Students’ Understanding of Graphical Vector Addition in One and Two Dimensions
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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51724/ijpce.v3i2.195Keywords:
Vectors, Vector Addition, MisunderstandingAbstract
Understanding initial topics in physics (forces, fields, and kinematical quantities) requires a grasp of basic vector concepts. In this study, we intended to explore students’ qualitative understanding of graphical vector addition in one and two dimensions. Using two free-response problems of a diagnostic quiz, one is one-dimensional vector addition and the other is two-dimensional vector addition. Sixty-three grade ten high-school students’ responses were categorized. From the investigation, results represent that from the high-school students who already completed their vector lesson, only 10% of them provided correct answer for vector addition in one-dimension and 32% for the two-dimensional addition.
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