Newton's laws and conservation of mass

Author: Puri A.

Source: Physics Education, Volume 31, Number 4, 1996 , pp. 215-217(3)

Publisher: Institute of Physics Publishing

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Abstract:

In an exposition of Newton's second law, F = dp/dt is commonly viewed as the fundamental relation and the equation F = ma as a mere special case when m is constant, it being implied that, when analysing bodies with a variable mass, some fuller machinery contained in F = dp/dt is needed. Paradoxically, one is also likely to be told that the conservation of mass of a body is a presupposition in Newtonian theory, or again, that it is a consequence of his laws. The following note is an attempt at sorting out the mess that ensues: it examines some of the logical interlinks between Newton's laws of motion, mass conservation and the notion of a 'body'.

Language: English

Document Type: Miscellaneous

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