Galilean Hydrostatic Paradox and Archimedes Law

• Main Authors: Fernando Lang da Silveira, Alexandre Medeiros
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) 2009-08-01
• Series: Caderno Brasileiro de Ensino de Física
• Subjects: lei de arquimedes; paradoxo de galileu; estática de fluidos.
• Online Access: https://periodicos.ufsc.br/index.php/fisica/article/view/11324

Traditional pedagogy has underestimated the presence of some mysteries and paradoxes in Physics teaching. Naïve inductivistic approaches  in Science education have also contributed to the fact that some important theoretical assumptions are usually discarded. Historical, conceptual  and experimental analysis of Physics development can positively contribute to restore the importance of such assumptions in physics teaching. In this article we analyze the so  called  Galilean Hydrostatic Paradox, a  mystery  directly connected  to  Archimedes Law of  Hydrostatics. Experimental analysis   of   this   theme is presented in a well-documented  photographic way and conclusions are drawn as an example to show the extent to which a competent analysis of such hidden assumptions can subvert traditional and orthodox education in Physics.