Recently my thought have been deeply occupied with the word "MISCONCEPTION" , emerged when I was confused over some characteristic of capacitor. I have found a website that explains a lot of other misconceptions about electronics, and surprisingly, I was struck immediately by its reasoning in such a fashion that I quickly threw away my original concepts which are wrong!
Those explanations are not great discoveries but arguments over words used and potential confusions caused by that. Of course science is not word, but it's convey through language. We may get the correct understanding at first, but eventually it may be eroded by theh repetition of usage of improper words.
Let's have few examples:
i) Current flow to, Current flow from, bla bla bla. It's universally known that current == flow rate of charge, so how could a flow rate flows? By using this phrase again and again, one fine day we may finally incline to think that there's such substance call current flow through the circuit. Similar concept applies to power flow.
ii) Charge up the capacitor, discharge the capacitor. By these words, we may possibly imagine that charge up == some charges flow in cap and stored inside, and discharge == charges fade away from cap. But think of this, a neutral caa has as muc charge as a "charged" cap. The multiple meanings of a word may create confusion here. "Charge up“ = break charge neutrality and impose a imbalance between plates.
iii) What is electricity? You can spot electricity in many places, which could mean a range of meanings. But tracing it back to person who started to use this word, electricty means charge.
I think I couldn't explain better than original site do. And though its informality and unpopulated view did make me doubt its correctness, its reasoning made me first doubt what I've learnt. In some way I think it really help me to get a better basic understanding or alas, reinforce what I know before.
And it triggered me to continue to search for misconceptions in other areas. By human nature, we tend to take things for granted. We are more inclined to think that we are surrounded by "truth" and having pleasure in believing it, not willing to open our eyes until we suddenly realized that we are as stupid as monkey.
Suddenly was overwhelmed by the contradictions in "facts" and belief. Of course ideas aren't necassary wrong if it's been labelled misconception, and not necessary right if misconception is lablled against opposite ones, the word "misconception" alarms me to shake off my predominant thoughts. I may end up in the endless struggle of defining which one is real misconception if my reasoning is not strong, but throughout the thinking process, I believe that my eyes could only get clearer bit by bit. Suddenly thought of demystification of powers, society bla bla bla, sociological lessons learnt when I was exchanged to CUHK. It excites me so much to have thrown away so many wrong concepts, yet it hurts me so much to swallow so many "hard" facts.
AFter round and round of exposures, I guess now I tend to believe there is more falsehood than truth, due to both external and internal factors. Who believes intuitively that heavier object fall as fast as lighter object? Hence I shouldn't take truth to be granted, to believe that it could be easily obtained. Somemore outside Science, truth may not exist but misconceptions roam for certain. Perhaps I should learn things by getting to know misconceptions and common pitfalls first. Ignorance is not bliss. One day I shall pay the price for being ignorant.
And, before you read on misconception about something, know the definition of it first.
A funny FACT is that:
Misrepresentation of a concept is not a misconception but may produce a misconception. Some purposely use misrepresentation to produce these misconceptions to achieve goals, like politicians. ^_^
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