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Re: Why should non-scientists learn physics?

Why Gate Keeper should study physics:

This am, Gate Keeper (who likes to play in the dirt) asked me to remove the
steel fence posts used to support the "tree" roses planted by the house's
previous owner and dug out by her. (Planted on the North side -- another
example, of many, of the incompetence we must correct. -- we got the house
cheap!) They wouldn't budge, even after digging a deeper hole around the
posts. So I wrapped rebar wire around the post and looped it over a six food
2 X 4. A two foot 2 X 4 served as the fulcrum. That shifted them with
little effort! Nance was amazed. I replied with my usual, "it's the Ph. D.
Nance; when are you going to get one too?" further: "It's basic Physics --
called mechanical advantage."

bc

P.s. Obviously only the practical reason, the joy is the "real" reason.

Hugh Haskell wrote:

Bob Cohen wrote:

I am somewhat confused by Dan M's statement below.

I would agree that a formal error analysis technique would be unnecessary
for non-scientists but even non-scientists need to be able to analyze
their measurements, don't they? Otherwise, why do experiments at all? I
see too many secondary-school "experiments" in which differences between
measurement and prediction is "hand-waved" away because students are not
required (or expected) to do any analysis.

Just curious, why should non-scientists learn physics?

Why should non artists learn about art?
Why should non-musicians learn about music?
Why should non-historians learn history?
Why should non-athletes get some exercise?

Hugh
--

Hugh Haskell
<mailto://haskell@ncssm.edu>
<mailto://hhaskell@mindspring.com>

(919) 467-7610

Let's face it. People use a Mac because they want to, Windows because they
have to..
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