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]

Re: [Phys-l] F causes a



Let's not lose sight of the fact that after extensive esoteric
discussions with students about the philosophical meaning of F=ma, many
of them will still in their guts believe that F=mv!

If the majority of students in an introductory class get from "F causes
mv" to "F causes ma" then I feel I have made some major progress.
Perhaps some of the sharper students will enjoy discussing the nuances
of "cause and effect" after class, but I think (just my own opinion)
that time spent in class on "cause and effect" will reduce overall
understanding.

Certainly we don't need to teach incorrect ideas like "first there is a
force and a little later it causes an acceleration to occur". But I
don't think that a statement like "the instant there is a force, it
immediately causes an acceleration" is so wrong that we have to avoid
it.


Tim F