Solving Physics Problems Research Articles

Effects of language gap interference for English as a second language students in solving physics problems

Physics is an essential subject in most fields of Science and Engineering which cannot be mastered simply by watching lectures or solving problems at the end of each chapter: students must fully engage in solving these problems. This often requires problem visualisation, which presents quite a challenge for some, especially for students who are studying Physics in a second language because their understanding of the question can be influenced by the gaps in their understanding of the language used. The focus of this study is to investigate the role the language used in the wording of Physics problems plays in students’ ability to understand the question and accurately visualise the scenario that would be needed to extract the required information. 220 undergraduate students and 80 preparatory students volunteered to participate in this study. Students were asked to read two sets of Physics problems and to draw the scenario or image described in the text. The first set used the more advanced English that is commonly found in Physics textbooks and which includes passive voice and homonyms, while the other uses active voice and more simplified English. The results of the study highlight the fact that ESL students’ struggle with certain types of advanced English used in Physics such as the passive voice, showing that they are more capable of translating text into images when active voice is used.

Bistability effects in mechanics and its experimental demonstration

"We report examples of obtaining the bistability effect in mechanics and the experimental demonstration of this effect. We propose to use the graphical method of solving physics problems. The method explains qualitatively the theoretical results. We investigate the influence of different parameters on bistability properties. Finally, the experiment shows a clear evidence of bistability in a mechanical system"

Perception and behavior of high school students towards developing problem solving and creativity skills to solve physics assignments

This study aimed to explore the learning approaches and preferences of high school students in Vietnam when studying physics. A survey was completed by 2,040 students from ten different schools on improving problem-solving and creativity skills to solve physics assignments. The survey included eight topics related to homework, exchange, problem-solving tactics, and an emphasis on real-life applications of physics concepts. The results showed that the majority of students preferred essay-style calculus homework and sometimes exchanged and discussed ideas with their peers. In addition, most students focused on only some of the steps involved in solving physics problems, self-analyzed and expanded their solutions, and related the exercise content to real-life situations. The study also found that students preferred physics exercises with clear facts and suggestive questions, while a quarter of students preferred exercises with specific facts and clear questions. Furthermore, only a small percentage of students had a deep understanding of the ten core competencies outlined in the General Education Program of 2018. These findings have important implications for physics teachers in Vietnam, indicating the need for more opportunities for discussion and encouraging a comprehensive problem-solving approach. The study suggests incorporating more real-life applications of physics concepts into teaching to help students see the relevance of what they are learning.

Physics-informed neural networks to solve lumped kinetic model for chromatography process

Numerical method is widely used for solving the mechanistic models of chromatography process, but it is time-consuming and hard to response in real-time. Physics-informed neural network (PINN) as an emerging technology combines the structure of neural network with physics laws, and is getting noticed for solving physics problems with a balanced accuracy and calculation speed. In this research, a proof-of-concept study was carried out to apply PINN to chromatography process simulation. The PINN model structure was designed for the lumped kinetic model (LKM) with all LKM parameters. The PINN structure, training data and model complexity were optimized, and an optimal mode was obtained by adopting an in-series structure with a nonuniform training data set focusing on the breakthrough transition region. A PINN for LKM (LKM-PINN) consisting of four neural networks, 12 layers and 606 neurons was then used for the simulation of breakthrough curves of chromatography processes. The LKM parameters were estimated with two breakthrough curves and used to infer the breakthrough curves at different residence times, loading concentrations and column sizes. The results were comparable to that obtained with numerical methods. With the same raw data and constraints, the average fitting error for LKM-PINN model was 0.075, which was 0.081 for numerical method. With the same initial guess, the LKM-PINN model took 160 s to complete the fitting, while the numerical method took 7 to 72 min, depending on the fitting settings. The fitting speed of LKM-PINN model was further improved to 30 s with random initial guess. Thus, the LKM-PINN model developed in this study is capable to be applied to real-time simulation for digital twin.

