Bad physics in accepted answer, what to do? (if anything)

Question

This answer is currently accepted. I believe the physics is wrong, since conservation of angular momentum prevents a satellite from raising its orbit around a spherically symmetric body by using only gravity.

The problem in the answer is the conflation of center-of-mass and center-of-gravity, which are of course are usually not the same position in a gravity gradient, and certainly not blindly interchangeable.

The explanation and equations given there express the central body's contribution only through μ which is G time the mass of the Earth. Without torque, you can't use Earth's gravity to boost the orbit.

I think this site generally regards physical principles like conservation of angular momentum in few-body mechanics problems as given, and within that context, the answer is therefore wrong.

I know this is stack exchange and wrong answers happen and get accepted, but this one is demonstrably wrong based on basic conservation of angular momentum arguments.

I've left several comments there within the long comment chain that exists there, though a key few relating specifically to torque are now missing.

Options I can think of include

1. add more comments.
2. write an answer that just explains why the other answer is incorrect.
3. write a correct answer to the question, and in doing so help make it clear why the other answer is incorrect. (This is hard, but doable)
4. with coming up on 10,000 questions here, don't worry about it.

Any thoughts?

Answer 1

Ideally, the way it ought to work is to write a better answer.

In practice, it will be difficult to displace the wrong answer. It already has upvotes, and was awarded a bounty. You might be able to get the question asker to accept your answer, if that user is still active.

The hard part is to attract users to your new answer to an old question, so it gets upvotes. One trick that could work is to ask a new question, with a link to your new answer. The new question shouldn't be a duplicate of the old question, yet has to be close enough to justify the link. I'm not enthusiastic about doing this, but if you feel that strongly, it's an option for you.

Answer 2

Downvote, comment, upvote good answers, make a better answer if you can, move on.

You could also add a bounty to try to encourage better answers, if you want.

Wrong vs. "demonstrably wrong" is not a distinction we make here. Technically incorrect answers should be voted down--that (and optionally commenting) is all the action that needs to be taken. Unless the post does not provide a justification* for the answer (in which case you can flag as low quality), it does not merit further action for simply being wrong.

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* I do realize that errors in justifying an answer can look like failing to justify the answer. That is a fuzzy line. Generally, we should be relying on the community to resolve these issues. Moderators will usually step in only if there is a flagrant disregard for justifying information. I would not consider this one of those cases.

Answer 3

Sometimes I will accept an answer that is completely wrong will have a positive effect as a driver for a better answer. The accepted answer usually will rest on the best answer by vote sometimes to the lower Rep. user if it is there 1st answer for retention.