Learning to Play: A "Hedgehog Concept" for Physical Education

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Tyler

2014-01-01

What is physical education and why does it exist? Despite its relatively long and storied history, consensus about the main purpose of physical education remains minimal. This article explores three questions, developed by Jim Collins in his best-selling book Good to Great, to help organizations identify a hedgehog concept, or primary reason for…

Physics Structure Analysis of Parallel Waves Concept of Physics Teacher Candidate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarwi, S; Linuwih, S; Supardi, K I

2017-01-01

The aim of this research was to find a parallel structure concept of wave physics and the factors that influence on the formation of parallel conceptions of physics teacher candidates. The method used qualitative research which types of cross-sectional design. These subjects were five of the third semester of basic physics and six of the fifth semester of wave course students. Data collection techniques used think aloud and written tests. Quantitative data were analysed with descriptive technique-percentage. The data analysis technique for belief and be aware of answers uses an explanatory analysis. Results of the research include: 1) the structure of the concept can be displayed through the illustration of a map containing the theoretical core, supplements the theory and phenomena that occur daily; 2) the trend of parallel conception of wave physics have been identified on the stationary waves, resonance of the sound and the propagation of transverse electromagnetic waves; 3) the influence on the parallel conception that reading textbooks less comprehensive and knowledge is partial understanding as forming the structure of the theory. (paper)

A comparison of physical self-concept between physical education and non-physical education university students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hamid ARAZI

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to compare physical self-concept between physical education and non-physical education university students. The target population of this study was all male and female physical education and non-physical education university students in Rasht city of Iran. After translating the Physical Self-Description Questionnaire (PSDQ and adjusting some of the questions, the questionnaire was evaluated by the specialists in the context of validity and the reliability achieved by test-retest (Cronbach Alpha value of 0.84. We then, according to the Odineski table selected 180 physical education and non-physical education males and 190 physical education and non-physical education females opportunistically. The collected data was analyzed by 2×2 MANOVA for determine differences between genders and major. The results showed mean vector scores of physical education in the following scales: physical activity; global physical; competence; sports; strength; endurance and flexibility were significantly (p<0.05 higher than that of non-physical education major students. Also, the results shows that mean vector scores of male in the following scales: health; coordination; physical activity; body fat; global physical; competence; sports; global physical self-concept and global esteem were significantly (p<0.05 higher than female. Based on the result of our study the physical self-concept non-physical education and female is lower, than that physical education and male. The results may reflect that male and physical major education students, who usually spend more time on physical activity and sport training to have better fitness and skill oriented self concept than their counterparts.

Concepts in surface physics

CERN Document Server

Desjonquères, M -C

1993-01-01

This textbook is intended as an introduction to surface science for graduate students. It began as a course of lectures that we gave at the University of Paris (Orsay). Its main objectives are twofold: to provide the reader with a compre­ hensive presentation of the basic principles and concepts of surface physics and to show the usefulness of these concepts in the real world by referring to experiments. It starts at a rather elementary level since it only requires a knowledge of solid state physics, quantum mechanics, thermodynamics and statistical physics which does not exceed the background usually taught to students early in their university courses. However, since it finally reaches an advanced level, we have tried to render it as self-contained as possible so that it remains accessible even to an unexperienced reader. Furthermore, the emphasis has been put on a pedagogical level rather than on a technical level. In this spirit, whenever possible, models which are simplified, but which contain the featu...

Compendium of quantum physics. Concepts, experiments, history and philosophy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greenberger, Daniel; Hentschel, Klaus; Weinert, Friedel

2009-01-01

With contributions by many of today's leading quantum physicists, philosophers and historians, including three Nobel laureates, this comprehensive A to Z of quantum physics provides a lucid understanding of the key concepts of quantum theory and experiment. It covers technical and interpretational aspects alike, and includes both traditional topics and newer areas such as quantum information and its relatives. The central concepts that have shaped contemporary understanding of the quantum world are clearly defined, with illustrations where helpful, and discussed at a level suitable for undergraduate and graduate students of physics, history of science, and philosophy of physics. All articles share three main aims: (1) to provide a clear definition and understanding of the term concerned; (2) where possible, to trace the historical origins of the concept; and (3) to provide a small but optimal selection of references to the most relevant literature, including pertinent historical studies. Also discussed are the often contentious philosophical implications derived from quantum theory and its associated experimental findings. This compendium will be an indispensable resource for all those seeking concise up-to-date information about the many facets of quantum physics. (orig.)

