conservation Laws In any physical process the following conservation laws always hold:
1. Conservation of energy: If we consider a closed system, the quantity S (moc2 + E) always remains constant. Where S moc2 is the total rest mass energy of the system, and S E is the total energy of all other kinds.
S
( moc2+ E ) = constant2. Conservation of linear momentum: When the resultant external force on a system is zero, the total vector momentum remains constant.
P = constant, when F external = 0
3. Conservation of angular momentum: When the resultant external torque on a system is zero, the total angular momentum is constant.
L = constant, when t external = 0
4. Conservation of charge: Total charge is conserved.
D
Q = 0In processes of elementary particles, there are other quantities which are conserved These are baryon number, lepton number, isotopic spin, strangeness and parity. These quantities and their conservation laws are discussed in elementary particles.