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

2021 ◽  
Vol 2145 (1) ◽  
pp. 012067
Author(s):  
N Nuchsirikulaphong ◽  
N Emarat ◽  
K Arayathanitkul
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Equation Of Motion ◽  
Student Understanding ◽  
Student Difficulties ◽  
Physics Courses ◽  
Free Body Diagram ◽  
High School Physics ◽  
Force And Motion ◽  
Newton’S Laws ◽  
Free Body

Abstract 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.

Method for Estimating Speed of the Out-of-Control Tractor-Semitrailer on Downhill Grades

2021 ◽  
pp. 036119812110242
Author(s):  
Menghua Yan ◽  
Jinliang Xu ◽  
Shuo Han ◽  
Yaping Dong ◽  
Leyu Wei
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Safety ◽  
Rolling Resistance ◽  
Road Surface ◽  
Independent Variables ◽  
Free Body Diagram ◽  
Newton’S Laws ◽  
Laws Of Motion ◽  
Free Body ◽  
Safety Features ◽  
Truck Weight

Speed estimation for the out-of-control truck on a downhill grade is essential for passive safety features like truck escape ramps to promote traffic safety. This paper presents a method for estimating the speed of out-of-control trucks based on Newton’s Laws of Motion. First of all, we analyze gravity effort, aerodynamics, and rolling resistance through a free body diagram of an out-of-control truck on a downhill grade. Further, we select the speed as the dependent variable, with the following road and vehicle characteristics as independent variables: road surface type, grade, grade length, truck size, truck weight, and tire type. Finally, we estimate the speed and acceleration according to Newton’s Laws of Motion. The results show that the factors that significantly affect the out-of-control truck’s speed include tire type, road surface coefficient, grade, and grade length. TruckMaker simulation results demonstrate that the model is valid at a 99% confidence level.

scholarly journals Student’s concept ability of Newton’s law based on verbal and visual test

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 162
Author(s):  
N. D. Setyani ◽  
Cari Cari ◽  
Suparmi Suparmi ◽  
J. Handhika
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Physics Education ◽  
Visual Test ◽  
Conceptual Problem ◽  
Incorrect Answer ◽  
Newton's Law ◽  
Newton’S Law ◽  
Newton’S Laws

<p class="Abstract">Newton’s law is a foundamental concept that needs to be studied and understood correctly. Concept presentation in different representation will help the student to understand the concept that being learned. Student’s ability to present Newton’s law in different representation indicate the quality of student’s concept ability. This research aims to describe student’s concept ability of Newton’s laws based on the student’s ability of verbal and visual (pictorial and graphical) problem solving. The method of this research  is qualitative with the sample of 71 students of physics education from IKIP PGRI Madiun (14 students) and Sebelas Maret University (57 students). The instrument used in this research were conceptual test and  interview. The result showed that more student provide incorrect answer to the physics conceptual problem. Percentage of the incorrect answer for First Newton’s law problem is 69 %, Second Newton’s law problem is 71 %, and Third Newton’s law problem is 76 %. The  students do not understand the language of physics correctly, they undergo incorrect physics concept, and so they only understand few physics concept of Newton’s law.</p>

scholarly journals EFFECTIVENESS OF POLYA PROBLEM-SOLVING AND TARGET-TASK COLLABORATIVE LEARNING APPROACHES IN ELECTRICITY AMONGST HIGH SCHOOL PHYSICS STUDENTS

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 765-777
Author(s):  
Ademola Olatide Olaniyan ◽  
Nadaraj Govender
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Collaborative Learning ◽  
Female Adolescent ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Target Task ◽  
Physics Students ◽  
High School Physics ◽  
Conventional Teaching

This research reports on the effectiveness of Polya Problem-Solving and Target-Task collaborative learning approaches in electricity amongst high school physics students. It also includes a gender focus. It was an experimental research with a pre-test post-test control group design. The experimental groups were exposed to Polya Problem-Solving approach and Target-Task collaborative learning approach while the control group were exposed to conventional teaching. A total of 180 students were selected and divided equally into three groups, 60 (male adolescent and female adolescent) each. The students were initially pre-tested, followed by teaching and learning in electricity using the treatments, and finally they were post-tested using the Performance Test in Current Electricity (PTCE). Data were analyzed quantitatively with descriptive statistics and ANCOVA, and the research hypotheses were tested at .05 alpha level of significance. The research confirmed that both the treatments, Polya Problem-Solving and Target-Task collaborative learning approaches enhanced the performance of the students based on gender and scoring abilities compared with the conventional teaching. Keywords: collaborative learning, conventional teaching, gender, performance, physics students’, Polya problem-solving, target-task.

