Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site laidbak.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!bellcore!petrus!sabre!zeta!epsilon!gamma!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!ihnp4!laidbak!jeq
From: jeq@laidbak.UUCP (Jonathan E. Quist)
Newsgroups: net.tv.drwho
Subject: Re: Re: TARDIS Mass (what is it?) [Full Circle]
Message-ID: <205@laidbak.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 12-Sep-85 21:20:38 EDT
Article-I.D.: laidbak.205
Posted: Thu Sep 12 21:20:38 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 14-Sep-85 03:58:26 EDT
References: <574@tellab1.UUCP>
Reply-To: jeq@laidbak.UUCP (Jonathan E. Quist)
Distribution: net
Organization: LAI Chicago
Lines: 58
Keywords: kilograms, mass
Summary: 

In article <574@tellab1.UUCP> barth@tellab3.UUCP (Barth Richards) writes:
>In reference to mann@LaBrea.ARPA (Tim)'s article on TARDIS mass:
>
>
>                 X    X    XXXX       #    #    ####   #
>                 XX   X   X    X      ##   #   #    #  #
>                 X X  X   X    X      # #  #   #    #  #
>no, No, NO, NO,  X  X X   X    X      #  # #   #    #  #
>                 X   XX   X    X      #   ##   #    #   
>                 X    X    XXXX  XX   #    #    ####   #
>                                 X
>
>Kilograms are most definately a unit of WEIGHT (1000 grams).
>
>A gram is equal in weight to 1 cubic centimetre (1 mililitre) of water (at
>earth weight). Therefore 1 kilogram (1000 grams) is equal in weight to

yes, Yes, YES, Yes, yes, 'tis.

The kilogram is most definitely a unit of mass.

A gram is the equivalent mass of a cubic centimeter of water
at standard temperature and pressure.

I don't have my copy of Halliday and Resnick handy, so here's
a convoluted proof:

	In the English system of weights and measures,
	torque is measured in foot-pounds.
	In the S.I. (Systeme Internationale) system,
	torque (or moment if you prefer) is measured
	in newton-meters.

	Feet and meters are units of length.
	Thus for the two measures of moment to be equivalent
	(which they are by definition), the units of
	newtons and pounds must be the same.
	The pound is a unit of weight.  (Or of currency.)
	Therefore the newton is a unit of weight.

	The newton is defined as:

		   1 kilogram * 1 meter
	1 newton = --------------------
		     (1 second)^2

	(i.e. mass times acceleration.)

	Therefore the kilogram is a unit of mass.

	QED

By the way, the English system unit of mass is the "slug".
(Put that in your net.bizarre and serve it beer.)

Jonathan E. Quist
ihnp4!laidbak!jeq		(formerly of Tellabs, but ancient history)
``I deny this is a physics tutorial.''