So, we know that in physics, units matter. 2 cm is different from 2 newtons which is different from 2 seconds. But what if the number is 0? Is 0 of any unit the same as 0 of any other unit?
Asked
Active
Viewed 52 times
0
-
@JohnRennie I didn't know it has been asked before. – user107952 Apr 08 '17 at 15:03
-
It can be hard to find out if a question has been asked before as it's hard to know what to search for. I just happened to remember the question I've linked. – John Rennie Apr 08 '17 at 15:05
1 Answers
0
Zero is like any other number in the field of real numbers. This is mathematics.
Physics uses the field of real numbers to model mathematically observations and have theories which can predict new observations, all these mapping one to one with the field of real numbers.
As zero apples means no apples, so 0 cm/sec means "no velocity", or 0 Newtons "no force".
The units do matter because they reflect the physical system under consideration. For apples it means apples are studied, for velocity, velocities.
anna v
- 233,453