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written by
R cohen, Bat-Sheva Eylon, and Uri Ganiel
A study which was designed to identify students' concepts of simple electric circuits is reported. A diagnostic questionnaire was administered to a sample of 145 high school students and 21 physics teachers. The questionnaire included mainly qualitative questions which were designed to examine students' understanding of the functional relationships between the variables in an electric circuit. The main findings obtained from the analysis of the responses are current is the primary concept used by students, whereas potential difference is regarded as a consequence of current flow, and not as its cause. Consequently students often use V=IR incorrectly. A battery is regarded as a source of constant current. The concepts of emf and internal resistance are not well understood. Students have difficulties in analyzing the effect which a change in one component has on the rest of the circuit. This is probably due to the more general difficulty students have in dealing with a simultaneous change of several variables.
American Journal of Physics: Volume 51, Issue 5, Pages 407-412
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![]() <a href="https://www.compadre.org/portal/items/detail.cfm?ID=2333">Cohen, R, B. Eylon, and U. Ganiel. "Potential difference and current in simple electric circuits: A study of student’s concepts." Am. J. Phys. 51, no. 5, (May 1, 1983): 407-412.</a>
![]() R. Cohen, B. Eylon, and U. Ganiel, , Am. J. Phys. 51 (5), 407 (1983), WWW Document, (https://doi.org/10.1119/1.13226).
![]() R. Cohen, B. Eylon, and U. Ganiel, Potential difference and current in simple electric circuits: A study of student’s concepts, Am. J. Phys. 51 (5), 407 (1983), <https://doi.org/10.1119/1.13226>.
![]() Cohen, R., Eylon, B., & Ganiel, U. (1983, May 1). Potential difference and current in simple electric circuits: A study of student’s concepts. Am. J. Phys., 51(5), 407-412. Retrieved March 16, 2025, from https://doi.org/10.1119/1.13226
![]() Cohen, R, B. Eylon, and U. Ganiel. "Potential difference and current in simple electric circuits: A study of student’s concepts." Am. J. Phys. 51, no. 5, (May 1, 1983): 407-412, https://doi.org/10.1119/1.13226 (accessed 16 March 2025).
![]() Cohen, R, Bat-Sheva Eylon, and Uri Ganiel. "Potential difference and current in simple electric circuits: A study of student’s concepts." Am. J. Phys. 51.5 (1983): 407-412. 16 Mar. 2025 <https://doi.org/10.1119/1.13226>.
![]() @article{
Author = "R Cohen and Bat-Sheva Eylon and Uri Ganiel",
Title = {Potential difference and current in simple electric circuits: A study of student’s concepts},
Journal = {Am. J. Phys.},
Volume = {51},
Number = {5},
Pages = {407-412},
Month = {May},
Year = {1983}
}
![]() %A R Cohen %A Bat-Sheva Eylon %A Uri Ganiel %T Potential difference and current in simple electric circuits: A study of student's concepts %J Am. J. Phys. %V 51 %N 5 %D May 1, 1983 %P 407-412 %U https://doi.org/10.1119/1.13226 %O text/html ![]() %0 Journal Article %A Cohen, R %A Eylon, Bat-Sheva %A Ganiel, Uri %D May 1, 1983 %T Potential difference and current in simple electric circuits: A study of student's concepts %J Am. J. Phys. %V 51 %N 5 %P 407-412 %8 May 1, 1983 %U https://doi.org/10.1119/1.13226 Disclaimer: ComPADRE offers citation styles as a guide only. We cannot offer interpretations about citations as this is an automated procedure. Please refer to the style manuals in the Citation Source Information area for clarifications.
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