It is argued that insistence on the use of the word “mass,” where one would ordinarily say “weight” is nothing but pedantry, and imposes a needless “weight,” i.e., burden, on students. Evidence is invoked from laws that the word “weight” expresses the notion of the measure of an object, which is supposed to be the peculiar meaning of “mass,” and has done so for a long time. Finally, an example shows how dropping this distinction (which, it is maintained, is nothing but a distinction without a difference) helps to clear up certain objections which have been proposed about the development of Newton's laws.
This content is only available via PDF.
© 1965 American Association of Physics Teachers.
1965
American Association of Physics Teachers
AAPT members receive access to the American Journal of Physics and The Physics Teacher as a member benefit. To learn more about this member benefit and becoming an AAPT member, visit the Joining AAPT page.
