ERIC Number: EJ1052002
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012
Pages: 6
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1309-7202
EISSN: N/A
Popular Explanations of Physical Phenomena: Broken Ruler, Oxygen in the Air and Water Attracted by Electric Charges
Riveros, Héctor G.
European Journal of Physics Education, v3 n2 p52-57 2012
The inquiry-based approach to learning has proven to be quite effective, since Socrates, but it is difficult to found good questions to induce reasoning. Many sources explain wrongly some experimental results, which can be used as discrepant events. Some use the breaking of a ruler with a newspaper to "show" that the atmospheric pressure is powerful or "measure" the oxygen in the air using a burning candle or "explain" that electric charge attracts the water because the dipolar properties of the water molecule. Those are seemingly reasonable explanations but they are not true. Those demonstrations can be used to promote discussion and understanding from very simple reasoning.
Descriptors: Physics, Science Instruction, Inquiry, Water, Energy, Molecular Structure, Scientific Concepts, Science Experiments
Erciyes University. Melikgazi, Kayseri, 38039 Turkey. Tel: +90-352-207-6666; Web site: http://ejpe.erciyes.edu.tr/index.php/EJPE
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A