Re: [Phys-l] Weightless

[Bernard Cleyet <bernardcleyet@redshift.com>]

Not my story; Alphonsus'.

I just pointed out that the pen's development cost much and both (US and 
CCCP) used it.  The difference was both initially used pencils and 
Fisher gave it gratis.

bc, puzzled.

Jack Uretsky wrote:

> Hi all-
> 	WhileI don't understand the relevance of Bernard's story,
> I'll respond to John:
> 	All definitions are arbitrary, with certain limitations that avoid 
> confusion.  So why argue?
> 				Regards,
> 					Jack
>
>
>
> On Wed, 31 Jan 2007, Bernard Cleyet wrote:
>
>  
>
> > As w/ all good legends much of the Fisher pen is true * :
> >
> > http://www.snopes.com/business/genius/spacepen.asp
> >
> > * If Snopes is correct.
> >
> > bc, googling again.
> >
> > carmelo@pacific.net.sg wrote:
> >
> >    
> >
> > > John Mallinckrodt wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > >      
> > >
> > > > I understand that lots of people (including apparently the folks at
> > > > NIST) want weight to be the same thing as gravitational force, but I
> > > > have yet to hear one compelling reason for that.  Moreover, I submit
> > > > that weight is demonstrably NOT the same thing as gravitational force
> > > > in common parlance.  Again, if astronauts are not "weightless," then
> > > > I simply don't see any good use for the word.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >        
> > > This reminds me of another urban legend...
> > >
> > > The story goes like this: in the 1960s, NASA astronauts discovered that their pens did not work in zero gravity. So like good engineers, they went to work and designed a wonder pen. It worked upside down. It worked in vacuum. It worked in zero gravity. It even worked underwater! And it only cost a million dollars! The crafty Russians used a pencil.
> > >
> > > I prefer to tell this story using "microgravity" instead of "zero gravity". Is there anywhere in the universe where the gravitation force is *exactly* zero, and whatever your frame of reference?
> > >
> > > Alphonsus
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Forum for Physics Educators
> > > Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
> > > https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >      
> > _______________________________________________
> > Forum for Physics Educators
> > Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
> > https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l
> >
> >    
>
>