PERC 2013 Abstract Detail Page
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| Abstract Title: | Similar Density Questions with Very Different Results |
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| Abstract: | While developing a standardized fluids assessment covering buoyancy and pressure, we discovered deficiencies in student understanding of density. In particular, many college students do not recognize that density is a fixed property of a solid substance, such as aluminum or gold. We added questions to our diagnostic exam to probe the extent of student difficulties. In one of our questions, only 50-60% of students recognize that the density of gold is a fixed value. When similar questions from an existing diagnostic1 are used, however, 85-90% of students correctly identify the density of a piece of wood and of a diamond as fixed values. In this paper we discuss the differences between these questions and how those differences affect student responses. 1 http://physics.fullerton.edu/~mloverud/densitysurvey.pdf. R. Yeend, M. Loverude, and B. Gonzalez, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2001, Rochester, New York, 2001, WWW Document, (http://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=4313&DocID=1045). |
| Abstract Type: | Contributed Poster Presentation |
Author/Organizer Information | |
| Primary Contact: |
Ashley Lindow Grove City College 200 Campus Drive Grove City, PA 16127 |
| Co-Author(s) and Co-Presenter(s) |
Elizabeth Carbone (Grove City College), DJ Wagner (Grove City College) |
