- #1
Karl Coryat
- 104
- 3
Suppose we have an accelerometer carrying a charge. The charge density everywhere in the instrument is uniform, or at least what I mean to say is, the charge on any component is proportional to that component's mass. Now, in an inertial reference frame, we place the accelerometer in an electric field. The accelerometer will accelerate. But will it register this acceleration?
The context of this question is a discussion about gravity. An accelerometer in freefall does not register an acceleration. In general relativity, this is explained by gravity being geometry rather than a force acting at a distance, so the accelerometer does not experience any forces unless it's being pushed upward by, say, a table. But a couple people are telling me that an accelerometer's zero reading during freefall can be explained via Newtonian gravity as well: The accelerometer reads zero because all of the components of the accelerometer, including the little tuning forks, are being acted on equally by the Newtonian force of gravity.
Thus the question about the accelerometer with a charge: If the electrostatic force is acting equally on all of the instrument's components, including the little tuning forks inside, will the accelerometer register zero, or something else, when the instrument is accelerated in the electric field?
The context of this question is a discussion about gravity. An accelerometer in freefall does not register an acceleration. In general relativity, this is explained by gravity being geometry rather than a force acting at a distance, so the accelerometer does not experience any forces unless it's being pushed upward by, say, a table. But a couple people are telling me that an accelerometer's zero reading during freefall can be explained via Newtonian gravity as well: The accelerometer reads zero because all of the components of the accelerometer, including the little tuning forks, are being acted on equally by the Newtonian force of gravity.
Thus the question about the accelerometer with a charge: If the electrostatic force is acting equally on all of the instrument's components, including the little tuning forks inside, will the accelerometer register zero, or something else, when the instrument is accelerated in the electric field?
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