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evowerks
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Imagine a person weighing 99kg stands on a bathroom scale. He reads 99kg. That same person then grabs a ball attached to a string that weighs 1kg together. Since he never left the scale he now reads 100kg total.
Now imagine he spins the ball and string like a helicopter overhead. (Since he's a big dude he can do this without shaking the scale)
What does the scale read? 99kg or 100kg or 99.5kg etc? If it is not 99kg what forces are at play given the mass of the ball and string are now in motion?
It is my notion that the motionless man on the scale reads 100kg because he, the string, and the ball are now one unit. Once the 1kg mass is in motion it becomes external to the unit and the scale reads 99.
What are your thoughts? (this isn't homework, just something that has been bothering me)
Justin
Now imagine he spins the ball and string like a helicopter overhead. (Since he's a big dude he can do this without shaking the scale)
What does the scale read? 99kg or 100kg or 99.5kg etc? If it is not 99kg what forces are at play given the mass of the ball and string are now in motion?
It is my notion that the motionless man on the scale reads 100kg because he, the string, and the ball are now one unit. Once the 1kg mass is in motion it becomes external to the unit and the scale reads 99.
What are your thoughts? (this isn't homework, just something that has been bothering me)
Justin