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Re: [Phys-L] confusing language, in physics and in general



On 09/24/2015 11:32 AM, Anthony Lapinski wrote:

The language in physics is difficult (speed vs velocity, energy vs
momentum, temperature vs heat, etc.). Some concepts are
counterintuitive (acceleration can be decreasing while velocity is
increasing, etc.).

I agree with the sentiment.

Going farther down the same road, I can think of some
even nastier examples of confusing physics language:
-- physics energy versus vernacular energy.
-- physics conservation versus vernacular conservation.
-- physics acceleration versus vernacular acceleration.
-- at least four mutually-incompatible /technical/
definitions of "heat" ... not to mention the various
vernacular and/or metaphorical usages.
-- physics force versus vernacular force (!)
-- etc. etc. etc.

In general, words have multiple meanings. Context
matters. The problem is not unique to physics; it's
just how the language works. For example, a lap in
the swimming pool is qualitatively and conceptually
different from a lap on the race track.

This is one of the problems with the FCI: In large
part it is a force Vocabulary inventory rather than
a force Concept inventory. It sets up situations
where it makes sense to use the vernacular definition
of force, and then penalizes students for doing so.

I haven't used a book in years.

The textbooks I've seen do a horrible job of explaining
the concepts.
-- All too often, they introduce a new idea by defining
it in terms of some other idea -- even though the student
doesn't know the other idea either!
-- Sometimes they just assume certain ideas are "familiar".
(Lots of ideas are familiar to us, i.e. to professional
physicists, but not familiar to students.)
-- Very often they don't delineate the distinction
between the physics idea and the vernacular idea.

Because the problem is not unique to physics, you might
think that students would have mastered the art of context-
switching long before they showed up in physics class, but
evidently many of them haven't. Also you'd think that
teachers and textbook authors would be super-sensitive
to the issue, but evidently many of them aren't.

This is a teachable skill.