Action physics

Lachlan P. McGinness; C. M. Savage

doi:10.1119/1.4955145

Action physics

Lachlan P. McGinness, C. M. Savage^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

6 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

More than a decade ago, Edwin Taylor issued a "call to action" that presented the case for basing introductory university mechanics teaching around the principle of stationary action [E. F. Taylor, Am. J. Phys. 71, 423-425 (2003)]. We report on our response to that call in the form of an investigation of the teaching and learning of the stationary action formulation of physics in a first-year university course. Our action physics instruction proceeded from the many-paths approach to quantum physics to ray optics, classical mechanics, and relativity. Despite the challenges presented by action physics, students reported it to be accessible, interesting, motivational, and valuable.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	704-708
Number of pages	5
Journal	American Journal of Physics
Volume	84
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1119/1.4955145
Publication status	Published - 1 Sept 2016

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Action physics

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