To improve the teaching and learning materials for a curriculum it is important to incorporate the findings from educational research. In light of this, we present creative exercises and experiments to elicit, confront and resolve misconceptions in geometrical optics. Since ray diagrams can be both the cause and the solution for many…

Physics is perceived by many students to be a difficult subject, and misconceptions about it are quite common not only among school students but also among undergraduates and pre-service postgraduate science teachers. In teaching the topic of gas pressure to primary student teachers studying in the Bachelor of Education programme at my institute,…

Investigates students' understanding of the transfer of charge between two charged conductors. Findings indicate that a considerable number of students from eighth grade to college in advanced physics courses were unable to predict the transfer of charge correctly from one conductor to another. Discusses implications for instruction. (JRH)

Points out that pupils often misunderstand the concepts of accuracy and reliability. Introduces a course in which students are involved in a two-week practical project that emphasizes checking anomalous points, improving accuracy, and making readings more sensitive. Describes the process of teaching students how to prepare their projects.…

Finds that students encountering thermal physics at the introductory level often have difficulty distinguishing between heat and temperature. Argues that challenging misconceptions through experiment and discussion can quickly enable students to develop an understanding of thermal physics. (Author/CCM)

Presents an approach that provides a simple and adequate procedure for introducing the concept of rolling friction. Discusses some aspects related to rolling motion that are the source of students' misconceptions. Presents several didactic suggestions. (JRH)

Presents the results of a discussion among high school students about what holds up the moon. The question and ensuing discussion enabled students to question their existing ideas, but caused them to be anxious. (DDR)

Many pupils will be familiar with the ideas in "2001: A Space Odyssey" but few will have considered the physics involved. Simple calculations show that some of the effects depicted in the Space Station and on the Discovery are plausible but others would be impractical. (Author/ASK)

Describes an investigation that explores students' understanding of the translation, rotation, and deformation of an object. Findings illustrate that students have difficulty appreciating that these different phenomena can occur simultaneously. Discusses some implications for teaching. (DDR)

Describes an experiment that uses a bottle, a cork, and a wooden match to study students' explanations of what they observe to reveal misunderstandings about pressure and to produce some incorrect interpretations such as creation of a gradient of pressure. (DDR)

Discusses image reflection in a plane mirror. Illustrates several cases of the reflection and points out the possibility of confusing students by using the term "lateral inversion." (YP)

A mechanical analogy between the microscopic motion of a charged carrier in an ordinary resistor and the macroscopic motion of a ball falling along a slanted board covered with a lattice of nails is introduced. The Drude model is also introduced to include the case of inelastic collisions. Computer simulation of the motion is described. (KR)

Frictional force is a source of misconceptions among students, as teachers know from daily experience. This is confirmed by many studies carried out by investigators from all over the world. Surprisingly (or perhaps not), we have found some of these misconceptions among physics school teachers and senior students of physics education courses…

Reports various misconceptions of Newton's third law obtained from interviews and written tests of high school students. Suggests putting emphasis on the third law in physics teaching. Ten references are listed. (YP)

This article presents an approach to teaching "motion and inertia." The teaching strategy consists of four phases: (1) orientation; (2) eliciting children's ideas; (3) restructuring of ideas; and (4) improving and applying. Samples of students' ideas on the concept of mechanics are provided. Lists 11 references. (YP)