Upper-division student difficulties with the Dirac delta function
The Dirac delta function is a standard mathematical tool that appears repeatedly in the undergraduate physics curriculum in multiple topical areas including electrostatics, and quantum mechanics. While Dirac delta functions are often introduced in order to simplify a problem mathematically, students...
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American Physical Society
2015-03-01
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Series: | Physical Review Special Topics. Physics Education Research |
Online Access: | http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevSTPER.11.010108 |
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doaj-4872a628647d42bea06fff73eaf7be9c2020-11-25T01:38:00ZengAmerican Physical SocietyPhysical Review Special Topics. Physics Education Research1554-91782015-03-0111101010810.1103/PhysRevSTPER.11.010108Upper-division student difficulties with the Dirac delta functionBethany R. WilcoxSteven J. PollockThe Dirac delta function is a standard mathematical tool that appears repeatedly in the undergraduate physics curriculum in multiple topical areas including electrostatics, and quantum mechanics. While Dirac delta functions are often introduced in order to simplify a problem mathematically, students still struggle to manipulate and interpret them. To characterize student difficulties with the delta function at the upper-division level, we examined students’ responses to traditional exam questions and a standardized conceptual assessment, and conducted think-aloud interviews. Our analysis was guided by an analytical framework that focuses on how students activate, construct, execute, and reflect on the Dirac delta function in the context of problem solving in physics. Here, we focus on student difficulties using the delta function to express charge distributions in the context of junior-level electrostatics. Common challenges included invoking the delta function spontaneously, translating a description of a charge distribution into a mathematical expression using delta functions, integrating 3D or non-Cartesian delta function expressions, and recognizing that the delta function can have units. We also briefly discuss implications of these difficulties for instruction.http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevSTPER.11.010108 |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Bethany R. Wilcox Steven J. Pollock |
spellingShingle |
Bethany R. Wilcox Steven J. Pollock Upper-division student difficulties with the Dirac delta function Physical Review Special Topics. Physics Education Research |
author_facet |
Bethany R. Wilcox Steven J. Pollock |
author_sort |
Bethany R. Wilcox |
title |
Upper-division student difficulties with the Dirac delta function |
title_short |
Upper-division student difficulties with the Dirac delta function |
title_full |
Upper-division student difficulties with the Dirac delta function |
title_fullStr |
Upper-division student difficulties with the Dirac delta function |
title_full_unstemmed |
Upper-division student difficulties with the Dirac delta function |
title_sort |
upper-division student difficulties with the dirac delta function |
publisher |
American Physical Society |
series |
Physical Review Special Topics. Physics Education Research |
issn |
1554-9178 |
publishDate |
2015-03-01 |
description |
The Dirac delta function is a standard mathematical tool that appears repeatedly in the undergraduate physics curriculum in multiple topical areas including electrostatics, and quantum mechanics. While Dirac delta functions are often introduced in order to simplify a problem mathematically, students still struggle to manipulate and interpret them. To characterize student difficulties with the delta function at the upper-division level, we examined students’ responses to traditional exam questions and a standardized conceptual assessment, and conducted think-aloud interviews. Our analysis was guided by an analytical framework that focuses on how students activate, construct, execute, and reflect on the Dirac delta function in the context of problem solving in physics. Here, we focus on student difficulties using the delta function to express charge distributions in the context of junior-level electrostatics. Common challenges included invoking the delta function spontaneously, translating a description of a charge distribution into a mathematical expression using delta functions, integrating 3D or non-Cartesian delta function expressions, and recognizing that the delta function can have units. We also briefly discuss implications of these difficulties for instruction. |
url |
http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevSTPER.11.010108 |
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AT bethanyrwilcox upperdivisionstudentdifficultieswiththediracdeltafunction AT stevenjpollock upperdivisionstudentdifficultieswiththediracdeltafunction |
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