Interweaving the Principle of Least Potential Energy in School and Introductory University Physics Courses
Understanding advanced physical phenomena such as vertically hanging elastic column, soap bubbles, crystals and cracks demands expressing and manipulating a system’s potential energy under equilibrium conditions. However, students at schools and universities are usually required to consider the forc...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2017-03-01
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| Series: | Symmetry |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2073-8994/9/3/45 |
| _version_ | 1811263320974426112 |
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| author | Yuval Ben-Abu Haim Eshach Hezi Yizhaq |
| author_facet | Yuval Ben-Abu Haim Eshach Hezi Yizhaq |
| author_sort | Yuval Ben-Abu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Understanding advanced physical phenomena such as vertically hanging elastic column, soap bubbles, crystals and cracks demands expressing and manipulating a system’s potential energy under equilibrium conditions. However, students at schools and universities are usually required to consider the forces acting on a system under equilibrium conditions, rather than taking into account its potential energy. As a result, they find it difficult to express the system’s potential energy and use it for calculations when they do need to do so. The principle of least potential energy is a powerful idea for solving static equilibrium physics problems in various fields such as hydrostatics, mechanics, and electrostatics. In the current essay, the authors describe this principle and provide examples where students can apply it. For each problem, the authors provide both the force consideration solution approach and the energy consideration solution approach. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T19:43:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-daeb40f2d19d409183ad92ec718ad430 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-8994 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T19:43:38Z |
| publishDate | 2017-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Symmetry |
| spelling | doaj.art-daeb40f2d19d409183ad92ec718ad4302022-12-22T03:19:02ZengMDPI AGSymmetry2073-89942017-03-01934510.3390/sym9030045sym9030045Interweaving the Principle of Least Potential Energy in School and Introductory University Physics CoursesYuval Ben-Abu0Haim Eshach1Hezi Yizhaq2Department of Physics and Project Unit, Sapir Academic College, Sderot, Hof Ashkelon 79165, IsraelDepartment of Science and Technology Education, Ben-Gurion University of Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer-Sheva 8410501, IsraelDepartment of Solar Energy and Environmental Physics, Jacob Blaustein Institute for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer-Sheva 8410501, IsraelUnderstanding advanced physical phenomena such as vertically hanging elastic column, soap bubbles, crystals and cracks demands expressing and manipulating a system’s potential energy under equilibrium conditions. However, students at schools and universities are usually required to consider the forces acting on a system under equilibrium conditions, rather than taking into account its potential energy. As a result, they find it difficult to express the system’s potential energy and use it for calculations when they do need to do so. The principle of least potential energy is a powerful idea for solving static equilibrium physics problems in various fields such as hydrostatics, mechanics, and electrostatics. In the current essay, the authors describe this principle and provide examples where students can apply it. For each problem, the authors provide both the force consideration solution approach and the energy consideration solution approach.http://www.mdpi.com/2073-8994/9/3/45least potentialpotential energycatenary |
| spellingShingle | Yuval Ben-Abu Haim Eshach Hezi Yizhaq Interweaving the Principle of Least Potential Energy in School and Introductory University Physics Courses Symmetry least potential potential energy catenary |
| title | Interweaving the Principle of Least Potential Energy in School and Introductory University Physics Courses |
| title_full | Interweaving the Principle of Least Potential Energy in School and Introductory University Physics Courses |
| title_fullStr | Interweaving the Principle of Least Potential Energy in School and Introductory University Physics Courses |
| title_full_unstemmed | Interweaving the Principle of Least Potential Energy in School and Introductory University Physics Courses |
| title_short | Interweaving the Principle of Least Potential Energy in School and Introductory University Physics Courses |
| title_sort | interweaving the principle of least potential energy in school and introductory university physics courses |
| topic | least potential potential energy catenary |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2073-8994/9/3/45 |
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