Re: PV=nRT Refuted!

On Sun, 10 Jun 2007 05:07:47 -0700, Frank J <fnci@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I occasionally note the analogy that evolution is taught like PV=nRT.

1. First students are taught that PV=nRT.
2. Then they are taught that PV does not equal nRT.
3. Then they taught thermodynamics in depth and how PV=nRT is still a
useful approximation.

Similarly, with evolution, students are taught:

1. A somewhat oversimplified version.
2. A critical analysis, which superficially seems to put the theory in
trouble.
3. Details that show that it is the only explanation that works.

Anti-evolution activists want students to concentrate on #2 in order
to promote unreasonable doubt. They exploit the fact that, at the high
school level, it's not often easy to teach enough #3 to correct the
misconceptions.

But the scam goes even further. When a critic seems to object to
teaching #2, the activists scream "censorship." Yet interested
students can easily access #2 and #3 on their own time, so any charge
of "censorship" is bogus. Besides, by emphasizing #2, and suggesting
that learning #3 is a waste of time, it is the anti-evolution
activists who attempt to censor.

Anyway, that neat little game would be completely unnecessary if there
really were another promising theory. Anti-evolution activists would
want students to critically analyze * that * theory, instead of
playing "don't ask, don't tell."

According to at least one anti-evolutionist, however, a promising
theory is in the works. And from what he says, it looks like it will
refute everything from evolution to PV=nRT.

So get ready to forget "PV=nRT," and start thinking in terms of
"AH=ItR."

Think about it.

This is an important point, but is almost but not quite correct.

Students are first taught #1) PV = nRT. But quite universally, at the
same time that they are taught that #2) PV is not nRT, they are also
taught #3 (part 1) that there is a more elaborate theory that does
work and besides all the elementary, first year GChem, laws of
chemistry are approximations for low pressure, dilute solutions,
equilibrium conditions, ..... They may not yet be taught the full
theory (#3 part 2) but #2 is never done in isolation.

Similarly, biology students in intro courses are taught elementary
evolution (#1) but in good courses are also taught that it is rather
more complex than that (#2 and #3 part 1 simultaneously). Only in a
full solid evolution course do they get the details (#3 part 2).

So evolution deniers are completely wrong in talking about #2 in
isolation. That is never done in real science.



.

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