Examining student ability to interpret and use potential energy diagrams for classical systems

Stephanik, Brian M.; Shaffer, Peter S.

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Examining student ability to interpret and use potential energy diagrams for classical systems

written by Brian M. Stephanik and Peter S. Shaffer

The Physics Education Group at the University of Washington is examining the extent to which students are able to use graphs of potential energy vs. position to infer kinematic and dynamic quantities for a system. The findings indicate that many students have difficulty in relating the graphs to real-world systems. Some problems seem to be graphical in nature (e.g., interpreting graphs of potential energy vs. position as graphs of position vs. time). Others involve relating the graphs to total, kinetic, and potential energies, especially when the potential energy is negative. The results have implications beyond the introductory level since graphs of potential energy are used in advanced courses on classical and quantum mechanics.

Physics Education Research Conference 2011
Part of the PER Conference series
Omaha, Nebraska: August 3-4, 2011
Volume 1413, Pages 367-370

download 124kb .pdf
Published: February 6, 2012

Subjects	Levels	Resource Types
Classical Mechanics - Work and Energy Education Foundations - Alternative Conceptions	- Lower Undergraduate - Graduate/Professional - Upper Undergraduate	- Reference Material = Research study

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Mirror:: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3680071
Access Rights:: Free access and
Available for purchase; A preprint of the work is available. A hard copy of the PERC 2011 proceedings is available for purchase from the AIP.
Restriction:: © 2011 American Institute of Physics
DOI:: 10.1063/1.3680071
NSF Numbers:: 0618185; 1022449
PACSs:: 01.40.Fk; 45.20.dh
Keywords:: PERC 2011, potential energy, potential energy diagram, student understanding
Record Cloner:: Metadata instance created April 26, 2012 by Lyle Barbato
Record Updated:: May 15, 2012 by Vince Kuo
Last Update when Cataloged:: February 6, 2012
Other Collections:: The PER-Central

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<a href="https://www.compadre.org/portal/items/detail.cfm?ID=11888">Stephanik, Brian, and Peter Shaffer. "Examining student ability to interpret and use potential energy diagrams for classical systems." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2011, Omaha, Nebraska, August 3-4, 2011.</a>

AIP Format

B. Stephanik and P. Shaffer, , presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2011, Omaha, Nebraska, 2011, WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11888&DocID=2735).

AJP/PRST-PER

B. Stephanik and P. Shaffer, Examining student ability to interpret and use potential energy diagrams for classical systems, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2011, Omaha, Nebraska, 2011, <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11888&DocID=2735>.

APA Format

Stephanik, B., & Shaffer, P. (2011, August 3-4). Examining student ability to interpret and use potential energy diagrams for classical systems. Paper presented at Physics Education Research Conference 2011, Omaha, Nebraska. Retrieved April 26, 2024, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11888&DocID=2735

Chicago Format

Stephanik, Brian, and Peter Shaffer. "Examining student ability to interpret and use potential energy diagrams for classical systems." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2011, Omaha, Nebraska, August 3-4, 2011. https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11888&DocID=2735 (accessed 26 April 2024).

MLA Format

Stephanik, Brian, and Peter Shaffer. "Examining student ability to interpret and use potential energy diagrams for classical systems." Physics Education Research Conference 2011. Omaha, Nebraska: 2011. 367-370 Vol. 1413 of PER Conference. 26 Apr. 2024 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11888&DocID=2735>.

BibTeX Export Format

@inproceedings{ Author = "Brian Stephanik and Peter Shaffer", Title = {Examining student ability to interpret and use potential energy diagrams for classical systems}, BookTitle = {Physics Education Research Conference 2011}, Pages = {367-370}, Address = {Omaha, Nebraska}, Series = {PER Conference}, Volume = {1413}, Month = {August 3-4}, Year = {2011} }

Refer Export Format

%A Brian Stephanik %A Peter Shaffer %T Examining student ability to interpret and use potential energy diagrams for classical systems %S PER Conference %V 1413 %D August 3-4 2011 %P 367-370 %C Omaha, Nebraska %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11888&DocID=2735 %O Physics Education Research Conference 2011 %O August 3-4 %O application/pdf

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%0 Conference Proceedings %A Stephanik, Brian %A Shaffer, Peter %D August 3-4 2011 %T Examining student ability to interpret and use potential energy diagrams for classical systems %B Physics Education Research Conference 2011 %C Omaha, Nebraska %V 1413 %P 367-370 %S PER Conference %8 August 3-4 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11888&DocID=2735

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