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I wasn't specifically taking your comments as an endorsement of Myth
Busters. I just wanted to comment that I have found the quality of
science questionable on the show. I WOULD use it as a springboard for
discussion here (as you did!), but I would avoid it for classes since I
find more problems than I would want to explain and correct for
beginners. Much the same way that several people here have commented
that they don't cover misconceptions - concentrating instead on the
correct ideas directly.
Tim F
-----Original Message-----
From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
[mailto:phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu] On Behalf Of Polvani,
Donald G.
Sent: Monday, April 24, 2006 3:38 PM
To: Forum for Physics Educators
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] fire starter from the sun - revisited
Tim Folkerts wrote:
There's nothing like good data to settle an argument. Unfortunately,"Myth Busters" is nothing like good data. ;-)
I have watched the show a few times, but I found myself constantlyquestioning their scientific and engineering
expertise. Details that seemed perfectly obvious to me completelyescaped them. It was mildly entertaining, but
certainly not the place I would go for examples to show in class of howto approach scientific or engineering problems.
Actually, I find the show, sometimes at least, interesting and enjoyable
and really wasn't aware, in my post, that I was recommending it as a
source or scientific or engineering expertise or even a source of class
examples.
See the URL below for a more academically oriented reference to the same
myth and researched by the same people and same institution as was
presented on the Mythbusters show (MIT, which I believe does qualify in
many peoples' opinion, including my own, as a source of scientific and
engineering expertise and class room examples).
http://web.mit.edu/2.009/www/lectures/10_ArchimedesResult.html
Don
Dr. Donald Polvani
Northrop Grumman Corporation Advisory Engineer
Oceanic and Naval Systems
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Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l
_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l