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Re: wrong physics explanations-misconceptions



Brian just piqued an old recollection of mine. My step-father's
predecessors were teachers. In their very old books was an
encyclopedia (just 2 volumes). Like most "modern" such books, it had
science...very funny science.

In the part on optics was a perfectly straightforward explanation of
the luminiferous ether, which allowed light to travel where there was
no apparent material on which the wave could ride.

I'd suggest a look at any very old science book as an easier target
than most current texts. My colleague was involved in his children's
elementary school during the cross-town busing of the 80's. To
insure that his children had good resources, he checked out the
elementary school library. The astronomy texts were old enough to be
missing important planets, and to have long ago corrected theories.
Karl

Taking the long view, one might say that any physics text,
any science text has examples of sincerely held models,
later repudiated as 'wrong' in favor of better.
But correction is not to be bought so cheaply by college students;
it is the work of someone's lifetime.

Brian

At 06:02 AM 9/19/02, Cindy wrote:
I am teaching a new course called Physics in Motion - they learn
physics through video taping things around them. The class is all
freshman and they must do alot of writing about physics. I am trying
to find some articles/stories that have some "wrong" physics
explanations and or physics misconceptions in them. Can anyone point
me to some? I will then have them rewrite the article with "correct
physics" explanations. Stuff on the internet or in
magazines/newspapers that they could find would be really great. If
anyone has any suggestions please email me.


Cindy Schwarz

p.s. I am currently only looking for things involving
motion/kinematics/dynamics

schwarz@vassar.edu

Brian Whatcott
Altus OK Eureka!