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F=ma; new strain...



I asked about a year ago about the same time a question that still vexes me;
but for which I have no reasonable solution beyond some categorical response
I received that involved Einstein's theory of General Relativity, which I
could hardly provide for students as a rationale.

I would like to pose the question again...

Mass (the "amount" of something) is directly connected to the force of
gravitational attraction: Weight.

We also define mass according to the measure of inertia, i.e., more massive
objects "carry" more inertia.

I remember my college professors constantly alluding the fact that inertial
mass is always equal to gravitational mass. But why is this true? Wherein
lies the equivalency? The "inertial mass" should be completely independent
of a gravitational field, right?

How can I explain this to my high-school students?