In this age of immediate information and countless sources of

news that we live in, it is impossible to not be at least misled

once. However, when it comes to physics, most of the
misconceptions and false information we believe in do not
actually come from the media. These misconceptions are so
widespread, everyone shares them without fact-checking them
first. So, we are here to test your knowledge, with a quick true
or false test about physics misconceptions!

1:Heavier objects fall faster than lighter objects.

TRUE FALSE

2:Gravity does not exist in outer space.

TRUE FALSE

3: Positively charged objects have gained protons.

TRUE FALSE

4: If an object is at rest, no forces are acting on the object.

TRUE FALSE

5: A mirror reverses everything.

TRUE FALSE
6: All metals are attracted to a magnet.
TRUE FALSE

7: The majority of Earth's oxygen is produced by oceans.

TRUE FALSE

8: Bananas are radioactive.

TRUE FALSE

9: A cloud might weigh about a million pounds.

TRUE FALSE

10: Light moves in a straight line.

TRUE FALSE

And now, time for the answers…

1: False!
This misconception is already debunked long ago by Galileo on
his experiment when he dropped two objects with different
masses on the Leaning Tower of Pisa. He has shown on that
experiment that objects move downward with the same
acceleration. The problem comes from not being able to identify
another force that is involved, which is air resistance. All objects
moving through air, and hence, all falling objects, experience air
resistance. This force is proportional to the area of the object in
the direction of motion.

2:False!
There is gravity in outer space, it is just weaker than what we
experience here on Earth!

3: False!
The number of protons does not change when the object is
positively or negatively charged. What charges the object
positively is the lack of electrons relative to protons.

4: False!
If an object is at rest, it means that there is no net force acting on
it. An object at rest may still have forces acting on it, as long as
they are balanced.

5: False!
The mirror does not reverse images from left to right, it reverses
them from front to back relative to the front of the mirror. Stand
facing a mirror. Point to one side. You and your mirror image
are pointing in the same direction.

6: False!
Magnetic materials are always made of metal, but not all metals
are magnetic. Iron is magnetic, so any metal with iron in it will
be attracted to a magnet. Steel contains iron, so a steel paperclip
will be attracted to a magnet too. Most other metals, for example
aluminium, copper and gold, are NOT magnetic.

7: True!
Scientists estimate that roughly half of the oxygen production on
Earth comes from the ocean. The majority of this production is
from oceanic plankton — drifting plants, algae, and some
bacteria that can photosynthesize.

8: True!
Bananas have naturally high-levels of potassium and a small
fraction of all potassium is radioactive. Each banana can emit .
01 millirem (0.1 microsieverts) of radiation. This is a very small
amount of radiation,do not worry.

9: True!
Most of us have at least once dreamt in our childhoods to float
in the cottony clouds. If you’re on that list, here’s another one of
the most interesting science facts to astonish you. As per the US
Geological Survey reports, a cloud can weigh up to millions of
pounds. How exciting, that’s almost similar to a fully-loaded
heaviest jet on the planet!

10: True!
Light travels in a straight line. There are objects in its path that
cause the light to either bend or refract.

Thank you for your attention!