Energy and the Confused Student I: Work

Abstract

Energy is a critical concept that is used in analyzing physical phenomena and is often an essential starting point in physics problem-solving. It is a global concept that appears throughout the physics curriculum in mechanics, thermodynamics, electromagnetism, and modern physics. Energy is also at the heart of descriptions of processes in biology, chemistry, astronomy, and geology. Therefore, it is important to discuss the topic of energy clearly and effectively in textbook and lecture presentations. Unfortunately, this topic is filled with possibilities for student confusion if the presentation is not carefully crafted by the instructor or the textbook. There are a number of steps, however, that can be taken in teaching about energy that reduce or eliminate the sources of confusion for students.