PERC 2016 Abstract Detail Page
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| Abstract Title: | Investigating Student Understanding of Vector Calculus in Junior-Level E&M |
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| Abstract: | Over the past several years the Physics Education Group at the University of Washington has been working to probe the difficulties students encounter in junior-level electrodynamics courses. A large proportion of these difficulties involve interpreting mathematical statements about physical systems, such as Maxwell's equations; many students fail to recognize that the differential forms of these equations describe the physical nature of the electric and magnetic fields. In particular, three main categories of difficulties emerged: (1) inappropriate generalization of the divergence and curl; (2) conflation between precise mathematical meaning and loose colloquial descriptions; and (3) failure to identify inconsistencies between students' intuition and the physical behavior of a field. |
| Abstract Type: | Contributed Poster Presentation |
Author/Organizer Information | |
| Primary Contact: |
Ryan Hazelton University of Washington 200 NE 65th St Seattle, WA 98115 Phone: 9259181037 |
| Co-Author(s) and Co-Presenter(s) |
Bert C Xue, University of Washington Peter S Shaffer, University of Washington |
