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Re: Mass



I think that for an introductory physics course
Fred's description is much better than what I wrote.
Ludwik Kowalski


On Monday, Oct 18, 2004, at 20:27 America/New_York, fred bucheit wrote:

Perhaps it is better to define mass as: what a beam balance measures
while
at rest in a gravitational field.

Fred Bucheit

~ I think is the antidote to I believe~



From: Brian Whatcott <betwys1@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Reply-To: Forum for Physics Educators <PHYS-L@list1.ucc.nau.edu>
To: PHYS-L@LISTS.NAU.EDU
Subject: Re: Mass
Date: Mon, 18 Oct 2004 19:09:40 -0500

Brian Whatcott wrote:

Mass is the name given to the resistance observed when
attempting to change the linear speed of some coherent object
which is otherwise perfectly free to move.

At 06:45 PM 10/18/2004, Cliff P., you responded:

What is the name given to the resistance observed when attempting to
change
the direction of a moving object which is otherwise perfectly free to
move?

When push comes to shove I tell my students that mass like charge is
something that "stuff" has.

Cliff Parker


I realize it may be difficult to swallow in the physics paradigm, but
the
description given above is in fact, adequate.
To change direction is to impart a change of speed in some direction



Brian Whatcott Altus OK Eureka!

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