Positive

First panel. Person One: "Since this is just a constant, I can use this symbol, right?" (Indicates a sad face icon.) Person Two: "Absolutely not! Give me that." (Takes the chalk.) Second panel. Person Two has changed the sad face to a happy one. "That's better. Haven't you learned that physicists like their constants positive?"

If you want to confuse a physics student, set a constant to be negative in a differential equation that would be harmonic motion. Chances are, they will zoom on and solve the problem without realizing their error.

Published on May 27th, 2020 by Jeremy

Positive

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