Y chromosome, dropped magnet, S pole in Canada, Pi problem: was: Re: Appropriate for Gen Phys? was: comprehending electric/magnetic interactions

[Bernard Cleyet <anngeorg@PACBELL.NET>]

The first one I read (google) is? of interest:

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=138936


I read (fourth grade?) and confirmed several times that one may make a
magnet by hammering a non magnetized * nail while oriented N-S.  I also
read that banging magnets decreased their strength.  Resolving the
paradox is a good exercise?

* verified, before and after, using a compass.

"Then
of course there is the idea that the magnetic pole in Canada is really
the S pole of a magnet."

I was taught the N pole of a magnet was short for "N seeking pole".

"The common misconceptions about magnetic forces due to lack of good
exploration is similar to the problem with Pi.  Students do not
understand Pi because they have not done the simple things like wrapping
a string around various cans and comparing its length with the diameter.
Pi is generally treated as an abstract quantity in math courses and
students never even pick up a ruler or protractor in many math classes.

John M. Clement
Houston, TX"


Also, when young, my favo. uncle asked how much would a string circling the earth be above the earth if it was a yard too long. I had to do some wrapping -- later I resorted to finite differentials.

bc






Jack Uretsky wrote:

> On Thu, 3 Jul 2003, Brian Whatcott wrote:
>
>
>
> > At 06:09 PM 7/3/2003 -0500,  John Clement, you wrote:
> >
> >
> > > /snip/
> > > Incidentally some other misconceptions involve the belief that students
> > > have that magnets pick up metals.  Of course they are also given
cut