Deformations of spacetime and internal symmetries

Abstract: Algebraic deformations provide a systematic approach to generalizing the symmetries of a physical theory through the introduction of new fundamental constants. The applications of deformations of Lie algebras and Hopf algebras to both spacetime and internal symmetries are discussed. As a specific example we demonstrate how deforming the classical flavor group $SU(3)$ to the quantum group $SU_q(3)\equiv U_q(su(3))$ (a Hopf algebra) and taking into account electromagnetic mass splitting within isospin multiplets leads to new and exceptionally accurate baryon mass sum rules that agree perfectly with experimental data.