PERC 2024 Abstract Detail Page
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| Abstract Title: | Students reasoning with multi-variable expressions in the context of potential difference |
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| Abstract Type: | Contributed Poster Presentation |
| Abstract: | This study probes student reasoning with multi-variable expressions in the context of potential difference, VAB=-WAB/qtest. Many students reason that if the value of a test charge being moved in an external field between points A and B is increased, the potential difference between the two points is decreased proportionally. It could be argued that these students rely on intuitive ideas informed by their prior practices with similar expressions (e.g., y=a/x) in which a and x represent a constant and a variable, respectively. This automated prior knowledge yields an intuitive mental model based on the assumption that WAB is a constant, which many accept without giving it a second thought. It is also possible that the knowledge necessary to check for the validity of this assumption is weak or missing. This study is guided by the dual-process theories of reasoning and probs the likely sources of reasoning errors with multi-variable expressions |
| Footnote: | This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under the grants Nos. DUE-1821390, DUE-1821123, DUE-1821400, DUE-1821511, and DUE-182156 |
| Session Time: | Poster Session 2 |
| Poster Number: | B59 |
| Contributed Paper Record: | Contributed Paper Information |
| Contributed Paper Download: | Download Contributed Paper |
Author/Organizer Information | |
| Primary Contact: |
Safana Ismael graduate student at NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY Moorhead, MN 56560 Phone: 6126448411 |
| Co-Author(s) and Co-Presenter(s) |
Mila Kryjevskaia She/Her Professor Graduate Program Coordinator Department of Physics, PO Box 6050 North Dakota State University Fargo, ND 58108-6050 http://www.ndsu.edu/faculty/kryjevsk/ |
Contributed Poster | |
| Contributed Poster: | Download the Contributed Poster |
