Re: A MISCONCEPTION ITEM

[Ludwik Kowalski <KowalskiL@MAIL.MONTCLAIR.EDU>]

This is not my list; I was simply putting together messages
sent by others. I do not remember who wrote what, except
for my own contributions. Feel free to challenge any item
and people will respond, I assume. My suggestion is to
have a separate thread for each item.

Some people may feel that "old stuff" is not worth
discussing. I would disagree. It is like eating, or making
love. One never crosses the same river again. And there
are always new people to benefit from what is going on.

I will be ready to hear your concerns, Paul. I know you
can make things interesting.


paul o johnson wrote:

> Ludwik
>
> You've uncovered my ignorance on the following "Old Misconceptions". I
> copy the ones that elicited a surprised "huh?" from me with my comments
> under each:
>
> 2) The misconception is that absorption by the glass in greenhouses is
> the main factor
>      responsible for higher temperatures inside.
> I always thought it was. What, then, is the main factor?
>
> 3) Capacitors in series: the equilibrated charges are not equal in the
> dc circuits.
> What are "equilibrated charges"? Surely the charges on adjacent plates
> are equal.
>
>   4) Melting of ice under skating blades is not due to high pressure.
> Not even primarily? Do the metal blades conduct that much heat? Skate
> blades cannot, then, be made of high-strength plastic because they will
> stick to the ice.
>
>   7) Batteries are sources of charge.
> Does charge, then, come from some other macroscopic circuit element?
>
>  10) Mechanical friction is not caused by surface roughness or
> "interlocking asperites."
> But surface roughness must be the leading "usual suspect". The
> coefficients are certainly greater for rough surfaces than for smooth
> ones.
>
>  14) The Earth's "N" pole actually resides in the southern hemisphere
> I teach that the "N" geographic pole ain't but the "N" magnetic pole
> sure as hell is.
>
>  19) Salt water contains no molecules of NaCl, it contains Na and Cl
> ions
> Not even when the solution is less than saturated?
>
>  20) Macroscopic light waves do not continue to propagate at c when they
> enter a transparent
>        medium
> Then why does the ratio c/v increase in such a medium?
>
> poj
> Collin County College