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Re: Physics Myth (?) #1

When I was a student in what would be called Middle school now days, out
teacher showed us a Bell Labs Educational Film (anybody in grade & high
school, during the 50's and 60's will know what I'm talking about). This
film was exactly about the experiment described, showing the subjects and
the inversion apparatus that they wore on their heads etc. etc. Since this
was a Bell Lab film (as I remember, or other equivalent source), a
presumably reputable source, I believe that it actually occured as depicted
and as you describe below.

BTW I saw the film in two different classes in two different years.

Joel Rauber

-----Original Message-----
From: phys-l@lists.nau.edu: Forum for Physics Educators
[mailto:PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu]On Behalf Of THOMAS SANDIN
Sent: Friday, April 28, 2000 9:55 AM
To: PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu
Subject: Physics Myth (?) #1


We've all heard various "urban myths". Is the
following a "physics
myth" or did it actually happen? If so, do you have an authoritative
reference?

Some experimental psychologists, knowing that the eyes form
an inverted
real image on the retina and that the mind then inverts the
image so that
we see things upright, fitted human subjects with an optical
system that
added another inversion, so that the real image on the retina was
upright. The mind at first continued to invert the image, so
the subjects
perceived what they saw as upside-down.
Then, after a period of time (how long?), the mind stopped
its inversion
and the subjects saw things upright again.
Finally, the psychologists removed the optical system. At first things
appeared to be upside down (as the mind continued not
inverting), but then
the mind started inverting again and the subjects were back to normal.

So--did this really happen--or is it just a physics myth?

On another subject:
Here's a question to ask your class after talking about pair
annihilation: If you eat equal amounts of pasta and
antipasta, will you
still be hungry?
Tom Sandin