uom-ontology-std
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [uom-ontology-std] What is mass?

To: uom-ontology-std <uom-ontology-std@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Joe Collins <joseph.collins@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Pat Hayes <phayes@xxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:07:32 -0500
Message-id: <D39A2ECC-AAFF-45E1-A08C-83849F17D4F5@xxxxxxx>

On Sep 25, 2009, at 3:45 PM, Joe Collins wrote:    (01)

> I agree we need "kind".
>
> Just because two quantities have the same units doesn't make them
> indistinguishable. You cannot look to the units alone.
>
> I believe that angle and count are distinguishable by their ostensive
> definitions: they are not measured by the same procedure.    (02)

Um... as I recall from the telecon presentation, UCUM treats angle as  
a physical dimension, so this entire debate is beside the point. There  
is a *unit* distinction between angle and count; angle is not  
dimensionless in UCUM. Very sensible move.    (03)

Pat Hayes    (04)

>
> The "kind" concept as a defined abstraction may seem a little  
> arbitrary, but it
> usually follows from the ostensive definitions. If not, it should  
> follow from
> known laws of physics whether two things are of the same kind.
> Things of the same kind can be meaningfully compared (>, <, =,  
> etc.), which
> usually means they show up in the same law of physics or a set of
> measurements/experiments shows the kinds cannot (yet) be  
> distinguished.
> (We can never know if they can never be distinguished).
>
> Sometimes things are not considered to be the same kinds of quantity  
> and are
> later determined to be of the same kind. Mass shows up in these  
> three apparently
> distinct laws: F=m*a, |Fg|=G*m1*m1/(|r*r|), E=m*c*c. From the  
> classical view
> these describe three unrelated classes of phenomena. Is it the same  
> kind of mass
> in each case? Physical theory says "yes".
>
> jbc
>
> Martin S. Weber wrote:
>> Joe Collins wrote:
>>> (...)
>>> My question is, "Do we need more than this?".
>>>
>> My answer on that one is (which I believe to be consistent with SI/ 
>> VIM):
>> "Add more until you can tell the difference between energy and  
>> torque."
>> (or, equivalently "the diff. between an angle and a count")
>>
>> ...which brings us back to "kind of quantity", something of which I  
>> thought
>> would've been accepted for quite some time already. I'm confused ...
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> -Martin
>>
>> _________________________________________________________________
>> Message Archives: http://ontolog.cim3.net/forum/uom-ontology-std/
>> Subscribe: mailto:uom-ontology-std-join@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Config/Unsubscribe: 
>http://ontolog.cim3.net/mailman/listinfo/uom-ontology-std/
>> Shared Files: http://ontolog.cim3.net/file/work/UoM/
>> Wiki: http://ontolog.cim3.net/cgi-bin/wiki.pl?UoM_Ontology_Standard
>
> -- 
> _______________________________
> Joseph B. Collins, Ph.D.
> Code 5583, Adv. Info. Tech.
> Naval Research Laboratory
> Washington, DC 20375
> (202) 404-7041
> (202) 767-1122 (fax)
> B34, R221C
> _______________________________
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Message Archives: http://ontolog.cim3.net/forum/uom-ontology-std/
> Subscribe: mailto:uom-ontology-std-join@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Config/Unsubscribe: http://ontolog.cim3.net/mailman/listinfo/uom-ontology-std/
> Shared Files: http://ontolog.cim3.net/file/work/UoM/
> Wiki: http://ontolog.cim3.net/cgi-bin/wiki.pl?UoM_Ontology_Standard
>
>    (05)

------------------------------------------------------------
IHMC                                     (850)434 8903 or (650)494 3973
40 South Alcaniz St.           (850)202 4416   office
Pensacola                            (850)202 4440   fax
FL 32502                              (850)291 0667   mobile
phayesAT-SIGNihmc.us       http://www.ihmc.us/users/phayes    (06)






_________________________________________________________________
Message Archives: http://ontolog.cim3.net/forum/uom-ontology-std/  
Subscribe: mailto:uom-ontology-std-join@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
Config/Unsubscribe: http://ontolog.cim3.net/mailman/listinfo/uom-ontology-std/  
Shared Files: http://ontolog.cim3.net/file/work/UoM/  
Wiki: http://ontolog.cim3.net/cgi-bin/wiki.pl?UoM_Ontology_Standard    (07)

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>