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Article #5061Re: Why "p" for momentum?
From: Leigh Palmer
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 19:40
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 19:40
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In article <1992Nov14.133853.10928@vpnet.chi.il.us> mox@vpnet.chi.il.us
(William Moxley) writes:
>Does anyone know why "p" was chosen to represent momentum? Other than
>that "m" was already taken?
According to my old machanics text (Synge & Griffith) "P" stands for force (or,
perhaps, phorce). Newton's second law was written as
P = kmf
with appropriate boldface for vectors. f, of course, represents the
Gaelic for acceleration, which is "fastering".
Leigh
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Newsgroups: sci.physics Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!sparky!uunet!destroyer!cs.ubc.ca!newsserver.sfu.ca!news From: palmer@sfu.ca (Leigh Palmer) Subject: Re: Why "p" for momentum? Message-ID: <1992Nov16.194045.23432@sfu.ca> Sender: news@sfu.ca Organization: Simon Fraser University References: <1992Nov14.133853.10928@vpnet.chi.il.us> Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 19:40:45 GMT Lines: 14