A Mathematics Educator Walks into a Physics Class: Identifying Math Skills in Students’ Physics Problem-Solving Practices

AbstractOne of the main goals of lower division “service” mathematics courses is to provide STEM-intending students with opportunities to engage in activities and contexts that can support their efforts to apply the mathematical ideas they are learning to successive major courses. The Mathematics Association of America has supported many mathematicians’ efforts to ask partner discipline faculty what topics and habits of mind they feel should be covered in mathematics classes to prepare them for their subsequent classes. We add to this work with a twist: Instead of asking physics faculty what they want students to know, we analyzed videos that students in an introductory physics class created so that we could ask ourselves what mathematical practices were most and least prevalent in the students’ physics problem-solving efforts. A qualitative analysis of the results, which we present here, indicated that most students were proficient in math practices involving problem setup and that the majority were able to apply mathematical concepts such as trigonometry and the solving of algebraic equations. However, only 44% of the student groups concluded their explanations by discussing answer reasonability and only 18% conducted a unit analysis to determine if their answers were applicable to the context of the problems assigned, even though both of these elements are important components of the overall sensemaking process. This report presents examples that illustrate these results and concludes with implications for teaching both entry-level mathematics and physics courses by modeling productive problem-solving and sensemaking practices.

Meta-Analysis of Problem Based Learning Models Impact

Objective this study is to analyze problem based learning models effect towards skills of problem solving in learning Physics. Problem based learning in physics learning can trigger students to participate in the teaching and learning process actively. It can motivate students to increase interest in scientific problems that occur and simultaneously stimulate skills in solving scientific problems. Method used in this study is meta-analysis, namely by conducting a literature review of 15 scientific articles that several national and international journals have published regarding problem based learning models impact on skills of problem solving published from 2018 to 2022. Results of this research are a problem based learning model that has a significant impact on improving problem solving skills in learning Physics. So, problem based learning model able to be implemented in learning Physics to enhance problem solving skills. Novelty of this research is a type of scientific article that is used not only published by national journals but also published by international journals published from 2018 to 2022

Development of a formative assessment instrument to determine students’ need for corrective actions in physics: Identifying students’ functional level of understanding

In physics education, most teachers provide students feedback on their problem solutions through grades on written tests. The practice of feedback after a summative test does not often meet the needs of many students to improve their problem solving. In this paper we report on the development of a formative assessment instrument to allow teachers to provide more meaningful action-oriented feedback on students’ performance on written tests.Our research and development approach comprised three phases.The first phase consisted of a literature guided cognitive analysis of effective problem-solving strategies in the physics domain. This analysis resulted in the identification of three crucial episodes in students’ problem-solving approaches during which students engage in specific cognitive activities. The second phase consisted of the design of an assessment instrument to monitor specific cognitive activities during the three crucial episodes when solving physics problems. This resulted in a rating scale with 11 levels to indicate students’ efficacy. The third phase consisted of research of the validity, reliability, and practicality of the instrument. Here we trained three teachers to trace students’ mistakes on different problems in the domain of kinematics and asked them to rate the mastery of 16 eleventh-grade pre-university students. In this phase we assessed the reliability and validity of this instrument by computing Krippendorff's alpha to indicate teachers’ inter-rater reliability. Practicality of the instrument was assessed by examining the variation in students’ level of mastery on problems of different complexity. Further research is needed to provide more detailed guidelines for how teachers can use the instrument in formative assessment (in contrast to summative assessment) to help students to develop correct solution methods and foster students’ metacognition about problem solving in related physics areas (i.e., knowledge transfer).

Analysis of Solving Physics Problems Using the Minnesota Model for Mechanics Concepts

The purpose of this study is to analyze students' ability to solve physics problems in mechanical materials using the Minnesota problem-solving model. The research method used is descriptive qualitative research. The population in this study is class XI IPA MAN I Banda Aceh students with 10 subjects. The instrument in this study uses a description test with 5 questions. The results of this study are shown to analyze the process of students in solving physics problems that require a high level of thinking, the way students understand concepts, describe problem situations, plan solutions, carry out solutions and evaluate answers. Based on the results of the study, the average student could use the Minnesota problem-solving model in answering physics questions and using this model students are skilled at selecting relevant information, then analyzing it and finally re-researching the results.<strong></strong>

ANALISIS KETERAMPILAN BERPIKIR KRITIS PESERTA DIDIK SEKOLAH MENENGAH ATAS NEGERI DI KOTA MAKASSAR

This study aims to describe the critical thinking skills of students in Physics subjects. The subjects of this study were students of class XI MIPA in public high schools in Makassar city. This type of research is descriptive quantitative survey method. The instrument used in this research is an essay form question. The results showed that the critical thinking skills of students in solving physics problems were 75.50% of the total population of students in the low category. In addition, the comparison of critical thinking skills of female students is higher than male students. It can be concluded that the critical thinking skills of high school students in Makassar city are still low.

