I understand why Newtonian physics is taught in HS, but is it fair to the students?

Newton described gravity...and in everything any student needs to know in virtually any way they might need to use their education Newton's description is sufficient. The math works, the application works, it suffices. But it is totally untrue. Einstein's description is just as accurate in every way...more accurate in truth but is (almost) completely opposite as to the why. The reality of gravity is incredibly difficult to explain or understand...why I get why Newton is so much easier to teach. Newton says that the apple falls because of a force called gravity that massive objects emit. Objects fall at 9.8 mps squared on earth because of this force. That is untrue. In reality objects cannot fall at all mathematically (in the way we envision things falling). They reach the ground due to paths followed in spacetime and, if anything, the earth leaps up to crunch the "falling" object. I see how the truth is daunting to teach when the lie is mathematically as solid unless the application is GPS systems or astrophysics, but might the staggering weirdness of why things really fall excite students to advance the knowledge of it?

Submitted May 26, 2023 at 08:28PM by bluemagicstone https://ift.tt/SjGX5PA