define inertial mass & gravitational mass. derive and show their equivalence
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Why is gravitational mass equal to inertial mass?
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Leo C. Stein, PhD in physics from MIT, BS from Caltech.
Updated Jun 18, 2010 · Upvoted by Michael Betancourt, BS Caltech and PhD MIT in physics andNicolas Smith, Ph.D. from MIT in the astrophysics division of Physics depa…
There are two possible answers (or more, but this is what I thought of):
Because gravity is actually geometryGravitational mass might not be equal to inertial mass
Summary:
Gravity seems to be special among the forces because the charge-to-mass ratio is identical for all types of matter. This suggests that it is not truly a force, but a choice of accelerating frame. The mathematical theory that describes this is General Relativity. The math behind it is to allow each little patch of spacetime have a life of its own, and the acceleration has to do with how curved this space is (how different the lives of neighboring patches are).
There are ongoing experiments seeking to test the equivalence principle, so this may not be a settled question. So far, the experiments have placed very tight constraints on how different the charge to mass ratio is for different materials.
Still have a question? Ask your own!
What is your question?
11 ANSWERS

Leo C. Stein, PhD in physics from MIT, BS from Caltech.
Updated Jun 18, 2010 · Upvoted by Michael Betancourt, BS Caltech and PhD MIT in physics andNicolas Smith, Ph.D. from MIT in the astrophysics division of Physics depa…
There are two possible answers (or more, but this is what I thought of):
Because gravity is actually geometryGravitational mass might not be equal to inertial mass
Summary:
Gravity seems to be special among the forces because the charge-to-mass ratio is identical for all types of matter. This suggests that it is not truly a force, but a choice of accelerating frame. The mathematical theory that describes this is General Relativity. The math behind it is to allow each little patch of spacetime have a life of its own, and the acceleration has to do with how curved this space is (how different the lives of neighboring patches are).
There are ongoing experiments seeking to test the equivalence principle, so this may not be a settled question. So far, the experiments have placed very tight constraints on how different the charge to mass ratio is for different materials.
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