How equal is a conserved quantity as-before-as-now. Reply

For just a little sharing instead of writing voluminously on a blog that no-one (including myself) has a time or will to read.

When we say something is conserved (in Physics) we mean to say they are EQUAL as-before-as-now. Just how equal?

Classically we would claim exactly. But classical mechanics is a dogma held for too long. We know now its quantum mechanics that rules the roost (and eats it too, and claims its tasty even if cooked by itself)

So classically there is something called symmetry. A symmetry is like this. You do something to something else and yet certain property of that latter did not change. That idea of non-change is conservation. The idea that such a thing is possible is symmetry. eg you stand in front of the mirror. You notice that its you, although your nostrils are flipped and so on. But overall its you. eg not someone else. eg while the mirror changes certain direction of yours (left hand appears on right and so on) OVERALL its you and mirror does not change the identity of yours.

Here conservation corresponds to Your Identity, which is overall conserved (unless you take a very bad mirror). Symmetry is the fact that the property of identity remains intact. (also called beauty because the amount of beauty isn’t affected by mirror, just kidding, but certainly your beauty content isn’t changed much by plain mirrors. ) and Transformation (or certain changes that are allowed) is the way light is taken in a backward direction to form your image. (in Physics its called space or parity transformation)

That’s all a classical concept. In other-words an overall, big sized process. But in reality there are an infinitely large dimensions in which changes are taking place. And some changes are not symmetry (or your identity is lost or modified, due to the subtle nature of reality)

So due to this subtle and complex change (in so many dimensions) non-symmetry or loss of beauty or loss of symmetry doesn’t necessarily show up on a perceivable scale. While overall conservation might be there, some of it might be lost.

Equal as-before-as-now is merely an overall ideal and conservation and symmetry are not very precisely equal. This is a result of multiple (as many as a huge number) possibilities and multiple changes to subtle properties and subtle invalidity of reality.

The above is also what reflects itself as whats called spontaneous symmetry breaking. (although in mathematical and physical calculations it results from much deeper and advance logical frameworks of understanding) …

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