drumskin wants to return to its neutral position

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An example of anthropomorphism in science writing:

"A weight will sit motionless on a spring at its balanced position, but tug it down a little the spring pulls back. Similarly, a curved violin string wants to go back to being a straight line. …

It's fairly straightforward to write the differential equation that tells you how strongly any point on the drumskin wants to return to its neutral position."

David Lindley

Lindley, D. (2020). The Dream Universe. How fundamental physics lost its way. Doubleday.

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[Please be aware that a word may have different nuances, or even a different meaning, according to context.]« Back to Index

Author: Keith

Former school and college science teacher, teacher educator, research supervisor, and research methods lecturer. Emeritus Professor of Science Education at the University of Cambridge.