ERIC Number: EJ1090083
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016-Feb
Pages: 4
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0031-921X
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Use of a Mobile Application to Help Students Develop Skills Needed in Solving Force Equilibrium Problems
Yang, Eunice
Physics Teacher, v54 n2 p108-111 Feb 2016
This paper discusses the use of a free mobile engineering application (app) called Autodesk® ForceEffect™ to provide students assistance with spatial visualization of forces and more practice in solving/visualizing statics problems compared to the traditional pencil-and-paper method. ForceEffect analyzes static rigid-body systems using free-body diagrams (FBDs) and provides solutions in real time. It is a cost-free software that is available for download on the Internet. The software is supported on the iOS™, Android™, and Google Chrome™ platforms. It is easy to use and the learning curve is approximately two hours using the tutorial provided within the app. The use of ForceEffect has the ability to provide students different problem modalities (textbook, real-world, and design) to help them acquire and improve on skills that are needed to solve force equilibrium problems. Although this paper focuses on the engineering mechanics statics course, the technology discussed is also relevant to the introductory physics course.
Descriptors: Telecommunications, Handheld Devices, Technology Uses in Education, Computer Software, Science Instruction, Physics, Visualization, Educational Technology, Mechanics (Physics), Engineering
American Association of Physics Teachers. One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740. Tel: 301-209-3300; Fax: 301-209-0845; e-mail: pubs@aapt.org; Web site: http://scitation.aip.org/tpt
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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