tμν: stress–energy tensor; G without indices: gravitational constant.
Read the relationship
This is a set of tensor equations relating spacetime geometry to energy, momentum and stresses. The indices label spacetime components: the equation is not a single ordinary multiplication exercise.
A worked example or first reading step
Begin by separating the two sides: the left describes geometry, while the right describes physical sources. Then study how a metric defines distances and time intervals before attempting a full calculation.
Conditions and limits
General relativity is a classical theory. It is not a complete quantum theory of gravity. The equation requires a matter model and initial or boundary conditions; notation and sign conventions must be stated.
The expanding universe
The symbols
v: recession speed inferred in the nearby-universe approximation; d: distance; H₀: present expansion rate.
Read the relationship
For nearby galaxies following the large-scale expansion, recession speed is approximately proportional to distance. H₀ is the present value of an expansion rate that evolves with cosmic time.
A worked example or first reading step
Using 70 km/s/Mpc purely as an illustrative value: at 10 Mpc, the expansion contribution is approximately 700 km/s. Local peculiar motions can also affect observations.
Conditions and limits
This nearby relation is not a universal conversion of any redshift into speed. At large distances, cosmological distances and redshifts require an expansion model. The illustrative H₀ value is not a claim of a settled measurement.
THE MATHEMATICS BEHIND THE PHYSICS
Build the foundations in order.
Algebra and proportions
Rearrange an equation and isolate an unknown. In F = ma, dividing both sides by m gives a = F/m when m is nonzero.
Vectors and derivatives
A vector has magnitude and direction. Velocity is the time derivative of position; acceleration is the time derivative of velocity. Derivatives describe local rates of change.
Geometry and tensors
A metric describes spacetime intervals. A tensor represents relationships whose components change systematically under a change of coordinates. This is the language used in general relativity.
The route to the field equations includes calculus, linear algebra and differential geometry. It is possible to understand their physical role before mastering a full tensor calculation.
FROM SPACETIME TO COSMOLOGY
How does the expansion evolve?
The cosmological scale factor a(t) describes how separations between ideal comoving locations change. The expansion rate is H(t) = ȧ(t)/a(t), where the dot means a derivative with respect to cosmic time.
This is the first Friedmann equation for a spatially flat, homogeneous and isotropic model. Here ρ is the mass-equivalent density of matter and radiation; the cosmological-constant contribution is written separately to avoid counting it twice.
It relates the expansion rate to the contents of the model. Other equations describe how those contents evolve; one equation alone does not determine the complete history of the universe.
Spatial flatness is an assumption in this displayed form, not a statement that spacetime has no curvature. A more general Friedmann equation includes a spatial-curvature term.
ANOTHER WAY TO PRACTISE MATHEMATICS
Patterns, repetition
and fractals.
Our existing laboratory explores mathematical patterns. It complements this physics introduction by letting you practise prediction, calculation and explanation.
Open the patterns laboratory →Change one quantity and predict the result before calculating.
Keep track of the operations, the symbols and their meanings.
Connect the numerical answer with the underlying relationship.