期刊名称：Physical Review ST Physics Education Research
电子版ISSN：1554-9178
出版年度：2019
卷号：15
期号：1
页码：10111-10123
DOI：10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.15.010111
出版社：American Physical Society
摘要：Vector calculus and multivariable coordinate systems play a large role in the understanding and calculation of much of the physics in upper-division electricity and magnetism. Differential vector elements represent one key mathematical piece of students’ use of vector calculus. In an effort to examine students’ understanding of non-Cartesian differential length elements, students in junior-level electricity and magnetism were interviewed in pairs and asked to construct a differential length vector for an unconventional spherical coordinate system. One aspect of this study identified symbolic forms invoked by students when building these vector expressions, some previously identified and some novel, given the vector calculus context. Analysis also highlighted several common ideas in students’ concept images of a non-Cartesian differential length vector as they determined their expressions. As no interview initially resulted in the construction of an appropriate differential, analysis addresses the role of the evoked concept images and symbolic forms on students’ performance.
