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A list of textbook misconceptions



Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 09:41:09 -0600
From: trammell@fn872.fnal.gov (John Trammell)
Subject: Explanation of airfoils [was: Right, wrong, and switching opinions]

This message ("The Physics of Flight: It's Newton not Bernoulli") may be
appropriate for starting a list of common misconceptions that we, teachers,
propagate on the basis of what is in our textbooks. So let us start the
list. Please add your own item (but keep it short, elaborate in a separate
message) and repost the list.

A LIST OF TEXTBOOK MISCONCEPTIONS
*************************************

1) The Physics of Flight: It's Newton not Bernoulli.

2) The green house effect: suppression of convection is the main factor.

3) Capacitors in series: the equilibrated charges are not equal in dc
the circuits.

4) Melting of ice under skating blades is due to high pressure.

5)