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Why do most formulas in physics have integer exponents?

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Most formulas in physics have integer exponents. No other answer really challenges this hypothesis. To have an irrefutable proof of that hypothesis, we would need to fully enumerate all formulas in physics and divide them into those with integer exponents and those with non-integer exponents. read more

If y is some quantity involving units with non-integer, but rational exponents like newtons^(2/3) meters^(1/2) / sec^(2/10) then you can raise y to a power that makes all the exponents integers. If raise both sides of the equation to that power, you have a physical law. read more

It is likely that all these simple integer exponents can be traced to symmetries of various kinds, so because we look for symmetries and find them, we discover useful concepts like mass and force, that can be used in simple formulas. read more

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