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Re: [Phys-L] causation



JD mentioned centrifuges. I am thinking of the amusement park ride with
the circular room that spins. If I want the riders not to fall when the
floor drops, I need there to be a sufficient normal force so that there
will be enough friction to hold them up. So I accelerate them
centripetally. You can say that the normal force causes the centripetal
acceleration if you want. But can you say that I am wrong to believe that I
have used the centripetal acceleration to create the necessary normal force?

I am not disagreeing that is is more common to think of forces as the
causes of acceleration. But it is not baked into the equation. And you
can't do an experiment to see which view is right. So I agree with RT
that we are now doing philosophy rather than physics.

On Sat, Feb 9, 2019 at 2:03 PM Alex. F. Burr via Phys-l <
phys-l@mail.phys-l.org> wrote:

From the point of view of non-professional physics, I can apply a force
and get an acceleration. I cannot apply an acceleration and get a force.
Alex. F. BurrIn a message dated 2/9/2019 9:59:14 AM Mountain Standard
Time, rtarara@saintmarys.edu writes:

I think
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