PERC 2024 Abstract Detail Page
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| Abstract Title: | Student understanding of divergence and curl in upper-division electricity and magnetism |
|---|---|
| Abstract Type: | Contributed Poster Presentation |
| Abstract: | The purpose of this paper is to understand and characterize student thinking about the physics concepts of divergence and curl in the context of upper-division electromagnetism for physics majors. We interviewed five students at a west coast university who had taken at least one semester of upper-division electricity and magnetism. The interview prompted students to describe divergence and curl in multiple representations (visually, mathematically, qualitatively). Our analysis identified that students can notice but struggle to resolve discrepancies between the mathematical calculations and the graphical representations of vector fields. We illustrate examples of when students appear to have a disconnect between these two representations and utilize ideas from related, but inappropriate representations. By providing examples of how students interpret divergence and curl both conceptually and mathematically, we hope to inform instructors of potential hurdles students may face when taking upper-division E&M. |
| Session Time: | Poster Session 2 |
| Poster Number: | B57 |
| Contributed Paper Record: | Contributed Paper Information |
| Contributed Paper Download: | Download Contributed Paper |
Author/Organizer Information | |
| Primary Contact: |
J. Toby Stuckey San Jose State University |
| Co-Author(s) and Co-Presenter(s) |
Gina M. Quan, San Jose State University |
