Does Spinning on a Top Cause Acceleration?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of acceleration experienced while spinning on a top, particularly in the context of Newtonian physics and potential implications from Einstein's theories. Participants explore the nature of acceleration in circular motion and the perception of forces involved.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that while spinning on a top, they believe they would experience acceleration due to the forces acting on them, although they express uncertainty about the relationship between their mass and the object's mass.
  • Another participant asserts that acceleration can only be felt and emphasizes that both matter and energy can be observed, but underlying fields cannot be seen.
  • A participant counters the claim that acceleration is not experienced, stating that there is indeed centripetal acceleration involved when moving in a circular manner.
  • A later reply reiterates the point about experiencing centripetal acceleration, indicating a need for clearer terminology in the discussion.
  • One participant introduces the Mach principle, suggesting that in a completely empty space devoid of matter, no motion can be detected, which may relate to the broader implications of acceleration and motion.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express disagreement regarding the perception and experience of acceleration while spinning. Some assert that acceleration is felt, while others question the initial claim that it is not. The discussion remains unresolved with multiple competing views presented.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations in the discussion regarding the definitions of acceleration and motion, as well as the assumptions about the effects of mass in relation to force. The implications of Einstein's theories are mentioned but not fully explored.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to individuals exploring concepts in classical mechanics, particularly those curious about circular motion, acceleration, and the philosophical implications of motion in physics.

IooqXpooI
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Imagine you are spinning on a top. You naturally go to the edge, correct?

Well, I have heard that you do not experience acceleration, but I would think otherwise. Though you are moving relative to the object, and the Force that it applies to you should get anything with a mass of one to accelerate at the same rate. This is not true if the mass is greater or less than one, due to the fact that the force is the same on all objects.

This is totally Newtonian, and I have a feeling that Einstein changed this, but I have not learned of it yet...

Anyway, I am just stating that you would experience acceleration because yours would be less(or is it more? I am assuming that it is your mass plus the object's mass) that the object's.

Is this true?
 
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IooqXpooI said:
you would see acceleration

Acceleration can only be felt. Same with force. Matter (limited by microscopes and telescopes and modern accelerators) and energy (visible spectrum) can be seen. In high energy physics both matter and energy appear as particle distinctions between fermions and bosons and these can all be seen by modern accelerators.

But the associated underlaying fields of these particles cannot be seen.
 
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Well, I have heard that you do not see acceleration,

I'm not sure who told you this, but they are wrong. You will experience an acceleration in the centripetal direction. That's the whole reason you are able to move in circular manner in the first place.
 
Gza said:
I'm not sure who told you this, but they are wrong. You will experience an acceleration in the centripetal direction. That's the whole reason you are able to move in circular manner in the first place.
I am sorry, I'm not very good with words...I couldn't find the right word...I'll edit it now.

Thanks!
 
Mach principle - in completely empty space devoid of matter (and radiation), no motion can be detected.
 

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