Chapter 4

The Partnership of Theory and Maths

Mathematics originated from the need to enumerate or count, and the requirement to
establish land area size, which were the practical problems that gave birth to mathematical
theories. A considerable quantity of mathematical theory at inception seemed at that time to
not remotely have been connected with any practical agent for solutions to highly practical
problems. As mathematics became more advanced so did the theories which it support.
Physics is a science of structure and interaction and are based like all other sciences on two
pillars observation and experimentation. A critical examination into a particular phenomenon
calls for additional experimentation under prearranged and controlled conditions. In order for
the meaning to be precise it requires the language of mathematics. We can make a
prediction which we in turn can test experimentally the outcome will indicate if the theory is
correct or require modification. When chemists and physicists describe the formation or
transformation of molecules in a chemical reaction they are using the same theory. An
astronomer use the same laws derived by physicists when they explain the disintegration of
a star or a spiral galaxy collapsing into its own gravitational field and are also true when an
archaeologist and palaeontologist use a radioactive dating technique.
The existence of theories are purposeful and only are useful if it accurately, ethically and
empower us to explain, predict and analyze critically. Theories are always being tested, after
all that is what theories are intended for, if it does not prove that which it is intended to the
theory fails and has to be changed, modified or do away with completely and be replaced
with a new theory.
This is so when Isaac Newton said that we could predict the future of the universe with utter
precision, if it were possible to know the position and velocity of every particle in the
universe. Heisenberg proved that it was impossible to understand the present in all its
incredible detail, because we can never know the position and momentum of even one
particle precisely at any given time. We also see this when Galileo Galilee proved that two
bodies of greater weight does not fall through equal distances in less time than do lighter
bodies. These theories was tested and found to be the contrary, then adapted, or changed.
In today’s modern physics nothing has a cause, but in which ways things occur and happens
group themselves, which is anything but random.
All substances are radioactive that spontaneously disintegrate, throwing off unstable particle
in ways which are totally uninfluenced, not by temperature, unaffected by chemical change
and is unfazed by electric or magnetic fields. We can observe this disintegration as the
wayward particles spin off. This action produces a visible trace on a fluorescent screen, but
is a process that cannot be predicted in any way not in theory can be conclusive in advance.
Schrödinger stated that a single atom’s probable lifetime is much less certain that that of a
healthy sparrow and nothing more can be said about it than this that as long as it lives the
chance that either could blow up in the next second remains the same. There is no relation
of an atom to its past history or to its present environment. David Bohn said that there is no
relationship what so ever, it is completely arbitrary in the sense it has to anything else that
exists in the world or that ever has existed.
Could there then be chaos or order in random events?
There is a definite pattern to such decay. The time that it takes for half the radioactive
substance to decay is well known and fixed. It varies from a millionth to a second to more
than a million years and is called the half life of an isotope. The half life of radon is 3, 825
days, the half life of radium is 1, 622 years and the half life of uranium is 4, 5 billion years,
and this is how long it takes for radon, radium and uranium to break down.
The paradox of probability is within the conjuring certainty out of a collection of random and
unrelated events and this is the Law of Large Numbers theory of Daniel Bernoulli. As the
number of events approaches infinity probability tends to become certainty. We can explain
this with two rabbits. If they share one flea only one rabbit can have this flea at any given
time. If we place the rabbits in a confined area for a week we will probably find at the end of
that week that the rabbits share the same amount of bites. This law works so well, that
should it fail there is good reason to look for alternative explanations. We thus see that
although the disintegration of a single atom is totally random and unpredictable, this cannot
be said of Large Numbers of such atoms, if disorder is sufficiently wide spread it creates
order. The outcome will become certain if uncertainties become ‘piled’ high enough, it
produces a pattern that has reason and meaning if there are enough random events.
If we place these two rabbits in an enclosed area, and it is supposed that each pair begets a
pair each month, how many rabbits will there be after let say nine months?
The accumulation will be as follow, in the 2nd month there will be one pair, in the 3rd month
three pairs, in the 4th month five pairs and so one.
The result is thirty four pairs in the 9th month.
The phenomenon is known as the Fibonacci Series, numbers of pairs produced within each
month is equal to the sum of pairs produced in every consecutive month.
Numbers group themselves together and you will find these numbers across nature in a ratio
of approximately 2. 3. The result could have been accepted on chance alone. The
significance of which is only in our understanding and perception.
Numbers that group remains to fascinate the imagination of man, to make mathematical
sense of existence itself, or could there be a human aspect involved?
Lyall Watson stated that it is too easy to get sidetracked and hypnotised by numerology.
Numbers has a ‘magic’ of ‘their own’ which tends to at times obscure the truth and to divert
proper investigation. With a required element of artistic creativity at timed, by looking at
something differently and by rearranging that which we have we might just find that which we
are looking for come to understand the workings of something that might have seemed to be
complex and in the end can turn out to be so simple.
The Periodic Table is a perfect example of how numbers can influence perception and logic,
after many trials and errors Mendeleyev discovered that, in order to make sense of the
elements he had to rearrange these elements into atomic weight and ended up with eight
vertical columns. As soon as he did this they fell into natural patterns with elements of similar
properties such as acidity, hardness and melting point all grouped together, by the end of
that day he had drawn up the Periodic Table which he refined later and he even successfully
predicted the element gallium, scandium and geranium only discovered in 1875 and 1885.
Until this day even after approximately 700 suggested versions his table remains unchanged
and unprecedented. The true test is that Mendeleyev deliberately left gaps which
subsequently have been filled with new elements.
We must keep in mind that theories alone cannot contribute in mankind’s advances, unless
these theories can be applied to prove beyond doubt, or when principle is applied, it does
work as intended.