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little "g"--my summary



Thanks, phys-l community. This has been useful.

I've decided, after reading the discussion about little g, to use the
following terms in my writing and editing projects.

Since there are two uses of "g", there need to be two terms and, I
think, two symbols.

When we really mean an acceleration, then it's a(sub)g, the "freefall
acceleration."

When we mean 9.8 N/kg, for use in W=mg, then it's just g, the
gravitational (field) strength. In lower level classes, the shortened
"gravitational strength" will do, and is easily understood to
measure gravitational influence. "g" is bigger near the earth's
surface than on the moon. For more advanced classes, call it what it
is, the gravitational field strength.

These get away from the awkwardness of "local constant" and such, and
are short enough to be actually used in instruction.

Ok. To my word processor.

JEG

By the way, I just noticed that IP3 skirts the whole issue with just
"gravity."
==================
John E. Gastineau
304 296 1966
Morgantown, WV
http://www.badgerden.com/~gastineau
email: gastineau@badgerden.com <==== NEW as of 10/1/96