Concept:
In mechanical size reduction (comminution), different empirical laws are used to estimate the energy required depending on the starting and ending sizes of the particles.
Step 1: Kick's law states that the energy required is proportional to the ratio of the initial and final sizes (volume). It is most accurate for coarse crushing.
Step 2: Bond's law is an intermediate law that states energy is proportional to the square root of the surface-to-volume ratio. It is used for intermediate grinding.
Step 3: Rittinger's law postulates that the energy required for size reduction is directly proportional to the new surface area created during the milling process.
Step 4: When fine grinding is performed, a massive amount of new surface area is generated. Because Rittinger's law is fundamentally based on surface area creation, it is the applicable law for this scenario.