Re: A list of textbook misconceptions

[Leigh Palmer <palmer@sfu.ca>]

> > 5) Gravity in space is zero (or very small, e.g. NASA's 'microgravity')

Gravity inside an orbiting shuttle is very small compared with gravity
at the same point at rest with respect to Earth. The misconception is
that one can ascribe a unique "gravity" to a point in space. The
gravitational field is relative (just as are the electric and magnetic
fields). It depends upon the frame of reference of the observer.

> > 13) Laser coherence is caused by atoms' in-phase emission

Why is this a misconception?

Leigh