What do you think of the terms used in this article?

In summary, the article discusses an object with an incredibly high spin rate and a quote from a scientist comparing the angular acceleration to gravity, which is incorrect since gravity is a linear acceleration. The tangential acceleration for a celestial body is also very small. The commenter suggests that the comparison should instead be with centripetal acceleration, which makes more sense in terms of units and direction. However, a commenter disagreed with this interpretation.
  • #1
swampwiz
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The article is about something spinning at an incredibly high rate, with a blurb from the scientist saying that the spin rate is so high that the angular acceleration is compared to gravity - which makes no sense since gravity is a linear acceleration, and as well, if it were the tangential acceleration that were meant, these parameters would be normal to each other. And as well, for a celestial body (i.e., that would be required to have any discernible gravity), the tangential acceleration is very, very small (outside of a planetquake.)

I mentioned that what must have been meant was the centripetal acceleration to be compared to gravity - which would make absolute sense since it is tightly correlated to the angular velocity - and is consistent with being compared to gravity, both concerning the units and the direction.

Some commenter flamed me for contending this.

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/08/the-fastest-spinning-object-ever-made/279198/
 
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Related to What do you think of the terms used in this article?

1. What are the scientific terms used in this article?

The scientific terms used in this article include hypothesis, variables, control group, experimental group, data, results, and conclusion.

2. How do these scientific terms relate to the article's topic?

These scientific terms are used to describe and analyze the topic being studied in the article. They are essential for understanding the experiment and its findings.

3. Can you provide a definition for each of the scientific terms used in the article?

Yes, a hypothesis is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon. Variables are factors that can be changed or controlled in an experiment. The control group is the group that does not receive the experimental treatment, while the experimental group does. Data is the information collected during the experiment. Results are the outcome of the experiment, and the conclusion is a summary of the findings and their significance.

4. Are these scientific terms commonly used in the scientific community?

Yes, these terms are commonly used in the scientific community as they are fundamental concepts in the process of conducting and reporting experiments.

5. How can understanding these scientific terms improve my understanding of the article?

Understanding these scientific terms can help you follow the experiment and its results more clearly. It can also help you evaluate the validity of the study and draw your own conclusions based on the data presented.

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