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Re: [Phys-l] Definition of Substance



I agree that it is a bit too specific for physical science. But it is a
term from the late 18th century which refers to something with fixed
chemical properties according to the Wikipedia, so it is traditional. There
are possible mixtures which might fit under the definition. But the book
includes every piece of scientific trivia, and teachers proceed to test it.

My favorite example here is the 3 classes of levers. Levers are very useful
pedagogically because you can provide opportunities to have students begin
to understand proportional and compensation (inverse proportion) reasoning.
But the 3 classes are just trivia and are entirely unnecessary to analyzing
levers. They do serve as a means of memorizing things like a first class
lever the effort and resistance are in opposite directions, but this can
also be seen by making a drawing, without the memorized "stuff".

Students end up memorizing technological trivia rather than building
abilities like proportional reasoning. Oh, and the TX standards do not
really specify which words are testable vocabulary, so the teachers are left
guessing. The standards are very general, vague, and do not mention much if
any about reasoning. Once students have high level reasoning skills, the
trivia will be easily assimilated. But first they have to accommodate to
new ways of thinking.

This thread started because I did not think to look first for a good web
site definition, but learning that others share my dismay over trivia in
science is gratifying.

John M. Clement
Houston, TX


Why do science educators make up these idiotic narrow definitions of comon
terms. My encyclopedia uses substance to distinguish between what makes up
the physical essence of something versus merely is form or other
attributes. Substance simply means "stuff". We sound like total jerks when
we go around correcting students for using words the way 99 percent of the
rest of the world uses them.

Bob at PC