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Re: [Phys-l] NYT article: Centrifugal force



-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] NYT article: Centrifugal force
From: John Mallinckrodt <ajm@csupomona.edu>
To: Forum for Physics Educators <phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu>
Date: Fri Jul 03 2009 05:34:20 GMT+0200 (ora legale Europa occidentale)

for nearly 100 years now, the prevailing theory holds that all gravitational forces are inertial forces and that all inertial forces are gravitational forces.

Here is the point that I find disturbing about any treatment of gravitational force along the model of QED, i.e. via the exchange of gravitons in a flat spacetime. If we will find that as the "real" truth, what becomes of everything we now keep as our best understanding of the subject? Against the curved spacetime idea, I find the graviton-exchange idea pretty ugly...

Paolo