Loren Booda
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Which is more generally corrrect,
F=ma
or
F=dp/dt
?
F=ma
or
F=dp/dt
?
Aren't they mathematically equivalent?
Let = mv. ThenLoren Booda said:Which is more generally corrrect,
F=ma
or
F=dp/dt
?
pmb_phy said:Let = mv. Then
F = \frac{dp}{dt}
is a definition of F. F = ma is an equality between the quantities F, m and a when m is constant.
Incorrectly assuming that F = ma is a definition has gotten people really mixed up when going to relativity.
Pete