Five Reasons You Should Fall In Love With Abstract Definition In Science

January 03, 2020

An abstract definition in science is a term that is used to define a scientific concept without giving an explanation or providing any supporting data. It is usually presented as a simplification, a description without the attendant details, or as a limitation of a given theory. In mathematics it is a term applied to a group of notions such as algebra, geometry, calculus, etc. In physics, the term is used to refer to a set of general concepts rather than a precise definition.

An abstract definition is important in science because theories can be tested and changed on a large scale. If a new theory is developed, it has to be tested against observations and results. A new hypothesis has to be tested and accepted if it is to be tested against the existing theories. This means that no concrete proof can be given for a theory, unless a test can be performed using concrete tools that are independent of both the theory and of the observation being tested. The result of such a test is then used as a principle by which new theories are formed.

For instance, the definition of gravity given earlier mentioned is an abstract definition. This means that it cannot be proved or disproved by any precise experiment, and if it is accepted at all, it is an assumption. As a matter of fact, many physical theories have been derived from general physical laws and also from observations. So an abstract definition in science refers to those concepts, which can be derived from general laws and also from observations.

An abstract definition in science is therefore a generalization of some physical or chemical phenomena, without providing a detailed explanation. Some of them may have been explained previously, but their details have not been detailed and can be studied on their own. Others have been derived from observations but their exact nature has not been defined. It can therefore be said to be a limitation or an approximatum of the real phenomena.

It is not difficult to find an abstract definition in science. A number of physical laws have been derived from observations or from predictions by general theories. The general theory of relativity is such a law. It has been simplified by the use of a set of definite measurements, whose values can be tested with experiments. Another example is the law of conservation of energy, which was explained by Einstein.

Many other physical concepts and laws have also been formulated abstractly, so that we have them even without making detailed physical descriptions. For example, the law of conservation of energy has been explained abstractly by the Planck's constant, which is a constant measured in special cases. The prime number theory is also an example. It has been explained by quantum mechanics, but its description has not been detailed.

Many natural sciences also have a great number of examples of concrete, physical laws, and thus a great number of abstract definitions. For example, in physics, the definition of the definite quantity (the definite density) is a mathematical formula used to express it as a ratio, so that we can calculate the properties of mass and energy. The definition of energy also expresses the results of measuring the work done by heat and light. We know how to calculate these quantities, because they are part of a precise description of the physical world.

As you see, there are many concrete definitions of a definition, and many scientific theories describe the results of smaller abstract formulations. Thus, the question “which is the best definition of the law of gravity” can hardly be answered with any certainty. In the end, only your knowledge of nature will help you decide.