Newton’s law learning assessment: an experience with high school students

The Force Concepts Inventory is a test to determine the level of conceptual knowledge of students about mechanical physics and to evaluate the effectiveness of different teaching strategies on the conceptual component of learning. The test is applied with the purpose of knowing the level of conceptualization of the students of a Physics subject course. The results of the pre-test made it possible to find out the level of conceptualization that the students possessed and provided information for the development of workshops based on real physical situations that required the elaboration of force diagrams. The results of the post-test allowed estimating Hake’s learning and showed evidence about the conceptual evolution of the students and information to develop future teaching activities on Newton’s laws.

Should we teach free-body diagrams before or after Newton’s Laws?

There are two interesting lesson sequences for teaching force and motion in high-school physics. These are teaching free-body diagrams before Newton’s laws (FbN) and teaching Newton’s laws before free-body diagrams (NbF). Both sequences were found in physics textbooks. Different authors adopted the sequence that they believe it would affect student understanding better. However, some physics experts did not agree with this. It is therefore interesting to know if we should teach with the FbN or NbF sequence. This motivates us to study the effect of such lesson sequences on student understanding of force and motion. The sample group was grade-10 students from two physics courses in 2020. One course was taught with the FbN sequence (29 students) and the other with the NbF sequence (34 students). Their understanding was evaluated by using an assessment test which consisted of three parts including (1) Newtonian concept, (2) problem solving, and (3) free-body diagrams. The result shows that for the Newtonian concept part, the average scores are 11% for the FbN and 13% for the NbF sequence. The average scores of the problem-solving part are 13% and 9% and those of the free-body diagram part are 41% and 48% for the FbN and NbF sequences, respectively. The scores of all parts between the two sequences were not significantly different. In addition, student difficulties found in all parts were similar. However, a larger number of students who could provide the equation of motion (F = ma) in the problem-solving part was found in the FbN sequence. We might conclude that teaching free-body diagrams before or after Newton’s laws did not affect student understanding in the topic of force and motion. Detail of student difficulties in both sequences will be further discussed.

An Assessment of the Application of Bernoulli’s Theorem in the Generation of Lift Force

In this paper, we will be performing a detailed analysis of the application of Bernoulli’s Theorem in aviation and aerodynamics. The aim of our experiment and consequently this paper is to verify the application of Bernoulli’s Theorem in the aviation industry. In the field of aerodynamics, Bernoulli’s Theorem has been specifically used in shaping the wings of an aircraft. Over the years, however there has been a significant controversy in the aviation industry regarding the generation of lift force, especially the applicability of Newton’s Third Law of Motion along with Bernoulli’s Theorem. The controversy seems to be due to a combined effect of Newton’s and Bernoulli’s theorems’ (e.g. ‘Equal Transit Time Theory’), which may be incorrectly applied in the real world. Further, it seems that people are over-simplifying the problem of aerodynamic lift leading to the dismissal of either one of the theorems, when in reality both the theorems seem to be at play, as explained in this paper. For the generation of lift in air, momentum, mass and energy need to be conserved. Newton’s laws take into account the conservation of momentum, whereas Bernoulli’s Theorem considers the conservation of energy. Hence, they are both relevant for the generation of lift in air. However, no one has been able to determine accurately the working of both these theorems in the process of providing lift to an aircraft. Through this research paper, we have been able to prove the effect of Bernoulli’s Theorem in generating lift in air.

The development of moodle based e-learning for newtons’ law in high school physics

Abstrak. This study aims to develop Moodle-Based E-Learning for Newton’s Laws in high school. The research method used is research and development (R&D) with the ADDIE approach. The e-learning was then assessed by media experts, material experts, and physics teachers. The instrument used is a Likert scale questionnaire. The developed model has a lot of interactions with the user as a student activity. The expert and user assessment show this Moodle-based e-learning for Newton’s Laws in high school is suitable for use in physics learning.

Senior high school students’ understanding of Newton’s laws in outer space: Identification of misconceptions

One of the most frequently observed explanations in misconceptions is conceptual understanding. This research aimed to determine the senior high school students’ conceptual understanding of Newton’s laws in outer space. The researchers assumed that the research results would be rich in variation by elaborating the item questions based on the precise step of Digital Story Conceptual Change-Oriented as a learning medium. The researchers researched State Senior High School 5 Yogyakarta. The participants of this study consisted of 91 students. The applied instruments were fifteen two-tier multiple-choice items. The researchers also used a non-test instrument, namely an interview sheet. The researchers found related misconceptions in Newton’s law in outer space during the research. It was found that 30% of students experienced misconceptions. The results are important for the learning process that through identification, teachers could use strategy to explain the materials.

The Effect of Multi-Stage Discussion with Google Classroom and WhatsApp in Learning Physics on Problem Solving Ability

This research describes the effect of applying multi-stage discussion with Google Classroom and WhatsApp in learning physics on students' problem-solving abilities. Google Classroom media was used for large group discussions and WhatsApp for small group discussions. The design in this research used a pre-experimental design in the form of a one-group pretest-posttest design with apurposive sampling technique for three meetings on Newton’s Law of Motion with experimented classes with a total sample of 60 students. Data were analyzed using paired sample t-test.The results showed a difference in the average students’ problem-solving abilities before and after treatment with a Sig. (2-tailed) value of 0.000. After implementinglearning multi-stage discussion with Google Classroom and WhatsApp, students' problem-solving ability in the experimental class increased from the very low to moderate category with an average N-gain of 0.66. The highest increase occurred in theindicators of physics approach and mathematical procedure with an average N-gain of 0.71 and the lowest increase in thehelpful indicator description with an average of 0.63. This increase shows that the application oflearning multi-stage discussion with Google Classroom and WhatsApp on Newton's Laws of Motion has a moderate effect on students' problem-solving abilities.

Additional Solar System Gravitational Anomalies

This article is motivated by uncertainty in experimental determinations of the gravitational constant, G, and numerous anomalies of up to 0.5 percent in Newtonian gravitational force on bodies within the solar system. The analysis sheds new light through six natural experiments within the solar system, which draw on published reports and astrophysical databases, and involve laboratory determinations of G, orbital dynamics of the planets and the moons of Earth and Mars, and non-gravitational acceleration (NGA) of ‘Oumuamua and comets. In each case, values are known for all variables in Newton’s Law , except for the gravitational constant, G. Analyses determine the gravitational constant’s observed value, , which—across the six settings—varies with the mass of the smaller, moving body, m, so that . While further work is required, this examination shows a scale-related Newtonian gravity effect at scales from benchtop to Solar System, which contributes to the understanding of symmetry in gravity and has possible implications for Newton’s Laws, dark matter, and formation of structure in the universe.