Intuitive Mechanics: Inferences of Vertical Projectile Motion

Our intuitive knowledge of physics mechanics, i.e. knowledge defined through personal experience about velocity, acceleration, motion causes, etc., is often wrong. This research examined whether similar misconceptions occur systematically in the case of vertical projectiles launched upwards. The fir...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Milana Damjenić, Strahinja Dimitrijević
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Rijeka 2016-07-01
Series:Psychological Topics
Subjects:
Online Access:http://pt.ffri.hr/index.php/pt/article/view/245
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author Milana Damjenić
Strahinja Dimitrijević
author_facet Milana Damjenić
Strahinja Dimitrijević
author_sort Milana Damjenić
collection DOAJ
description Our intuitive knowledge of physics mechanics, i.e. knowledge defined through personal experience about velocity, acceleration, motion causes, etc., is often wrong. This research examined whether similar misconceptions occur systematically in the case of vertical projectiles launched upwards. The first experiment examined inferences of velocity and acceleration of the ball moving vertically upwards, while the second experiment examined whether the mass of the thrown ball and force of the throw have an impact on the inference. The results showed that more than three quarters of the participants wrongly assumed that maximum velocity and peak acceleration did not occur at the initial launch of the projectile. There was no effect of object mass or effect of the force of the throw on the inference relating to the velocity and acceleration of the ball. The results exceed the explanatory reach of the impetus theory, most commonly used to explain the naive understanding of the mechanics of object motion. This research supports that the actions on objects approach and the property transmission heuristics may more aptly explain the dissidence between perceived and actual implications in projectile motion.
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spelling doaj.art-6e78baa645654e04a696c5f1e5572ff52022-12-22T02:51:15ZengUniversity of RijekaPsychological Topics1332-07422016-07-01252181196125Intuitive Mechanics: Inferences of Vertical Projectile MotionMilana DamjenićStrahinja DimitrijevićOur intuitive knowledge of physics mechanics, i.e. knowledge defined through personal experience about velocity, acceleration, motion causes, etc., is often wrong. This research examined whether similar misconceptions occur systematically in the case of vertical projectiles launched upwards. The first experiment examined inferences of velocity and acceleration of the ball moving vertically upwards, while the second experiment examined whether the mass of the thrown ball and force of the throw have an impact on the inference. The results showed that more than three quarters of the participants wrongly assumed that maximum velocity and peak acceleration did not occur at the initial launch of the projectile. There was no effect of object mass or effect of the force of the throw on the inference relating to the velocity and acceleration of the ball. The results exceed the explanatory reach of the impetus theory, most commonly used to explain the naive understanding of the mechanics of object motion. This research supports that the actions on objects approach and the property transmission heuristics may more aptly explain the dissidence between perceived and actual implications in projectile motion.http://pt.ffri.hr/index.php/pt/article/view/245vertical projectile motionimpetus theoryactions on objects approachproperty transmission heuristics
spellingShingle Milana Damjenić
Strahinja Dimitrijević
Intuitive Mechanics: Inferences of Vertical Projectile Motion
Psychological Topics
vertical projectile motion
impetus theory
actions on objects approach
property transmission heuristics
title Intuitive Mechanics: Inferences of Vertical Projectile Motion
title_full Intuitive Mechanics: Inferences of Vertical Projectile Motion
title_fullStr Intuitive Mechanics: Inferences of Vertical Projectile Motion
title_full_unstemmed Intuitive Mechanics: Inferences of Vertical Projectile Motion
title_short Intuitive Mechanics: Inferences of Vertical Projectile Motion
title_sort intuitive mechanics inferences of vertical projectile motion
topic vertical projectile motion
impetus theory
actions on objects approach
property transmission heuristics
url http://pt.ffri.hr/index.php/pt/article/view/245
work_keys_str_mv AT milanadamjenic intuitivemechanicsinferencesofverticalprojectilemotion
AT strahinjadimitrijevic intuitivemechanicsinferencesofverticalprojectilemotion