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Re: [Phys-l] definition of gravity



I'll make sure to remember to use that "name" for my general ed students in my conceptual physics course.

:-)

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 12:17 PM
To: Forum for Physics Educators
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] definition of gravity


In GR, the thing Newton calculates as GM/r^2 is simply the *relative*
acceleration of inertial (i.e., freely-falling) frames located at 1) the center of a
spherically symmetric object of mass M and 2) some distance r from the
center and beyond the surface of the object. It quantifies the effect of the
spacetime curvature in between those two points.

John Mallinckrodt
Cal Poly Pomona

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