Re: Apparent weight

[Leigh Palmer <palmer@sfu.ca>]

Roger Pruitt says:

> The non-contact force mg acting toward the center of the earth on an
> object is NOT the weight of the object according to my definition,
> although, for bodies in static equalibrium on the earth's surface, the
> numerical value of the mg force is nearly equal to the numerical value
> of the weight. (It is the normal force that is equal to the weight.)

Apparently there are at least three sides to this debate. Now I don't
know what Roger means. What is this "nearly equal" that has shown up?
Certainly there must be something lurking there that invalidates this
operational definition. What is the difference between the scale reading
and the "normal force"? I intended them to be the same thing. Roger must
amend his operational definition if they are not equal. I'm sticking to
my definition; my scale weighs!

Leigh