Thanks to Joel and John for trying to answer my question, but I am still not
sure if it has been answered. I understand the words you are saying, but I
am asking if the notation and nomenclature is anything anyone has agreed
upon.
I am using Tipler and I looked at page 126 like Joel suggested. In this
example Tipler gives a specific name (tangential acceleration) to the
concept, and he does not use absolute value notation when he writes a(tang)
= dv/dt.
So I am partly asking about the d|v|/dt notation, and I am partly asking
what we call this. Would the name "tangential acceleration" be correct in
general? If we are dealing with 2-D or 3-D motion, my first impression
would be dv/dt implies d|v|/dt if the v is not bold or does not have an
arrow; and it seems the name "tangential acceleration" would be an
appropriate name in general.
Would there be general agreement that "tangential acceleration" is what
we're talking about in all these cases?
Michael D. Edmiston, Ph.D. Phone/voice-mail: 419-358-3270
Professor of Chemistry & Physics FAX: 419-358-3323
Chairman, Science Department E-Mail edmiston@bluffton.edu
Bluffton College
280 West College Avenue
Bluffton, OH 45817