Re: misconception bu omission

[Mark Sylvester <msylvest@spin.it>]

> Date: Mon, 16 Feb 1998 00:42:37 -0500
> From: "Bob Sciamanda" <trebor@velocity.net>
> To: <phys-l@atlantis.uwf.edu>
> Subject: Re: misconception bu omission
> Message-ID: <00ce01bd3a9d$b2855180$a33a1ad0@bob>
>
> Ludwig,
> I am surprised to see the butchering in your copy of my post; my
> list-received copy did not have them.  I am using Outlook Express of MSIE4
> and have it set to send in Plain Text; nor did I use any special characters.
> It looks like the equal signs terminating the 3rd and 5th lines indicate
> word wrapping within a word!  The only other butchering is the text
> "blas=E9" (5th line), which should read "blase".  Did others get these
> butcherings on this post?

I get these butcherings all the time, and I'm using Eudora Pro Version 2.2

I've assumed that it has something to do with getting Phys-L in digest
format. I imagine the mail program can't cope with getting a mixture of
ascii, mime and whatever.

> The exponential models of radioactive decay and capacitor discharge predict
> infinite lifetimes.  There is always charge left; there is always un-decayed
> matter left.  We know that is not so! I cannot imagine presenting this model
> without a full discussion of the logical origins, implications, etc of this
> absurd mathematical statement.  Can we (should we) use a better model? . . .
> etc.

A model with limitations, yes, but that's usually the case isn't it. As
someone else has pointed out, the typical student lab based on exponential
decay "works" pretty well - and that includes being able to see what the
limitations are.

Mark

Mark Sylvester
United World College of the Adriatic
34013 Duino TS
Italy.
msylvest@spin.it
tel: +39 49 3739 255