Re: Constraint and inertia

[Ludwik Kowalski <KowalskiL@MAIL.MONTCLAIR.EDU>]

Coincidentally, there is a "Mass Without Mass" note by F. Wilczek
on page 11 of Physics Today (November, 1999).  It focuses on the
attribute appearing in E=m*c^2. Is it mass or inertia? Unfortunately,
the limited background prevented me from being anything but a
spectator at the end of column 1. What do I know about the quantum
field theory, modern Standard Model, and "colors" of gluons?

Leigh Palmer wrote:

> > Some people say inertia instead of mass. Why do we need
> > another term for mass? Inertia is not a physical quantity.
> > Newton's first law is called the law of inertia, the law of
> > tendency to preserve velocity.
>
> Mass is the coefficient of inertia. It expresses the strength
> of the tendency to "preserve velocity" quantitatively. "Mass"
> has another function, its gravitational effect. Thus "inertia"
> refers only to one attribute of mass. The terms are not
> interchangeable in all contexts.
>
> Leigh