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Re: A weighty subject

John,
Can you clarify a point you make below:

And, of course, that is at least partially because you (and
I) think the
inertial force measured by the scale (neglecting the effects
of buoyancy)
*is* the gravitational force.


I'm convinced to ignore things like buoyancy in the definition. But in the
elevator accelerating upwards, in the frame of reference of the elevator,
there is an inertial force upwards as well as a normal force upwards on the
object being weighed on the scale. Do you really want to call that inertial
force a part of the gravitational force.

Or do you want to say there are two inertial forces, the one I mention above
and the "gravitational force"?

Joel Rauber