Re: Definition of Capacitance

[John Mallinckrodt <ajm@CSUPOMONA.EDU>]

Rick says:

> I'm for keeping thing the way they are because of the conceptual nature of
> the labels.  Capacitance is the capacity to store charge--bigger
> capacitance, bigger capacity.  Resistance is just that, the resistance to
> charge flow (current).  Bigger resistance, less current.  ...

There are good reasons for leaving things the way they are, but the
fact that the words we use to describe the quantities are *good*
words to describe the quantities is, IMO, certainly not one of them.
Like "resistance," "conductance" means just what it seems to mean.

As another example, one can define "slowness" as the ratio of elapsed
time to distance traveled.  It means just what it seems to mean and
it is convenient for situations in which one wants to know how long
it will take to complete a journey; simply multiply the distance to
be traveled by the anticipated slowness.  Nevertheless, I prefer to
stick with "speed."  Whether that is because of nature or nurture,
hypotheses non fingo.

--
John Mallinckrodt        mailto:ajm@csupomona.edu
Cal Poly Pomona          http://www.csupomona.edu/~ajm