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Students’ conversion from electric field line diagrams to other representations
written by Esmeralda Campos, Genaro Zavala, Kristina Zuza, and Jenaro Guisasola
In electricity and magnetism (E&M) courses, students have difficulties understanding the concept of electric field. Because of its abstract nature, students can only understand the concept of electric field through the use of representations, such as the algebraic notation, the vector field representation and electric field lines diagrams. We aim to analyze how students understand the concept of electric field when converting from electric field lines diagrams to the vector field plot and to the algebraic notation. We conducted a study with 64 introductory engineering physics students after their E&M course. Students answered a question shown with an electric field lines diagram and were asked to convert to either the vector field plot or the algebraic notation. We analyzed students' answers based on how they recognize the magnitude and direction of the field in the diagram and convert to the desired representations. The results suggest that most students have difficulties interpreting the electric field lines diagram.
Physics Education Research Conference 2019
Part of the PER Conference series
Provo, UT: July 24-25, 2019
Pages 81-86
Subjects Levels Resource Types
Education Foundations
- Alternative Conceptions
Electricity & Magnetism
- Electric Fields and Potential
= Electric Field
Mathematical Tools
- Vector Calculus
= Vector Field
- Lower Undergraduate
- Reference Material
= Research study
Intended Users Formats Ratings
- Researchers
- application/pdf
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Mirror:
https://doi.org/10.1119/perc.2019…
Access Rights:
Free access
License:
This material is released under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the published article's author(s), title, proceedings citation, and DOI.
Rights Holder:
American Association of Physics Teachers
DOI:
10.1119/perc.2019.pr.Campos
Keyword:
PERC 2019
Record Creator:
Metadata instance created January 2, 2020 by Lyle Barbato
Record Updated:
January 6, 2020 by Lyle Barbato
Last Update
when Cataloged:
January 6, 2020
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AIP Format
E. Campos, G. Zavala, K. Zuza, and J. Guisasola, , presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2019, Provo, UT, 2019, WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=15259&DocID=5171).
AJP/PRST-PER
E. Campos, G. Zavala, K. Zuza, and J. Guisasola, Students’ conversion from electric field line diagrams to other representations, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2019, Provo, UT, 2019, <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=15259&DocID=5171>.
APA Format
Campos, E., Zavala, G., Zuza, K., & Guisasola, J. (2019, July 24-25). Students’ conversion from electric field line diagrams to other representations. Paper presented at Physics Education Research Conference 2019, Provo, UT. Retrieved April 27, 2024, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=15259&DocID=5171
Chicago Format
Campos, E, G. Zavala, K. Zuza, and J. Guisasola. "Students’ conversion from electric field line diagrams to other representations." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2019, Provo, UT, July 24-25, 2019. https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=15259&DocID=5171 (accessed 27 April 2024).
MLA Format
Campos, Esmeralda, Genaro Zavala, Kristina Zuza, and Jenaro Guisasola. "Students’ conversion from electric field line diagrams to other representations." Physics Education Research Conference 2019. Provo, UT: 2019. 81-86 of PER Conference. 27 Apr. 2024 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=15259&DocID=5171>.
BibTeX Export Format
@inproceedings{ Author = "Esmeralda Campos and Genaro Zavala and Kristina Zuza and Jenaro Guisasola", Title = {Students’ conversion from electric field line diagrams to other representations}, BookTitle = {Physics Education Research Conference 2019}, Pages = {81-86}, Address = {Provo, UT}, Series = {PER Conference}, Month = {July 24-25}, Year = {2019} }
Refer Export Format

%A Esmeralda Campos %A Genaro Zavala %A Kristina Zuza %A Jenaro Guisasola %T Students' conversion from electric field line diagrams to other representations %S PER Conference %D July 24-25 2019 %P 81-86 %C Provo, UT %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=15259&DocID=5171 %O Physics Education Research Conference 2019 %O July 24-25 %O application/pdf

EndNote Export Format

%0 Conference Proceedings %A Campos, Esmeralda %A Zavala, Genaro %A Zuza, Kristina %A Guisasola, Jenaro %D July 24-25 2019 %T Students' conversion from electric field line diagrams to other representations %B Physics Education Research Conference 2019 %C Provo, UT %P 81-86 %S PER Conference %8 July 24-25 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=15259&DocID=5171


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