Dynamics of Mechanical Systems and the Generalized Free-Body Diagram—Part I: General Formulation

2008 ◽  
Vol 75 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
József Kövecses
Keyword(s):  
Configuration Space ◽  
Dynamic Equilibrium ◽  
Mechanical Systems ◽  
Constrained Systems ◽  
Dynamic Equations ◽  
Analytical Mechanics ◽  
Constrained Motion ◽  
Equilibrium Equations ◽  
Free Body Diagram ◽  
Free Body

In this paper, we generalize the idea of the free-body diagram for analytical mechanics for representations of mechanical systems in configuration space. The configuration space is characterized locally by an Euclidean tangent space. A key element in this work relies on the relaxation of constraint conditions. A new set of steps is proposed to treat constrained systems. According to this, the analysis should be broken down to two levels: (1) the specification of a transformation via the relaxation of the constraints; this defines a subspace, the space of constrained motion; and (2) specification of conditions on the motion in the space of constrained motion. The formulation and analysis associated with the first step can be seen as the generalization of the idea of the free-body diagram. This formulation is worked out in detail in this paper. The complement of the space of constrained motion is the space of admissible motion. The parametrization of this second subspace is generally the task of the analyst. If the two subspaces are orthogonal then useful decoupling can be achieved in the dynamics formulation. Conditions are developed for this orthogonality. Based on this, the dynamic equations are developed for constrained and admissible motions. These are the dynamic equilibrium equations associated with the generalized free-body diagram. They are valid for a broad range of constrained systems, which can include, for example, bilaterally constrained systems, redundantly constrained systems, unilaterally constrained systems, and nonideal constraint realization.

Mechanix: A natural sketch interface tool for teaching truss analysis and free-body diagrams

2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olufunmilola Atilola ◽  
Stephanie Valentine ◽  
Hong-Hoe Kim ◽  
David Turner ◽  
Erin McTigue ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Teaching Method ◽  
Tutoring Systems ◽  
Online Systems ◽  
Constructive Feedback ◽  
Domain Specific ◽  
Free Body Diagram ◽  
Free Body

AbstractMassive open online courses, online tutoring systems, and other computer homework systems are rapidly changing engineering education by providing increased student feedback and capitalizing upon online systems' scalability. While online homework systems provide great benefits, a growing concern among engineering educators is that students are losing both the critical art of sketching and the ability to take a real system and reduce it to an accurate but simplified free-body diagram (FBD). For example, some online systems allow the drag and drop of forces onto FBDs, but they do not allow the user to sketch the FBDs, which is a vital part of the learning process. In this paper, we discuss Mechanix, a sketch recognition tool that provides an efficient means for engineering students to learn how to draw truss FBDs and solve truss problems. The system allows students to sketch FBDs into a tablet computer or by using a mouse and a standard computer monitor. Using artificial intelligence, Mechanix can determine not only the component shapes and features of the diagram but also the relationships between those shapes and features. Because Mechanix is domain specific, it can use those relationships to determine not only whether a student's work is correct but also why it is incorrect. Mechanix is then able to provide immediate, constructive feedback to students without providing final answers. Within this manuscript, we document the inner workings of Mechanix, including the artificial intelligence behind the scenes, and present studies of the effects on student learning. The evaluations have shown that Mechanix is as effective as paper-and-pencil-based homework for teaching method of joints truss analysis; focus groups with students who used the program have revealed that they believe Mechanix enhances their learning and that they are highly engaged while using it.

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