[Phys-L] Re: The bulb-with-one-wire task: too tricky?

[Rick Tarara <rtarara@SAINTMARYS.EDU>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Frohne, Vickie" <VFrohne@BEN.EDU>
> IMHO, the battery-bulb thing is just a symptom of the bigger issue, w=
> hich is that most people have no concept of the existence of  interna=
> l mechanisms, much less the need to understand internal mechanisms. I=
> f you ask someone to explain "how it works," they'll probably say "pu=
> sh this button and turn that knob."    >
> VIckie Frohne
We've even run into the problem with our old Analog Computer--Energy &
Environment Simulator that when we say turn up the Coal knob, they don't
know which way to rotate the knob.  Nobody adjusts the volume with turnable
knobs--they just press the up or down button on the remote.  ;-(

Rick

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Richard W. Tarara
Professor of Physics
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, Indiana
rtarara@saintmarys.edu
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