Thinking Problems: Electricity

Teaching Physics with the Physics Suite
Edward F. Redish

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Sample Problems: Electricity

Problem Name	Multiple-Choice/Short Answer	Multiple-Choice/Multiple Response	Representation Translation	Ranking Tasks	Mechanism- Based Reasoning Problems	Estimation Problems	Qualitative Questions	Essay Questions
*E1. Functional dependence and the electric field()**			X		X
E2. Estimating charge (*)						X
E3. E-Field multiple representations	X		X
E4. Orienteering an electric potential (*)			X				X
E5. A cell membrane					X
E6. A battery and two bulbs *()**	X						X
E7. A battery and four bulbs *()**	X						X
E8. Lots of batteries and a bulb *()**				X			X
*E9. Building a water heater ()**					X	X
E10. Tracking round a circuit *()**			X				X
*E11. Saving on your electric bill ()**						X
E12. Modeling a nerve membrane (*)					X
E13. Forces between charges (*)	X						X
E14. The size of an oil drop *()**					X	X
E15. The resistance of a pocket calculator (*)						X
E16. What's a field? *()**								X
E17. What happens to the bulbs?	X			X			X
E18. Ammeters and voltmeters *()**	X						X
E19. Using Gauss's Law			X
E20. Charge from field lines	X		X				X
E21. Interpreting Gauss		X	X				X
E22. Finding the E field	X		X
E23. Solar power for your house					X	X
E24. Dependence of E	X						X
E25. Constant current source *()**	X				X
E26. Analyzing dipoles *()**					X		X
E27. The Electroscope *()**							X	X
*E28. What's the charge, officer? ()**	X						X
*E29. Three charge problems ()**			X				X
E30. Thinking about Coulomb's law			X					X
E31. Forces on charges *()**	X						X
E32. Accelerating charges *()**	X			X
E33. Current flow analogies *()**							X	X
E34. Electric forces *()**	X		X				X
E35. Using Kirchoff's Laws *()**							X	X
E36. Thinking about an ammeter *()**					X
E37. Fields in a capacitor *()**		X	X
E38. Jump starting a car *()**					X		X
E39. The power of a nerve *()**					X	X
E40. Changing the charges	X		X				X
E41. A positive and negative test *()**			X	X
E42. Sheets of charge *()**		X	X				X
E43. Electric field hockey *()**			X				X
E44. Removing a bulb				X			X
E45. A battery, bulb, and one wire							X	X
E46. Forces among three charges: 1	X						X
E47. Contemplating Kirchhoff								X
E48. Air flow current						X
E49. Analogies								X
E50. Comparing capacitors *()**				X
E51. Capacitors in series and parallel *()**			X		X		X
E52. Capacitance in nerve cells *()**					X
E53. Comparing capacitors 2				X	X
*E54. The energy stored in a capacitor()**					X
E55. Three bulbs and two batteries *()**	X				X
*E56. With a grain of salt()**					X		X
*E57. Charge on a neuron()**					X
*E58. Points and sheets()**		X	X
*E59. Charges, fields, and potentials()**			X		X		X
E60. Throwing a switch *()**					X
*E61. Contemplating Ohm's law()**								X
E62. Stuffing a capacitor *()**			X		X
*E63. Ranking capacitors()**				X	X
E64. But it's just a leetle bit different *()**						X
E65. Counting charges *()**						X
E66. Mechanism in a resistor		X
E67. Forces among three charges: 2	X

(*) Problems marked with an asterisk have web solutions available. Click on the asterisk to go to the solution. A password is required. Contact redish@umd.edu to get access.

Page last modified July 2, 2013