Susan re. "Shear"

[Richard Brekne]

Keith Roberts wrote:
> 
> The dictionary I have says shear forces are two parallel forces acting in
> opposite directions. The direction of these forces relative to our plane of
> reference can be in any direction.
> 


>From the Online Physics Encyclopedia the definition for
Shear Forces reads

"A force that acts parallel to a plane rather
than perpendicularly, as with tensile or compressive force."


Clearly the definition in your dictionary can be read and
interpreted quite differently then the second... or what ? I
find this second echoed most every where I look.



RicB