The Application of Parabola of safety for Physics Problem Solving

In this article we calculate the parabola safety and its application for some physics problems. Using equation of motion for projectile we find the Parabola of safety. Deriving the parabola of safety here we used zero descriminant of quadratic equation. Inside parabola safety is unsafe region from projectile.The application of the equation is presented for finding maksimum distance, minimum speed in some cases of problems.

PHYSICS LEARNING MODELS BASED ON SYNECTIC TO IMPROVE PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS: A NEED ANALYSIS

This study aims to describe the development needs of physics learning models based on Synectic in improving problem-solving abilities.
 Formulation of the problem. The design of physics learning models based on Synectic directs students in getting used to processing creative thinking to achieve higher-order thinking skills, one of which is problem-solving ability. The Synectic learning model implementations are identical to analogy and metaphoric thinking. Analogies and metaphor thinking will help students understand abstract concepts to become more contextual, making it easier for students to solve the problem.
 Materials and methods. This research type is research and development with the ADDIE design. The learning model needs an analysis description performed during the analysis stage by determining the gap between the real conditions and the desired ideal conditions in learning physics, especially in college. The needs analysis research was carried out at the Muhammadiyah University of Makassar with two lecturers and twelve students as research respondents for three months in the even semester of the 2021/2022 academic year. The needs analysis data collection using interview guidelines, literature reviews, and questionnaires. The data collection results will be analyzed with a qualitative descriptive analysis.
 Results. The reality and ideal conditions description obtained from the results of curriculum analysis, student characteristics, and lecturer abilities in implementing physics learning in college. The needs analysis results show a gap between reality and the desired ideal conditions in learning physics.
 Conclusions. Even though the ability to solve problems is one of the expected learning outcomes based on curriculum achievement indicators and skills needed at this time based on a person's cognitive stage at the age of college students. Therefore, a physics learning model based on Synectic development is very needed and indicated by the student’s tendency ability to solve physics problems to be low. It means synergizing between teachers and students for creative thinking is needed in learning physics as an important basis for improving problem-solving skills.

The Pattern of Physics Education Students’ Diagrams and Answers in Solving Force Problems

Force diagrams or some say free body diagrams (FBDs), as physics representations, are usually employed to teach and learn physics concepts such as force. Physics education studies indicate that the use of FBDs can support or hinder students’ performance in solving physics problems. This study aims to investigate the type of representations drawn by students and the patterns of students’ answers while solving force problems. By involving 230 preservice physics teachers, questions about the application of Newton’s laws were administered to students to elicit the patterns of students’ diagrams and answers. Results were analysed into three categories: complete, incomplete, and inappropriate force diagrams. In addition, some students did not draw diagrams in solving the problems. Based on students’ answers, the percentage of students drawing incomplete diagrams (54% for horizontal problems and 42% for inclined problems) is higher than drawing complete diagrams (18% for horizontal problems and 35% for inclined problems). The percentage of students who drew inappropriate diagrams in solving horizontal and inclined problems is 20% and 10%, respectively. A few students (8% and 13%) did not draw diagrams for both questions. Students who drew complete diagrams tended to obtain the correct final answer. Some students who drew incomplete diagrams were not able to find the correct answers and even finish the problem. However, some students who drew incomplete diagrams could successfully solve the problem. The group of students who drew diagrams in the inappropriate category tended to demonstrate incorrect and unfinished answers. This study suggests that instructors should not only focus on the correctness of the diagrams but also focus on the completeness of diagrams drawn by students while solving the problems.

