As I've mentioned before on this topic, my problem with "force causing
acceleration" is that it implies a time delay in some students' minds,
reinforcing their belief that acceleration and velocity are the same
thing. In other words, the following is the thinking of the students:
A force causes the object to have a velocity it didn't have before.
This means that you apply a force and eventually the object has the new
velocity. It may take time, but eventually the object attains this new
velocity. It is this "new velocity" that is "caused" by the force.
You can use "acceleration" if you'd like but they'll continue to think
"velocity" until they see both happening at the same time. And the word
"cause" doesn't help make things clearer for them.
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Robert Cohen; 570-422-3428; www.esu.edu/~bbq
East Stroudsburg University; E. Stroudsburg, PA 18301