4 ms·
True, but thinking of it as a "broken law" can be helpful in some situations. Relativity and Newtonian physics contradict each other at relativistic speeds, but
by dandelany 17y ago
True, but thinking of it as a "broken law" can be helpful in some situations. Relativity and Newtonian physics contradict each other at relativistic speeds, but it can be useful to think of these speeds as situations which "break" Newtonian laws and require the use of alternate laws rather than throwing out Newtonian laws entirely. F=MA is still considered "Newton's Second Law" regardless of the fact that it does not hold true in all situations.
Granted, this is a subtlety that scientists grasp easily, and laymen do not, so this article probably gave the wrong idea to many people who read it.