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From: physics@utcs.UUCP (David Harrison)
Newsgroups: net.physics
Subject: Re: Mach's Principle
Message-ID: <430@utcs.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 10-Feb-85 06:59:48 EST
Article-I.D.: utcs.430
Posted: Sun Feb 10 06:59:48 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 10-Feb-85 08:03:38 EST
References: <4794@ukc.UUCP>
Reply-To: physics@utcs.UUCP (David Harrison)
Distribution: net
Organization: University of Toronto - General Purpose UNIX
Lines: 19
Summary: 

<>
Two points about Mach's principle:
1.  The effect is local. The distant stars have created a local curvature
    of spacetime (the gravitational field), and when you begin to 
    accelerate that curvature changes.  In fact, given suitable
    numbers about the mass distribution of the universe one can
    derive F = ma from this effect.
2.  There is a difficulty in stating Mach's principle, and many
    people (including me) do not believe an accurate statement is
    possible.  The closest is Mach himself: "The universe is not
    twice given."  So be careful in believing too literally
    statements like 'inertia here is due to mass there', etc.
		Dave Harrison
		Dept. of Physics
		Univ. of Toronto
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