Conceptual understanding of force and motion

• Main Author: Tolosa, Christopher Reyes
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2005
• Subjects: Force and energy > Study and teaching (Secondary); Motion
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/3424
• Institution: De La Salle University

This study attempted to determine to common conceptions of fourth year high school students. A 25- item open-ended Force Concept Inventory (FCI) was used as an instrument. One hundred forty five respondents: 53 coming from Pangasinan National High School; 48 from Ilocos Sur National High School; and 44 from La Union National High School were used in this research. The test was coupled with unstructured interview to provide an indepth analysis and interpretation of data gathered together with written response. The responses were categorized based from the ready- made options of the original multiple- choice Force Concept Inventory. The data were analyzed and interpreted using descriptive research method. Results revealed that the respondents are classified as Non- Newtonian thinkers. They are found to manifest the following misconceptions: a) The misconception on action/ reaction pairs, most active agent produces force and (b) greater mass implies greater force; (c) Both misconception on Kinematics, the discrimination of position from velocity and (d) the discrimination of velocity from acceleration; and on (e) obstacles exert no force. Likewise, majority of the respondents showed inability to recognize inertial motion. Other conceptions on force and motion were also identified that do not fall under the original categories of options in the multiple- choice Force Concept Inventory. None of the respondents were classified as Newtonian thinkers.