July 29, 2001
We will build two branches of this "perceptions" section: one for ordinary perceptions and one for abstractions.  The first "ordinary" perception topic will be stereopsis and some interesting ways we can extend our perceptions using stereopsis. 

This page looks at some of the "abstractions."

Knowledge is for use!
Just do it!
but
before it can be used
it must be understood.


Perception of science

...is often clouded.  Here are several scientific concepts which are widely known and often perceived as some of the substance of science.  But each has its problems.  Some are correct statements but are persistently misunderstood.  Some are simply wrong.  Some aren't even wrong.

Which are which?

This page is a more direct version of  "Science."


For every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction.
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F = ma
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Time is the fourth dimension.
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You can't simultaneously measure both position and momentum.
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Quantum mechanics showed that the world behaves according to statistical laws
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Mass can be converted to energy and vice versa:  E = mc².
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The uncertainty principle revealed that observation disturbs the observed.
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Energy is the capacity to do work
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Einstein showed that everything is relative.
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Temperature (or heat) is the motion of molecules; it's their kinetic energy.
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Gravity equals 9.8.
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According to the laws of phyiscs--they're known as the first and second laws of thermodynamics and there are no known exceptions to them--you can't use energy more than once.
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Creation science is an alternative to evolution...and every bit as scientific.
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Following these interesting lines of reasoning leads to many "simple but powerful concepts of science" that have significance in all aspects of human life.  The science concepts themselves have great power in science and engineering.  The reasoning that led to the science has great power everywhere a human being interacts with his or her environment.
 

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