The Ability of Problem-based Learning (PBL) to Improve Problem-solving Skills on Heat Topic Among High School Students

Problem-solving should be improved to support students’ competence in solving physics problems as well as problems that occur in daily life. The initial research showed that high school students in Tulungagung have low level of problem-solving skills at 41.2% and 39.4%, respectively. Therefore, this study aims to determine the improvement of the problem-solving skills among high school students at PGRI Kalangbret who had been taught problem-based learning on the topic of heat. This study used research design of mixed methods embedded experimental model. The subjects consisted of 30 students at class X MIPA. This research used quantitative analysis to analyze the effect size test, N-gain test, paired t-test, and qualitative with the help of coding and data reduction, from pretest, pottest, observation, and field notes. Based on the results, it was found that students’ problem-solving skill were improved after being taught with problem-based learning (PBL) on heat topic with an average N-gain score of 0.41; and effect size 1.66.
 Keywords: problem-based learning, problem-solving skills, high school

Practicality and Effectiveness of the Physics Independent Learning (PIL) Model Toolkit in Online Tutorials to Improve Physics Independent Learning Skills and Physics Problem-Solving Skills

This study aims to analyze the practicality and effectiveness of the PIL model tool in online tutorials to improve self-learning and problem-solving skills in DL physics students in introductory quantum physics courses. This type of research is educational development research with a sample of 75 undergraduate physics education students at Universitas Terbuka in Indonesia. This research was carried out in three stages, namely preliminary and development studies, limited trials, and extensive trials. The results showed that tutors could carry out all stages of online tutorial activities using the PIL model very well with the percentage of implementation of syntax, social systems, and reaction principles. There was an increase in students' problem-solving abilities and independent learning abilities in each class after taking PIL with high N-gain categories. It can be concluded that the PIL model set is valid, practical, and effectively applied to improve problem solving skills and students' independent skills in learning Introduction to Quantum Physics.

Effect of Problem-Based Learning Model on Students' Physics Problem Solving Ability: A Meta-Analysis

In the 21st century, the improvement of science and technology leads humans to master various skills, one of which is problem solving. Physics learning can be one of the means in improving students' problem-solving ability (PSA). The purposes of this research are determine the effect of PBL model on students' physics PSA, determine the effect of PBL model on students' physics PSA based on subject matter, and determine the effect of PBL model on students' physics PSA based on teaching materials. This research is a meta-analysis by analysing 17 articles from national journals indexed at least Sinta 4 and international journals or proceedings. The results showed that there is an effect of PBL model on the ability to solve physics problems of students as a whole equal to 1.985 with a very high category. Based on the subject matter, the most effective effect of PBL on PSA is on temperature and heat material which is 4.135 with a very high category. In the material of effort and energy, the influence of PBL on PSA is the lowest compared to other materials with an effect size value of 0.365. While based on teaching materials, the effect of PBL on physics PSA is low with an effect size of 0.315. Digital teaching materials are the best teaching materials applied in PBL learning to improve students' physics PSA

EFFECTS OF METACOGNITIVE SKILLS ON PHYSICS PROBLEM -SOLVING SKILLS AMONG FORM FOUR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

A number of studies have demonstrated a connection between metacognition and the ability to solve problems. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effect of metacognitive skills on Physics problem-solving skills among Form Four secondary school students in Sabah, Malaysia. This study included 248 students from 13 secondary schools in the Kota Kinabalu district. Physics Problem Solving Skills Test and the Metacognitive Skills Questionnaire were used as research instruments. The research found that Form Four students have high monitoring, regulation, and evaluation as measured aspects of metacognitive skills. Meanwhile, students' Physics problem-solving skills for "understanding the problem" and "devising a plan" are moderate, while "carrying out the plan" is good and "looking back at the solution" is low. The independent sample t-test reported that, in general, male students have better Physics problem-solving skills than females but found no gender differences in metacognitive skills. Furthermore, the linear multiple regression results revealed that monitoring and regulation skills are significant predictors of Physics problem-solving skills. This research helps school teachers better design teaching strategies in Physics, considering the student’s gender and metacognitive skills. Furthermore, this study provides secondary school students with learning insights for developing better techniques to improve their performance in Physics. Keywords: gender differences, Malaysia, metacognitive skills, Physics problem-solving skills, secondary school students

Profile of Mathematical Representation Ability to Solve Mechanical Wave Matter Physics Problems

