PROCEEDINGS OF THE 21ST ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
2018
San Diego, California
Physics students’ construction of di↵erential length vectors for a spiral path
Page: 1358
As part of an effort to examine student understanding of non-Cartesian coordinate systems and differential elements related to vector calculus, we interviewed students using tasks similar to typical electricity and magnetism problems. In one task, students were asked to calculate the change in electric potential along a spiral path, involving a common line integral. Analysis focused on conceptual understanding and symbolic expression of differential length vectors. Students were heavily drawn to the angular motion of the path through the radial electric field, often only expressing the angular component of the length vector. This contrasts with earlier work, suggesting context may distract from correct mathematical expression.