Astronomical reach of fundamental physics

Area of Science:

• Cosmology
• Astrophysics
• Fundamental Physics

Background:

• Understanding the characteristic masses of celestial objects is crucial for astrophysics and cosmology.
• Previous studies have explored mass limits for various objects, but a unifying framework based on fundamental constants is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To derive characteristic masses and sizes of key cosmic objects using fundamental physical constants.
• To illustrate the unifying power of physics and connections between micro and macro scales.
• To demonstrate how these masses relate to fundamental constants like Planck mass and Chandrasekhar mass.

Main Methods:

• Dimensional analysis
• Physical arguments
• Derivation of characteristic masses for stars, neutron stars, planets, white dwarfs, and galaxies.

Main Results:

• Characteristic masses of cosmic objects can be expressed using a few fundamental constants.
• Key masses are related to the Planck mass and Chandrasekhar mass.
• Demonstrated interrelationships between disparate cosmic scales.

Conclusions:

• Fundamental physical laws impose deep interrelationships across the universe.
• A unifying character of physical law governs both small and large cosmic structures.
• The derived framework provides insights into the formation and evolution of celestial bodies.