F = MA which means that A = F/Mwubbly wrote:It doesn't make logical sense that force x time is a measure of what is accelerating the mass.
Whichever way you look at it, it is Force that causes Acceleration.
If we want to increase in Velocity we need to Accelerate for a period of Time greater than 0 seconds - so IMO it makes perfect 'logical sense' to say "force x time is a measure of what is accelerating the mass"
Rocketry is the purest example to consider, because it is removed from the problems of air friction and let's say we are sufficiently free of gravitational attraction for that to be an issue:
Let's say we are in a stationary capsule (from our own arbitrary inertial reference plane). We have on board 4 small rockets that can create 1 unit of unbalanced Force for 1 unit of Time.
We can choose to fire these rockets one after the other - or fire them together. The same amount of fuel is expended either way. And the same amount of Force x Time is expended ...
Makes perfect sense - in this situation - that Momentum, which is equivalent to Force x Time, is the true measure of Fuel ... not Energy as we are lead to believe ...
Distance or Displacement can be a red herring, in some cases, I believe.
Don't have time to explain, but I would like to continue this ...