What is the true definition of inertia and where can it be found?

[student85]

Lately I've been curious about the very meaning of the most fundamental concepts in physics like inertia. Where do you think is the best place to look for these definitions. Newton's principia?

 

[radou]

I suggest starting with google.

 

[student85]

Has anyone here read the principia?

 

[stalefish]

I imagine it wouldn't be too friendly to read. We're used to 3D illustrations in our physics textbooks, reinforcement through applications, etc. I haven't read the principia.

I think to feel and be moved by fundamental physics concepts like inertia, you need to go out, experiment and reason it out for yourself.

 

[Pete81t]

Where could I find a copy of Newton's Principia?

 

[Cyrus]

Wow, 2 whole seconds to look on google.

http://burndy.mit.edu/Collections/Babson/Online/pdfs/Books/PrincipiaMathematica1726.pdf

(Hope you know latin)

 

[radou]

Where could I find a copy of Newton's Principia?

Don't want to discourage you, but you'll be very dissapointed.

 

[Pete81t]

An English translation perhaps? Thanks. I don't know about you, but I'm not exactly a Latin scholar. And another thing, I meant a copy in book form, such as my copy of St. Thomas Aquinas's "Summa Theologica".

 

[radou]

Here are some chapters translated: http://members.tripod.com/~gravitee/" .