Re: [Phys-l] definition of gravity

["LaMontagne, Bob" <RLAMONT@providence.edu>]

What name do you give to that part of the" gravitational field" solely due to the presence of a nearby gravitating object (such as the Earth)? 

Bob at PC

> -----Original Message-----
> From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu [mailto:phys-l-
> bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu] On Behalf Of John Mallinckrodt
> Sent: Tuesday, November 08, 2011 10:21 AM
> To: Forum for Physics Educators
> Subject: Re: [Phys-l] definition of gravity
>
> Robert Cohen wrote:
>
> > Follow-up question: does it matter whether I say "Earth's gravitational
> field" or "locally measured gravitational field"?  For example, is it appropriate
> to say the Earth's gravitational field is zero at the location of the space shuttle
> orbit?
>
> No, it isn't because that statement implies that the gravitational field is not
> frame-dependent.  However, the gravitational field IS zero in all freely falling
> frames (which are necessarily "local," i.e. of sufficiently small extent to be
> able to neglect spacetime curvature) by definition no matter where they are.
>
> John Mallinckrodt
> Cal Poly Pomona
>
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