Mechanics in Engineering and Physics: Differences and Lessons
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Matthew J. Moelter
[1]
;
Stamatis Vokos
[1]
;
Brian Self
[1]
;
Dominic Dal Bello
[2]
;
Brian Youngblood
[2]
-
[1] California Polytechnic State University
California Polytechnic State University
Estados Unidos
-
[2] Allan Hancock College
Allan Hancock College
Estados Unidos
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- Localización: The Physics Teacher, ISSN 0031-921X, Vol. 63, Nº. 9, 2025, págs. 752-756
- Idioma: inglés
- Enlaces
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Resumen
We present observations regarding differences in approach, emphasis, and the delivery of teaching mechanics in introductory physics and engineering courses. Four of the authors (postsecondary instructors of physics and engineering) fully attended at least one course taught by an instructor of the other discipline, examined current textbooks, and looked at curricular mappings. We identified areas that may be a source of difficulty for students in transferring ideas from physics to engineering courses. In addition to well-documented1 conceptual, reasoning, and quantitative issues that students face when learning mechanics, we identified challenges associated with the disciplinary emphases of the instructors. Differences include units, notation for standard quantities and their associated changes, conventions for free-body diagrams, and coordinate systems to describe curvilinear motion. In view of this, expanding the horizon knowledge of the physicists and the knowledge of (prerequisite) content for the engineers,2 participating instructors can now effectively modify their courses to preview (physics instructors) and review (engineering instructors) material, emphasizing overlap and explicitly identifying differences. We recommend ways in which physics and engineering instructors can use this information in their own courses.
