Re: 4/3 problem resolution/Action-reaction paradox in pdf format

[Bob Sciamanda <trebor@VELOCITY.NET>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "David Rutherford" <drutherford@SOFTCOM.NET>
To: <PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu>
Sent: Monday, June 18, 2001 4:56 PM
Subject: Re: 4/3 problem resolution/Action-reaction paradox in pdf format


> On Mon, 18 Jun 2001 10:51:55 -0400, Bob Sciamanda <trebor@VELOCITY.NET>
>
> wrote:
>
> > David,
> > Sorry, in my haste I did not notice the words "both frames" in your post
> > (below).  The general proof shows that momentum is conserved in inertial
> > frames.  We do not expect momentum to be conserved in non-inertial
frames.
> Are you saying that the momentum of the particles+fields is not
> conserved in non-inertial frames?

Yes!

Suppose I am in a room with a pool table on which sits a set of pool balls,
at rest with respect to the table and the room.  If I now go into some
erratic motion (eg., do a somersault) so that I become a non-inertial
observer, I will observe that the momentum of the pool ball system changes
in time (is not conserved) as observed from my non-inerial frame.  So why
should I expect the momentum of a fields+particles system to be constant as
viewed from my non-inertial frame?

Bob Sciamanda (W3NLV)
Physics, Edinboro Univ of PA (em)
trebor@velocity.net
www.velocity.net/~trebor