ERIC Number: EJ1321176
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021-Nov
Pages: 7
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0031-9120
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
How Large Is Infinity?
Physics Education, v56 n6 Article 065001 Nov 2021
During their first physics courses, most students struggle with mathematical concepts that are used but not fully understood, for example, the appearance of infinity in introductory physics exercises. In many cases, these concepts are critical to understanding the underlying physical phenomenon. Typically, most books do not place much emphasis on this type of analysis, which we believe is essential for the training of physics students. In this article, we will try to fill that gap by discussing three exercises that are frequently studied in introductory physics courses where objects of infinite length are involved. In this work, we find that it is possible to determine the length of an object that for practical purposes behaves like an object of infinite length.
Descriptors: Physics, Scientific Concepts, Mathematical Concepts, Introductory Courses, College Science, Mathematics Activities, Science Activities
IOP Publishing. 190 North Independence Mall West Suite 601, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 215-627-0880; Fax: 215-627-0879; e-mail: ped@ioppublishing.org; Web site: https://iopscience.iop.org/journal/0031-9120
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A