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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
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![]() <a href="https://www.per-central.org/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>
![]() 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).
![]() 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>.
![]() 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 February 9, 2025, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11888&DocID=2735
![]() 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 9 February 2025).
![]() 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. 9 Feb. 2025 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11888&DocID=2735>.
![]() @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}
}
![]() %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 ![]() %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 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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