Re: Relationship between Earth Moon

[brian whatcott <inet@INTELLISYS.NET>]

Yes, these are just the concepts that I do not hesitate to suggest
could give every person on this list some difficulty.

1) This misconception does not fall to immediate naive logical analysis:
i.e. If I exist on a ball orbiting the luminescent Sun yearly,
and I look at a smaller ball orbiting Earth monthly, then I
can say that I must be facing away from the Sun if it is night.
 If I am facing away from the Sun, then the Moon must be facing
towards the Sun (I might argue).

2) Scaling astronomical distances is fully comparable to the
sweeping insight needed to visualize the passage of a million or a
billion years. Students are not to be expected to readily appreciate
that mountains may be the crumbling remnants of the deepest valleys
 of earlier rock strata. It is no more helpful to note that the
Earth diameter will fit in a coronal eruption.

 How about when someone (like me) suggests shining a laser on
the Moon to detect the reflection from a corner reflector there?
It is difficult to understand the spread of a tightly collimated
beam over this moderate distance, and the modest part of light
available for reflection.
What could you conclude if the Moon completely occludes the
Sun's diameter during an eclipse?
These are indeed difficult concepts.

Brian W


At 07:57 9/14/01 -0500, Tina wrote:
> > > > I find it hard to believe the statement above.
> How did you obtain the data that suggests that
> "most students in college do not grasp the relationship
> between the earth and the moon" and that "most think
> that the moon is close enough to take a plane to?<<<<
>
>
> I came to this conclusion based on interviews and on surveys handed o=
> ut to students.  The survey questions were:
>
> 1..  Explain, as clearly as you can, why it is the Moon sometimes app=
> ears as a full bright circle like this,  (drawing of circle)=09and so=
> metimes the Moon can appear as a crescent like this, (drawing of cres=
> cent).
>
> 2.  .  On the back of this page, draw the Earth-Moon System as a scal=
> e model.  (This means draw the Earth and Moon the correct sizes for a=
> sheet of paper.  Also, make sure that you have the correct distance =
> apart for a sheet of paper.)  Don't worry about being exact, just be =
> as close as you can.  Please explain why you drew the Earth-Moon Syst=
> em the way you did.  Please be sure to label all the items in you ske=
> tch!
>
> After collecting all the surveys, before and after instruction.  I me=
> asured the circles and set up ratios.  Most Student drew the earth an=
> d moon less then 3 earth diameters apart. =20
>
> I can send you the actual data if you would like
>
> Tina
>
>
>
>
> Tina Fanetti
> Physics Instructor
> Western Iowa Technical Community College
> 4647 Stone Ave
> Sioux City IA 51102
> 712-274-8733 ext 1429
>
> > > > Herbert H Gottlieb <herbgottlieb@JUNO.COM> 09/10/01 05:46PM >>>
> On Mon, 10 Sep 2001 10:09:53 -0500 Tina Fanetti
> <FanettT@QUEST.WITCC.CC.IA.US> writes:
> > I would have to agree with the statement that most students in
> > college do not grasp the relationship between the Earth and the Moo=
> n.
> =3D20
> > My thesis was looking at college students' scale of the Earth-Moon
> > system and most think that the Moon is close enough to take a plane
> > to.
> >
> > Tina
>
>
>
>
> Herb
brian whatcott <inet@intellisys.net>  Altus OK
                Eureka!