Physical Science develops through a series of scientific processes and cannot be understood by memorization, but rather requires understanding concepts so physicists use various forms of representation. The mathematical representation approach is often used in physics learning. This study aims to examine more deeply the ability of mathematical representation of students of SMA Negeri 1 Cluring class XI MIPA in solving mechanical wave problems. The research method used is descriptive quantitative. The data collection technique used is a written test consisting of five description questions based on mathematical representations of mechanical wave material, interviews, observations, and documentation. The results of the study obtained the average mathematical representation ability of students in solving mechanical wave matter physics problems thanks to the "excellent" category of 68.89%, the "good" category of 9.29%, the "good enough" category of 8.69%, the "not good" category of 1.90%, and 11.24% of students categorized as fail in solving physics problems using mathematical representations of mechanical wave matter.

Physicality, modeling, and agency in a computational physics class

Computation is intertwined with essentially all aspects of physics research and is invaluable for physicists’ careers. Despite its disciplinary importance, integration of computation into physics education remains a challenge and, moreover, has tended to be constructed narrowly as a route to solving physics problems. Here, we broaden Physics Education Research’s conception of computation by constructing a metamodel—a model of modeling—incorporating insights on computational modeling from the philosophy of science and prior work. The metamodel is formulated in terms of practices, things physicists do, and how these inform one another. We operationalize this metamodel in an educational environment that incorporates making, the creation of shared physical and digital artifacts, intended to promote students’ agency, creativity, and self-expression alongside doing physics. We present a content analysis of student work from initial implementations of this approach to illustrate the very complex epistemic maneuvers students make as they engaged in computational modeling. We demonstrate how our metamodel can be used to understand student practices and conclude with implications of the metamodel for instruction and future research.Received 8 March 2022Accepted 31 January 2023DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.19.010121Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article’s title, journal citation, and DOI.Published by the American Physical SocietyPhysics Subject Headings (PhySH)Research AreasEpistemology, attitudes, & beliefsInstructional strategiesLearning environmentScientific reasoning & problem solvingTechnologyProfessional TopicsUpper undergraduate studentsPhysics Education Research

The Effectiveness of Using the Minnesota Model in Completing University Physics Selection Exam

This study raises the issue of whether the Minnesota model in solving university selection physics questions gets the right results in terms of answers and time. This research aims to determine the effectiveness of using the Minnesota problem-solving model for the accuracy of answers and time in solving physics problems. The type of research is quantitative research with experimental methods. The population of this study was students of class XI from senior high school in Banda Aceh. The sample in this study was two classes. There was the experimental class and control class. Determination of the sample is done by purposive sampling. The approach used is a quantitative approach with the type of experimental research. The data was collected using a written test technique and data processing using an analysis of the effectiveness of the accuracy of the answers using an assessment rubric that has been validated and using t-test statistics, as well as the effectiveness of the use of time analysis based on the average time use of the two classes. The results of the data analysis showed that the average value of the experimental class using the Minnesota problem-solving model was higher than the control class, and the experimental class’s time usage was faster than the control class. It was stated that the Minnesota problem-solving model was effectively used in solving physics problems.

Sensemaking and scientific modeling: Intertwined processes analyzed in the context of physics problem solving

Researchers in physics education have advocated both for including modeling in science classrooms as well as promoting student engagement with sensemaking. These two processes facilitate the generation of new knowledge by connecting to one’s existing ideas. Despite being two distinct processes, modeling is often described as sensemaking of the physical world. In the current work, we provide an explicit, framework-based analysis of the intertwining between modeling and sensemaking by analyzing think-aloud interviews of two students solving a physics problem. While one student completes the task, the other abandons their approach. The case studies reveal that particular aspects of modeling and sensemaking processes co-occur. For instance, the priming on the ‘given’ information from the problem statement constituted the students’ engagement with their mental models, and their attempts to resolve inconsistencies in understanding involved the use of external representations. We find that barriers experienced in modeling can inhibit students’ sustained sensemaking. These results suggest ways for future research to support students’ sensemaking in physics by promoting modeling practices.Received 20 July 2022Accepted 1 February 2023DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.19.010118Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article’s title, journal citation, and DOI.Published by the American Physical SocietyPhysics Subject Headings (PhySH)Research AreasAssessmentEpistemology, attitudes, & beliefsScientific reasoning & problem solvingPhysics Education Research