Section II. Common Misconceptions in ScienceMISCONCEPTIONS IN SCIENCE
I. What are misconceptions?
From: [http://www.indiana.edu/~w505a/studwork/deborah/]
Misconceptions might also be referred to as preconceived notions, non-scientific beliefs, naive
theories, mixed conceptions, or conceptual misunderstandings. Basically, in science these are cases in
which something a person knows and believes does not match what is known to be scientifically
correct.
Most people who hold misconceptions are NOT aware that their ideas are incorrect. When they are
simply told they are wrong, they often have a hard time giving up their misconceptions-- especially if
they have had a misconception for a long time. Imagine someone telling you your mother was not
actually your mother, but your father!
What is especially concerning about misconceptions is that we continue to build knowledge on our
current understandings. Possessing misconceptions can have serious impacts on our learning.
II. How are misconceptions formed?
From: [http://www.indiana.edu/~w505a/studwork/deborah/]
Misconceptions form in a variety of ways. Often misconceptions are passed on by one person to the
next. In other cases, students may be presented with two correct concepts, but combine or confuse
them. Sometimes students make what to them seems like a logical conclusion, but is simply drawn
from too little evidence or lack of experience. One of the most common sources of misconceptions
is the fact that our everyday language is often at odds with science; common vernacular doesn't
always match the precise language used by scientists. While it's perfectly acceptable to say, the toast
burned it is highly unlikely a chemist would agree with your observation.
Though the connotation of "misconception" is negative, we must remember that the formation of
these ideas often represent a child's effort to organize and understand the world around him/her.
The success of these efforts will depend both on the developmental stage of the child and the
experiences to which he/she is exposed.
III. List of Common Misconceptions
[From: http://www.amasci.com/miscon/opphys.html ]
Astronomy
- Stars and constellations appear in the same place in the sky every night.
- The sun rises exactly in the east and sets exactly in the west every day.
- The sun is always directly south at 12:00 noon.
- The tip of a shadow always moves along an east-west line.
- We experience seasons because of the earth's changing distance from the sun (closer in the
summer, farther in the winter). - The earth is the center of the solar system. (The planets, sun and moon revolve around the
earth.)