Space-reflection Symmetry (Noun)
Meaning
(physics) parity is conserved in a universe in which the laws of physics are the same in a right-handed system of coordinates as in a left-handed system.
Classification
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents.
Examples
- In a universe with space-reflection symmetry, the laws of physics remain unchanged when a left-handed system is transformed into a right-handed one.
- Physicists believed that space-reflection symmetry was an intrinsic property of the universe, governing the behavior of particles and forces at all scales.
- However, some theories predicted that space-reflection symmetry might be broken in certain extreme conditions, such as in the presence of exotic matter.
- Experiments on parity violation revealed that space-reflection symmetry is not always conserved in the universe, leading to a reevaluation of the fundamental laws of physics.
- The discovery of CP-violation in particle physics demonstrated that space-reflection symmetry is not a perfect symmetry, even in the quantum realm.