----- Original Message ----- From: Horace Heffner <[email protected]> Date: Sunday, October 25, 2009 1:15 am Subject: Re: [Vo]:Gravity role in fusion
> > On Oct 24, 2009, at 1:51 PM, Harry Veeder wrote: > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: Horace Heffner <[email protected]> > > Date: Saturday, October 24, 2009 11:43 am > > Subject: Re: [Vo]:Gravity role in fusion > > > >> > >> Masses do not react to potentials, they react to fields. > >> Gravitational fields superposition, just like Coulombic fields. > >> The > >> gravitational field intensity is zero midway between two equal mass > >> > >> objects. Gravitational field intensity is zero at the center of > >> the > >> earth. If you are in a closed box at the center of a large planet > >> there is no way to tell you are not located out in space away from > >> any gravitational mass. > >> > > > > This is only true for a hypothetical "point person". > > In practice a person has extension so each part of their body will > > experience a net force and their body will expand slightly. The same > > person out in space far away from any gravitational masses will > not > > expand. > > I said "away from any gravitational mass. "Perhaps I should have > said > far far away from any gravitational mass, far enough that tidal > effects are not detectable. That is essential what I said. Inside the earth tidal effects are detectable, but far away from any gravitating mass they are not detectable. > I should have also noted that > Einstein's > equivalence principle only applies for point masses, and that he > was > well aware of tidal effects. > > > > > > On the other hand, it is true for a person inside a hollow > sphere, > > since > > the net pull of gravity everywhere inside a hollow sphere is zero. > > > > > > Harry This exchange has inspired me to propose a different "equivalence principle": Free fall is equivalent to being inside a hollow sphere. This principle would be the basis for a new theory of gravity. Harry
