Intuitive ontologies for energy in physics

Scherr, Rachel E.; Close, Hunter G.; McKagan, Sarah B.

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Intuitive ontologies for energy in physics

written by Rachel E. Scherr, Hunter G. Close, and Sarah B. McKagan

The nature of energy is not typically an explicit topic of physics instruction. Nonetheless, participants in physics courses that involve energy are frequently saying what kind of thing they think energy is, both verbally and nonverbally. Physics textbooks also provide discourse suggesting the nature of energy as conceptualized by disciplinary experts. The premise of an embodied cognition theoretical perspective is that we understand the kinds of things that may exist in the world (ontology) in terms of sensorimotor experiences such as object permanence and movement. We offer examples of intuitive ontologies for energy that we have observed in classroom contexts and physics texts, including energy as a quasi-material substance; as a stimulus to action; and as a vertical location. Each of the intuitive ontologies we observe has features that contribute to a valid understanding of energy. The quasi-material substance metaphor best supports understanding energy as a conserved quantity.

Physics Education Research Conference 2011
Part of the PER Conference series
Omaha, Nebraska: August 3-4, 2011
Volume 1413, Pages 343-346

download 118kb .pdf
Published: February 6, 2012

Subjects	Levels	Resource Types
Classical Mechanics - Work and Energy Education - Basic Research - Alternative Conceptions - Cognition - Learning Theory = Cognitive Modeling	- Lower Undergraduate	- Reference Material = Research study

PER-Central Type	Intended Users	Ratings
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Formats:: application/pdf
non-digital
Mirror:: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3680065
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:: 10.1063/1.3680065
NSF Number:: 0822342
PACSs:: 01.40.E-; 01.40.Fk; 01.40.Ha
Keywords:: PERC 2011, embodied cognition, metaphor, ontology
Record Cloner:: Metadata instance created February 6, 2012 by Lyle Barbato
Record Updated:: April 23, 2012 by Lyle Barbato
Last Update when Cataloged:: February 6, 2012

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<a href="https://www.per-central.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=11697">Scherr, R, H. Close, and S. McKagan. "Intuitive ontologies for energy in physics." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2011, Omaha, Nebraska, August 3-4, 2011.</a>

AIP Format

R. Scherr, H. Close, and S. McKagan, , presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2011, Omaha, Nebraska, 2011, WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11697&DocID=2574).

AJP/PRST-PER

R. Scherr, H. Close, and S. McKagan, Intuitive ontologies for energy in physics, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2011, Omaha, Nebraska, 2011, <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11697&DocID=2574>.

APA Format

Scherr, R., Close, H., & McKagan, S. (2011, August 3-4). Intuitive ontologies for energy in physics. Paper presented at Physics Education Research Conference 2011, Omaha, Nebraska. Retrieved December 14, 2024, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11697&DocID=2574

Chicago Format

Scherr, R, H. Close, and S. McKagan. "Intuitive ontologies for energy in physics." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2011, Omaha, Nebraska, August 3-4, 2011. https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11697&DocID=2574 (accessed 14 December 2024).

MLA Format

Scherr, Rachel, Hunter Close, and Sarah B. McKagan. "Intuitive ontologies for energy in physics." Physics Education Research Conference 2011. Omaha, Nebraska: 2011. 343-346 Vol. 1413 of PER Conference. 14 Dec. 2024 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11697&DocID=2574>.

BibTeX Export Format

@inproceedings{ Author = "Rachel Scherr and Hunter Close and Sarah B. McKagan", Title = {Intuitive ontologies for energy in physics}, BookTitle = {Physics Education Research Conference 2011}, Pages = {343-346}, Address = {Omaha, Nebraska}, Series = {PER Conference}, Volume = {1413}, Month = {August 3-4}, Year = {2011} }

Refer Export Format

%A Rachel Scherr %A Hunter Close %A Sarah B. McKagan %T Intuitive ontologies for energy in physics %S PER Conference %V 1413 %D August 3-4 2011 %P 343-346 %C Omaha, Nebraska %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11697&DocID=2574 %O Physics Education Research Conference 2011 %O August 3-4 %O application/pdf

EndNote Export Format

%0 Conference Proceedings %A Scherr, Rachel %A Close, Hunter %A McKagan, Sarah B. %D August 3-4 2011 %T Intuitive ontologies for energy in physics %B Physics Education Research Conference 2011 %C Omaha, Nebraska %V 1413 %P 343-346 %S PER Conference %8 August 3-4 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11697&DocID=2574

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