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Re: Meauring Volts?



PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu writes:
In response to questions about words like quantity and units,
I would say that there are three distinct words/ideas needed.

The odd thing is that when I suggested the the quantity to be measured was
mass, I had first typed property instead of quantity and then changed my
mind. I think of properties of sugar to be a much broader word including
taste, color, texture, density etc. These are descriptors of sugar, the
compound. However mass is but one measurable quantity of the sugar at hand
or needed for cooking, volume is another, weight another. One could argue
that these are properties of the object, the lump or pile of sugar, which
is where I found my quandary to start.

Then I inserted my foot in my mouth with that thought on precision, or so
says Herb. I will defend the need to say the words one wants to use in a
way that minimizes ambiguity. Such practice helps clarify thought. Avoid
indefinite pronouns with fuzzy antecedents! However, because we, as
members of a community of scholars, find it hard to agree on the meanings
of words (do I dare say the word h__t? or weight or.. ) there will always
be room for misunderstanding.

All of this brings to mind the bumper sticker I saw last night at the
bookstore: "Don't believe everything you THINK!"

Cheers

Ken Fox