Worldbuilding 101: Physics

Geometry, Mathematics, Volume, Surface

Physics are actually important in story telling, believe it or not. The physics of your world determines a lot of important things. Now a lot of books take place on Earth or Earth-like planets, so you don't need to worry about it so much if you're doing that, but it is necessary to determine the physics of your planet if your goal is to make it different from Earth.

Luckily for us, we have data on various planets both inside and outside of the solar system that can be used for reference. However, a good general rule is that the bigger the planet is, the stronger the gravity is. As it turns out, anything that wieghs 100 pounds on Earth, will weigh 240 pounds on Jupiter. That's 140% more weight than on Earth.

If your physics are different, then they will dictate how certain things work. Most creatures cannot live if the atmospheric pressure is too great, because then they will collapse under the weight. Likewise, if the pressure is too low, then they will literally explode, as the pressure inside their bodies is greater than the pressure around them. Therefore, if you want to have a working ecosytem, then the living organisms within that system must have bodily functions and features that take the surrounding environment and physics into account.

It is advisable to research further on individual planets, and various natural environments on Earth, and adapt your organisms accordingly once you have decided upon the assorted factors that make up the world's scientific laws.

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