lead in radioactive rocks is like beer cans on Pacific islands

Categories: Comparisons

An example of an analogy in popular science writing:

"In fact, as long as the material of the rock was in the molten state, the products of radioactive disintegration could have been continuously removed form the place of their origin by the process[es] of diffusion and convection in the molten material. But as soon as the material solidified into a rock, the accumulation of lead alongside the radioactive element must have begun, and its amount can give us an exact idea of how long it was going on, in exactly the same way as the comparative numbers of empty beer cans scattered between the palms on two Pacific islands could have given an enemy spy an idea of how long a garrison of marines could have stayed on each island."

George Gamow (1961) One, Two, Three…Infinity. Facts and speculations of science, Revised Edition, Dover Publications, Inc., New York.

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Many examples of science analogies are listed in 'Creative comparisons: Making science familiar through language. An illustrative catalogue of figurative comparisons and analogies for science concepts'. Free Download.

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.