Conceptual challenges with the graphical representation of the propagation of a pulse in a string
Student difficulties with making sense of graphs in physics have been thoroughly reported. In the study of one-dimensional waves, the issue is even trickier since the amplitude is a function of two variables (position and time). In this work, we investigate students’ reasoning and difficulties with...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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American Physical Society
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Physical Review Physics Education Research |
| Online Access: | http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.18.020119 |
| _version_ | 1811272401827135488 |
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| author | Muhammad Aswin Rangkuti Ricardo Karam |
| author_facet | Muhammad Aswin Rangkuti Ricardo Karam |
| author_sort | Muhammad Aswin Rangkuti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Student difficulties with making sense of graphs in physics have been thoroughly reported. In the study of one-dimensional waves, the issue is even trickier since the amplitude is a function of two variables (position and time). In this work, we investigate students’ reasoning and difficulties with interpreting the graphical representation of the propagation of a pulse in a string. A profile y(x) of the pulse was provided and students were asked to estimate the velocities of several points at the profile. This forced them to consider the time dimension, by focusing their attention on the motion of these points. This turned out to be extremely challenging to the students, who manifested several conceptual challenges which were categorized and analyzed in the first phase of the study. Based on these findings, three levels of scaffolding support were provided, where each level gradually guided the students to draw the wave profile after some time has elapsed. The scaffolding turned out to be effective, since many students managed to identify the new positions of the points successfully. The study reveals how static representations of intrinsically dynamic phenomena can be challenging for students to grasp. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T22:39:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a5589bfcdc0d492fb23bb4b6bc15c8aa |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2469-9896 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T22:39:39Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | American Physical Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Physical Review Physics Education Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-a5589bfcdc0d492fb23bb4b6bc15c8aa2022-12-22T03:13:46ZengAmerican Physical SocietyPhysical Review Physics Education Research2469-98962022-09-0118202011910.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.18.020119Conceptual challenges with the graphical representation of the propagation of a pulse in a stringMuhammad Aswin RangkutiRicardo KaramStudent difficulties with making sense of graphs in physics have been thoroughly reported. In the study of one-dimensional waves, the issue is even trickier since the amplitude is a function of two variables (position and time). In this work, we investigate students’ reasoning and difficulties with interpreting the graphical representation of the propagation of a pulse in a string. A profile y(x) of the pulse was provided and students were asked to estimate the velocities of several points at the profile. This forced them to consider the time dimension, by focusing their attention on the motion of these points. This turned out to be extremely challenging to the students, who manifested several conceptual challenges which were categorized and analyzed in the first phase of the study. Based on these findings, three levels of scaffolding support were provided, where each level gradually guided the students to draw the wave profile after some time has elapsed. The scaffolding turned out to be effective, since many students managed to identify the new positions of the points successfully. The study reveals how static representations of intrinsically dynamic phenomena can be challenging for students to grasp.http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.18.020119 |
| spellingShingle | Muhammad Aswin Rangkuti Ricardo Karam Conceptual challenges with the graphical representation of the propagation of a pulse in a string Physical Review Physics Education Research |
| title | Conceptual challenges with the graphical representation of the propagation of a pulse in a string |
| title_full | Conceptual challenges with the graphical representation of the propagation of a pulse in a string |
| title_fullStr | Conceptual challenges with the graphical representation of the propagation of a pulse in a string |
| title_full_unstemmed | Conceptual challenges with the graphical representation of the propagation of a pulse in a string |
| title_short | Conceptual challenges with the graphical representation of the propagation of a pulse in a string |
| title_sort | conceptual challenges with the graphical representation of the propagation of a pulse in a string |
| url | http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.18.020119 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT muhammadaswinrangkuti conceptualchallengeswiththegraphicalrepresentationofthepropagationofapulseinastring AT ricardokaram conceptualchallengeswiththegraphicalrepresentationofthepropagationofapulseinastring |