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Physical Review Special Topics - Physics Education Research
Observations on student difficulties with mathematics in upper-division electricity and magnetism
written by Rachel E. Pepper, Stephanie Viola Chasteen, Steven J. Pollock, and Katherine Perkins
We discuss common difficulties in upper-division electricity and magnetism (E&M) in the areas of Gauss's law, vector calculus, and electric potential using both quantitative and qualitative evidence. We also show that many of these topical difficulties may be tied to student difficulties with mathematics. At the junior level, some students struggle to combine mathematical calculations and physics ideas, to account for the underlying spatial situation when doing a mathematical calculation, and to access appropriate mathematical tools. We discuss the implications of our findings for E&M instruction at the junior level.
Subjects Levels Resource Types
Education - Basic Research
- Alternative Conceptions
Electricity & Magnetism
- Electric Fields and Potential
= Electrostatic Potential and Potential Energy
= Gauss' Law
Mathematical Tools
- Vector Calculus
- Upper Undergraduate
- Reference Material
= Research study
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application/pdf
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Mirror:
https://doi.org/doi:10.1103/PhysR…
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Free access
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This material is released under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license.
Rights Holder:
American Physical Society
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevSTPER.8.010111
NSF Number:
0737118
PACSs:
01.40.Fk
01.30.lb
01.40.gb
Record Creator:
Metadata instance created April 30, 2012 by Lyle Barbato
Record Updated:
May 15, 2012 by Lyle Barbato
Last Update
when Cataloged:
March 27, 2012
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Record Link
AIP Format
R. Pepper, S. Chasteen, S. Pollock, and K. Perkins, , Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 8 (1), 010111 (2012), WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11916&DocID=2805).
AJP/PRST-PER
R. Pepper, S. Chasteen, S. Pollock, and K. Perkins, Observations on student difficulties with mathematics in upper-division electricity and magnetism, Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 8 (1), 010111 (2012), <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11916&DocID=2805>.
APA Format
Pepper, R., Chasteen, S., Pollock, S., & Perkins, K. (2012, March 27). Observations on student difficulties with mathematics in upper-division electricity and magnetism. Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res., 8(1), 010111. Retrieved November 12, 2024, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11916&DocID=2805
Chicago Format
Pepper, R, S. Chasteen, S. Pollock, and K. Perkins. "Observations on student difficulties with mathematics in upper-division electricity and magnetism." Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 8, no. 1, (March 27, 2012): 010111, https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11916&DocID=2805 (accessed 12 November 2024).
MLA Format
Pepper, Rachel, Stephanie Viola Chasteen, Steven Pollock, and Katherine Perkins. "Observations on student difficulties with mathematics in upper-division electricity and magnetism." Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 8.1 (2012): 010111. 12 Nov. 2024 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11916&DocID=2805>.
BibTeX Export Format
@article{ Author = "Rachel Pepper and Stephanie Viola Chasteen and Steven Pollock and Katherine Perkins", Title = {Observations on student difficulties with mathematics in upper-division electricity and magnetism}, Journal = {Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res.}, Volume = {8}, Number = {1}, Pages = {010111}, Month = {March}, Year = {2012} }
Refer Export Format

%A Rachel Pepper %A Stephanie Viola Chasteen %A Steven Pollock %A Katherine Perkins %T Observations on student difficulties with mathematics in upper-division electricity and magnetism %J Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. %V 8 %N 1 %D March 27, 2012 %P 010111 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11916&DocID=2805 %O application/pdf

EndNote Export Format

%0 Journal Article %A Pepper, Rachel %A Chasteen, Stephanie Viola %A Pollock, Steven %A Perkins, Katherine %D March 27, 2012 %T Observations on student difficulties with mathematics in upper-division electricity and magnetism %J Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. %V 8 %N 1 %P 010111 %8 March 27, 2012 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11916&DocID=2805


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The AIP Style presented is based on information from the AIP Style Manual.

The AJP/PRST-PER presented is based on the AIP Style with the addition of journal article titles and conference proceeding article titles.

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