What’s the connection between Nature and Mathematics?

The magic of science

Nature has its deep connection with mathematics. The idea of mathematics was developed from natural processes and incidents.

Mathematics is the study of quality, quantity, structure, space and change through numerical language. Everything that exists in nature and each of the natural processes are the main objects of observation in Mathematics. While studying maths as an academic subject, most of the students find it difficult to understand. But, we all are surrounded with mathematical equations and calculations.

Firstly, counting is a mathematical process. So, numerical series and numerical formulas are most common in nature.

In trees

The orientation of leaves, the flowers, the fruits, the branches, and the tissues of trees are very mathematical. Counting is obviously a mathematical process. Shapes of branches, leaves, flowers, are also very mathematical. Besides,

  • Phyllotaxy is the study of leaves and their orientations. This subject is completely based on maths.
  • Inflorescence or study of floral arrangement is based on maths.
  • Carbon dating or age counting of trees is also a mathematical process.
  • Defying the shape of a fruit, flower or leaf is possible only with help of maths.

In birds

Hope everyone notices that birds do fly in a group while travelling from one space to another. And they fly in a specific pattern. That pattern differs from species to species. Some follow the pattern of Fibonacci series, some follow Malicacy series. Some follow some other pattern. But all of them have specific patterns of flying.

In natural processes

All the natural processes do follow some mathematical patterns. Some easy examples we can see in water cycle, air flow, water falls. Axial motion and rotational motion of earth are also very essential examples of nature's relation with mathematics. The change of time is itself a mathematical process.

In living bodies

The pulse rate, heart rate, blood pressure, elements of blood like Haemoglobin, Hemocyanin, Red Blood Corpuscles, White blood corpuscles, platelets, and other body fluids like hormones, urine and all their elements are present in the body of a living being in some specific mathematical terms.

Thus, we are surrounded by mathematics. Also, any change in nature or any natural process follows some mathematical equation. Any shape present in nature, as much as explained till now, is only explainable through maths. But there is a huge yet to discover.