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[Phys-L] Re: The bulb-with-one-wire task: too tricky?



I've been reading some antique physics books. In the 1860's an "elec=
trical battery" was a collection of Leyden jars (capacitors) connecte=
d in parallel. =20
=20
Flash forward a hundred years to the 1960's...an AA, AAA, C, D device=
is properly called a "dry cell." Two or more "cells" put together c=
onstitute a "battery." For example, a 6V lantern battery contains fo=
ur dry cells. An automobile battery is a "wet cell" device containin=
g several "cells." This knowledge is useful mainly to those who wis=
h to interpret antique physics books. =20
=20
A few years ago, one of my students was incensed that his "Modern Phy=
sics" text was ten years old. Upon reflection, I determined that the=
physics covered in the course was primarily from the first half of t=
he 20th Century. "Modern Physics" isn't "modern" anymore. It's anc=
ient history!
=20
Vickie Frohne

________________________________

=46rom: Forum for Physics Educators on behalf of RAUBER, JOEL
Sent: Tue 2/22/2005 2:23 PM
To: PHYS-L@LISTS.NAU.EDU
Subject: Re: The bulb-with-one-wire task: too tricky?



Rick and others,

You may need to change that "pot" in the analog computer to two butto=
ns,
one with a "+" and one with a "-" on it. :-)

Here's one that surprised me in lab today, the lab manual refers to
hooking up a "flashlight cell" into the circuit. The students have a
wooden base device with two banana plug jacks with wires running to t=
he
two sides of a plainly visible battery. A D-size battery. Which loo=
ks
like, well a "flashlight cell".

Perhaps, I shouldn't be surprised, but apparently not that many devic=
es
use D-size cells anymore and the word "cell" is dropping from the
vernacular. And as I think about, more and more, flashlights are usi=
ng
AA and AAA size batteries. Getting old has its problems wrt the
teaching profession.

Joel