Chronology Current Month Current Thread Current Date
[Year List] [Month List (current year)] [Date Index] [Thread Index] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Prev] [Date Next]

[Phys-l] the importance of F causing ma (and not vice versa)



Rick Tarara wrote:

That forces _cause_ accelerations then is a pretty important concept

OK, I'll bite.

Let's forget everything else and discuss this one point, namely the
_importance_ of "knowing" that forces cause accelerations (and not
vice versa).

Suppose I'm a student in your class. Please motivate me. Please tell
me why I need to "know" that forces cause accelerations.

In particular, suppose I plan on having a research career, calculating
forces, measuring forces, calculating accelerations, measuring accelerations,
et cetera, all day every day.

What penalty will I pay for not "knowing" that forces cause accelerations?

The question is addressed to everyone, not just Professor T: What will I
be able to do with "force causes ma" that I can't do with "force equals ma"?


===================

I will not accept the answer that I need to "know" forces cause accelerations
(and not vice versa) so that I can get a teaching job, teaching that "fact"
to the next generation of students. That argument is circular in the worst
sense of the term. I'm sorry to be hard-nosed about this, but I really want
to see some objective scientific evidence.

Also please don't tell me I need to "know" it in order to pass the class. I
am not well motivated by grades (and have the grades to prove it :-). I want
to know why this is important in the real world.