PERC 2011 Abstract Detail Page
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| Abstract Title: | Interpretation of Vector Products: Effect of the Context and Position of the Vectors |
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| Abstract: | In this article we report an investigation on the effect of the context and the position of the vectors in the interpretation of dot and cross product. We administered two tests to 380 students completing all introductory physics courses at a large private Mexican university. We studied students' responses in four problems about dot product: 1) no physical context with a tail-to-tail representation, 2) no physical context with a head-to-tail representation, 3) work and 4) electric flux; and in four problems about cross product: 1) no physical context with a tail-to-tail representation, 2) no physical context with a head-to-tail representation, 3) torque and 4) magnetic force. In this article we report the analysis of the responses by comparing the frequencies of the errors in both types of problems to infer students' conceptions in the interpretation of vector products. |
| Abstract Type: | Contributed Poster |
Author/Organizer Information | |
| Primary Contact: |
Pablo Barniol Tecnologico de Monterrey E. Garza Sada 2501 Monterrey, Non U.S. 64849 Phone: 528183582000, ext. 4631 |
| Co-Author(s) and Co-Presenter(s) |
Genaro Zavala Tecnologico de Monterrey |
