Does 'extended' mean 'larger' in this case?

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In the context of gravitational forces, "extended" refers to objects that occupy a volume or area rather than being treated as single point particles. The Principle of Superposition applies differently for point particles, which are summed, versus extended objects, which are integrated over an interval. This distinction emphasizes that "extended" does not imply larger or distant, but rather signifies a collection of points or a continuous distribution. Understanding this concept is crucial for accurately applying gravitational principles. The clarification ensures that the term is interpreted correctly in physics discussions.
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For the Principle of Superposition wrt Gravitational forces...

In my text it says that for particles \vec{F_{1,net}}=\sum_{i=2}^n\vec{F_{1,i}}
and for real or "extended" objects \vec{F_1}=\int d\vec{F}

Does extended just mean larger?

Casey
 
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It means more than just a single point. The sum is over a group of "point" particles. The integral is over some interval. Basically, that is what "extended" means here: a whole interval or area or volume, no matter how small, rather than individual points.
 
HallsofIvy said:
It means more than just a single point. The sum is over a group of "point" particles. The integral is over some interval. Basically, that is what "extended" means here: a whole interval or area or volume, no matter how small, rather than individual points.

Gotcha. Thanks. I just wanted to make sure it did not mean "distant".
 

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