2020/07/16 by Alexis Olsho, Suzanne White Brahmia, Andrew Boudreaux +1 · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #physics.ed-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1119/10.0004149
Accepted by The Physics Teacher
arxiv created 2020/07/16 · arxiv updated 2021/04/14
Electromagnetism (E&M) is often challenging for students enrolled in introductory college-level physics courses. Compared to mechanics, the mathematics of E&M is more sophisticated and the representations are more abstract. Furthermore, students may lack productive intuitions they had with force and motion. In this article, we explore the mathematization of electric charge. Specifically, we explore how difficulties with positive and negative signs can arise for learners who approach integers primarily as positions on a number line.