Re: Weight

["Van E. Neie" <ven@physics.purdue.edu>]

> meanwhile.  As far as I know gravitational weight is the only way to teach
> in UK , Australia, South Africa, Western Europe (?)  I think,  Russia is
> practicing an operational definition.  I am writing this message as I was
> positively surprised to discover views, similar to mine, on this subject of
> weight in some contributors to this important forum.  Since 1992 I am
> constantly advocating operational weight definition in my talks at AAPT
> summer meetings.  Some support in the beginning from Mario Iona was
> important.  We see that the story is not finished.
I agree and have been advocating this for years.  Just as we don't give a 
special name to electrical force, why do we need to give one to the gravi-
tational force?  Also, since we define weight as mg in most textbooks, which
g are we talking about?  The one defined as GM/R^2 or the one for the
rotating earth?

Van

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Van E. Neie                                      ven@physics.purdue.edu
Purdue University                                
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