[SpaceflightNow] Semantics error in universe expansion story?

In the story "Expansion of Universe once sluggish, now speeding up", at
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0310/10expansion/ ...check the following:

spaceflightnow
Five years ago, Riess and the High-z Supernova Search Team reported
findings that the universe was speeding up in its expansion, which ran
counter to what was expectednamely that the attractive gravity of dark
matter would slow the expansion of the universe.

He further explains that gaining favor over the past years is the
theoretical explanation that the universe is also filled with a repulsive
dark energy.
spaceflightnow

"Repulsive"? Does this mean that all the celestial bodies, all those stars
and novae and clusters and quasars and pulsars are disgusted to be around
each other? Or, did they just perhaps mean something actually different
than what we think of as "repulsive". I suppose, technically, it's
accurate, but still... (;^

--
"All over, people changing their roles,
along with their overcoats;
if Adolf Hitler flew in today,
they'd send a limousine anyway!" --the clash.
__________________________________________________ _________________
Mike Flugennock, flugennock at sinkers dot org
Mike Flugennock's Mikey'zine, dubya dubya dubya dot sinkers dot org

On Sat, 11 Oct 2003 19:16:04 -0400, Mike Flugennock wrote:

"Repulsive"? Does this mean that all the celestial bodies, all those stars
and novae and clusters and quasars and pulsars are disgusted to be around
each other? Or, did they just perhaps mean something actually different
than what we think of as "repulsive". I suppose, technically, it's
accurate, but still... (;^

No it's a perfectly correct usage of the word. In physics, another
example of a repulsive force is that between two similar poles of a magnet.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=repulsive&r=67

Rick DeNatale wrote:

In physics, another
example of a repulsive force is that between two similar poles of a magnet.


You've got one of those?!
If I were you, I'd right to the Scientific American about it.... I think
it's called a monopole. :-)

Pat

On Sun, 12 Oct 2003 17:23:16 -0500, Pat Flannery wrote:



Rick DeNatale wrote:

In physics, another
example of a repulsive force is that between two similar poles of a magnet.


You've got one of those?!
If I were you, I'd right to the Scientific American about it.... I think
it's called a monopole. :-)

Well, I had one once, but the damn thing just flew apart on me. You just
can't trust those monopole-ies to do the write thing! G

Rick DeNatale wrote:
On Sat, 11 Oct 2003 19:16:04 -0400, Mike Flugennock wrote:


"Repulsive"? Does this mean that all the celestial bodies, all those stars

and novae and clusters and quasars and pulsars are disgusted to be around
each other? Or, did they just perhaps mean something actually different
than what we think of as "repulsive". I suppose, technically, it's
accurate, but still... (;^


No it's a perfectly correct usage of the word. In physics, another
example of a repulsive force is that between two similar poles of a magnet.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=repulsive&r=67


Perhaps he's thinking of "repellant".
Also, if there are "repulsive" forces, shouldn't their be "compulsive"
forces (instead of "attractive" forces).

On Wed, 15 Oct 2003 13:19:14 +0000, stmx3 wrote:


Perhaps he's thinking of "repellant".
Also, if there are "repulsive" forces, shouldn't their be "compulsive"
forces (instead of "attractive" forces).

No, repellent (which is the preferred spelling) is pretty much a synonym
for repulsive in all but the physics sense.

Repulsive is not an antonym for compulsive. If it were, "Monk"
would never have been renewed and Tony Shaloub would be looking
for a new job. Antonyms for compulsive are flexible and controlled.

Just for giggles I did some google searches on some phrases:

"Repulsive force" got 15,200 hits.
"Repellent force" got 367 hits.
"Repellant force" got 95.
"Compulsive force" got 714 most of the first ones seem to be in the
context of either literature, philosophy or law.