Conceptual Understanding in Introductory Physics XXXVI
A qualitative question about work
Read More Conceptual Understanding in Introductory Physics XXXVICategory: Goals
Conceptual Understanding in Introductory Physics XXXV
A questions about free-body diagrams
Read More Conceptual Understanding in Introductory Physics XXXVConceptual Understanding in Introductory Physics XXXIV
A question about how force affects momentum
Read More Conceptual Understanding in Introductory Physics XXXIVConceptual Understanding in Introductory Physics XXXIII
A question about systems and system boundaries and the Momentum Principle
Read More Conceptual Understanding in Introductory Physics XXXIIIConceptual Understanding in Introductory Physics XXXII
A question about vector computation
Read More Conceptual Understanding in Introductory Physics XXXIIConceptual Understanding in Introductory Physics XXXI
This is the first in a series of sample questions I’ve used in oral interviews.
Read More Conceptual Understanding in Introductory Physics XXXIOral Interviews as Assessment
TL;DR I have begun using oral interviews as a replacement for traditional written tests and quizzes. There are many advantages for faculty and students, including elimination of paperwork, better chances for understanding students’ state of comprehension, a more relaxed environment, and no possibility for gaming for points. The ongoing pandemic has amplified many questions I […]
Read More Oral Interviews as AssessmentConceptual Understanding in Introductory Physics XXX
I just realized this is the thirtieth post in this series! I don’t know if anyone has found this series helpful, but I think these questions collectively might make a pool of original exam questions. That’s mainly how I see them anyway. This post is almost a word for word duplicate of the last post […]
Read More Conceptual Understanding in Introductory Physics XXXConceptual Understanding in Introductory Physics XXIX
Students sometimes see vector dot products in their calculus classes before they see them in their physics classes. Dot products are often presented with two seemingly unrelated definitions, one of which is geometric and coordinate free and the other is in terms of components in a particular basis. Yet, the two give exactly the same […]
Read More Conceptual Understanding in Introductory Physics XXIXVector Formalism in Introductory Physics VI: A Unified Solution for Simple Dot Product and Cross Product Equations
TL;DR: Simple vector dot products and cross products may be “undone” using formal methods consistent with Gibbsian vector algebra. Writing the cross product and dot product of an unknown vector relative to a given vector in a canonical form allows a well known vector identity to be used to isolate the unknown vector. Special cases […]
Read More Vector Formalism in Introductory Physics VI: A Unified Solution for Simple Dot Product and Cross Product Equations