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Abstract Title: Students’ conversion from electric field line diagrams to other representations
Abstract: In electricity and magnetism (E&M) courses, students have difficulties understanding the concept of electric field. Because of its abstract nature, students can only comprehend the concept of electric field through the use of representations, such as the algebraic notation, the vector field representation and electric field line diagrams. We aim to analyze how students understand the concept of electric field when converting from the electric field line diagram to the vector field plot and the algebraic notation. We conducted a study with 64 introductory engineering physics students after their E&M course. Students answered a question shown with an electric field line diagram and were asked to convert to either the vector field plot or the algebraic notation. We analyzed students' answers based on how they recognize the magnitude and direction of the field in the diagram and convert to the desired representation. The results suggest that most students have difficulties interpreting the electric field line diagram.
Abstract Type: Contributed Poster Presentation
Session Time: Poster Session II
Poster Number: B44
Contributed Paper Record: Contributed Paper Information
Contributed Paper Download: Download Contributed Paper

Author/Organizer Information

Primary Contact: Genaro Zavala
Tecnologico de Monterrey
Av. Revolución 2703 R81503
Col. Ladrillera
Monterrey, Non U.S. 64830
Phone: +528182533581
Co-Author(s)
and Co-Presenter(s)
Esmeralda Campos
Tecnologico de Monterrey, Escuela de Ingenieria y Ciencias, Monterrey, Mexico
Genaro Zavala
Tecnologico de Monterrey, Escuela de Ingenieria y Ciencias, Monterrey, Mexico
Universidad Andres Bello, Facultad de Ingenieria, Santiago, Chile
Kristina Zuza
University of the Basque Country, Department of Applied Physics, San Sebastian, Spain
Jenaro Guisasola
University of the Basque Country, Department of Applied Physics, San Sebastian, Spain