1666 TEKS header image

Knowledge and Skills Statement

Science concepts. The student knows and applies the laws governing motion in a variety of situations.

A free-body diagram of a block resting on a rough inclined plane, with its weight (W), normal force (N), and friction (F) shown.

A free body diagram of a block resting on a rough inclined plane, with its weight (W), normal force (N) and friction (F) shown.

 SlaveOfExam at English Wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

force acting on an object such as pushes and pulls

the component of the net force acting on an object in circular motion which is directed towards the axis of rotation or center of curvature

a push or a pull between two objects

a force that opposes relative motion between systems in contact

a physical phenomenon where masses exert a pull on each other from a distance; the objects are pulled toward each other's center of mass

an act, process, or instance of changing position or location

the force that a surface applies to an object that it is in contact with, preventing the object from passing through the surface; acts perpendicular to the surface on which the object rests and is equal in magnitude to the force of the object on the surface

a pulling force caused by a taut rope or string

Research

Mešic, Vanes, Sabaheta Mahmutovic, Elvedin Hasovic, and Nataša Erceg. "Free-Body Diagrams and Problem Solving in Mechanics: An Example of the Effectiveness of Self-Constructed Representations." European Journal of Physics Education 7, no. 3 (2016): 53-67.https://eu-journal.org/index.php/EJPE/article/view/147 

Summary:  One type of representation that is particularly important for teaching mechanics is the free-body diagram. In this study, we investigated how the inclusion of free-body diagrams into problem statements influences students' performance in solving mechanics problems. It was found that the inclusion of free-body diagrams into the problem statements not only did not facilitate problem-solving, but also impeded it significantly.

Research

Coelho, R. Lopes. "On the Deduction of Newton’s Second Law." Acta Mechanica 229, no. 5 (2018): 2287-2290. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00707-017-2074-2

Summary:  The present paper's task is to compare Newton’s second law and Euler’s principle and verify whether there are significant differences between them. The result is that Newton’s axiomatic system and technique of decomposing force differ from Euler’s.