[Phys-L] Re: taking stuff apart

[Bernard Cleyet <anngeorg@PACBELL.NET>]

I've mentioned this before:  the down side of miniaturization is
electronic devices are no longer transparent.  Even tubes are
transparent and disassembly (breaking the envelop) reveals their
operation.  A transistor is not (except possibly an ancient point
contact one or diode -- microwave diodes -1n23- some may be dissembled
and reassembled and still work!) not to mentions LSI's.   Even junior
high students would work on autos; now even I won't tho I'm tempted to
insert EMF and current meters in my Prius (over 3k miles and the novelty
is just beginning to wear off).  One of the better exercises was
rebuilding a carburetor now they don't exist!

In the 6th grade I made lead secondary cells and charged them w/ a 5U4
or 80 tubes.  Now it's very difficult to find Physics students
interested in doing projects for e.g. science fairs.

bc, who's rebuilt his VW carburetors and fuel pumps.

BTW, John could have reduced the EMF by inserting resistance e.g. a
second or more cells or even taping two of the three cells in the old 6
V. batts.  Now they're sealed!

John Denker wrote:
> I accidentally sent the previous email before I was finished
> writing it.  The rest was supposed to go like this:
>
> I know how to make a high-value lesson from taking stuff
> apart when I'm tutoring one student or a small group.  I
> don't know how to do it in a classroom lecture/demonstration
> setting, and I don't know how to do it as a self-guided
> project (not without risking the loss of most of the value).
> Maybe somebody else knows;  I don't.
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