From: tjoberts137@sbcglobal.net   
      
   On 1/25/24 2:32 AM, Luigi Fortunati wrote:   
   >> [[Mod. note -- The general principal is that "free fall" means no   
   >> non-gravitational forces are acting.   
      
   Yes.   
      
   > An even more general principal is that "free fall" means "fall   
   > without obstacles".   
      
   No. Any "obstacle" would necessarily exert a force on the object, but   
   some forces are not obstacles. The moderator's statement is more   
   general, and is indeed the accepted meaning of "freefall" in physics.   
      
   Do not attempt to redefine the meanings of common words and phrases   
   -- that will prevent you from communicating with other people,   
   especially physicists.   
      
   > No one can deny that, in the most remote space far from all gravity,   
   > a metal elevator falling towards an electromagnet is in "free fall".   
      
   Not true: every physicist would deny that, because the electromagnet   
   exerts an electromagnetic force on the elevator, making it NOT be   
   in freefall.   
      
   You REALLY need to get a book on basic physics and STUDY it. Your   
   repeated questions around here are not effective in your learning   
   physics. Better yet, enroll in a physics course at a local college or   
   university, so you will have an instructor to discuss these issues.   
      
   Tom Roberts   
      
   [[Mod. note -- I second these recommendations.  A few of the (many)   
   excellent introductory physics books available are those described in:   
     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_Science_Study_Committee   
     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard_Project_Physics   
     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamentals_of_Physics   
   -- jt]]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)