Advanced Level Physics Students' Conceptions of Quantum Physics.

Science.gov (United States)

Mashhadi, Azam

This study addresses questions about particle physics that focus on the nature of electrons. Speculations as to whether they are more like particles or waves or like neither illustrate the difficulties with which students are confronted when trying to incorporate the concepts of quantum physics into their overall conceptual framework. Such…

Physical self-concept of normal-weight and overweight adolescents: Gender specificities

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Lazarević Dušanka

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Previous researchers have described the relation between physical self-concept and body mass in adolescents, but those relationships have not been clearly specified by gender. The purpose of this study is to explore physical self-concepts of normal-weight and over-weight Serbian adolescents with respect to gender. The sample consisted of 417 primary school students (229 boys and 188 girls with the average age 13.6 (SD=0.73 years who were divided into normal-weight and overweight groups according to body mass index. To assess the multidimensional physical self-concept, Physical Self-Description Questionnaire (PSDQ was administered. Results showed that overweight adolescents had significantly lower scores than normal-weight on all PSDQ scales except Health and Strength. Differences were greater among girls than boys. Discriminant analysis showed that the scales Body Fat, Endurance and Sports Competence best differentiated normal-weight boys from other students. Also, discriminant analysis showed that, besides the scale Body Fat, scales Flexibility, Self-Esteem, and Coordination best differentiated normal-weight girls from other students. Results indicate that for better understanding of the relationship between adolescent’s physical self-concept and body mass one must take gender into account. Results are potentially valuable for preventing overweight through physical education.

Comparative study based on the physical self-concept in teenagers regarding gender and physical activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Molero López-Barajas

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The aims of this article are to evaluate the physical self-concept in adolescence and to get to know the outcomes in the perceptions of the different dimensions in the physical self-concept. Furthermore, we aim to check the existence of noticeable differences in the outcomes regarding gender variables and regarding the level of physical activity of those polled. The sample consists of 81 individuals divided in two groups: secondary school teenager students and swimmers in adolescence. We use the Physical Self-concept Questionnaire (PSQ as a tool for getting information; there are six scales: physical skills, physical conditions, physical charming, strength, and general physical self-concept. We use the Physical Self-concept Questionnaire (PSQ as an instrument of collection of information which consists of 6 different scales: physical skills, physical condition, physical attractiveness, strength and general self-concept. We will show the results in two different analysis of the variant. In the first one we have found remarkable differences as far as the statistic point of view is concerned in gender perceptions in the scales of physical skills, physical condition, strength and general physical self-concept in favour of men (p<0,05. In the second analysis we have checked the existence of noticeable differences between the two groups of young people within the scales of physical skills and strength in favour of those who practice physical activity regularly (p<0,05.

Basic concepts in physics. From the cosmos to quarks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chaichian, M.; Tureanu, A.; Perez Rojas, H.

2014-01-01

A clear, concise and beautifully written presentation of modern physics. Readers will not only learn physics, they will learn to enjoy it. Self-contained and comprehensive History, concepts and formal treatment go hand-in-hand. Suppresses mathematical technicalities in favor of a wide scope of topics. Suited for class use, e.g. as a textbook for the course ''Modern Physics'', but also ideal for ''lone explorers'' and other newcomers to physics. ''Basic Concepts in Physics: From the Cosmos to Quarks'' is the outcome of the authors' long and varied teaching experience in different countries and for different audiences, and gives an accessible and eminently readable introduction to all the main ideas of modern physics. The book's fresh approach, using a novel combination of historical and conceptual viewpoints, makes it ideal complementary reading to more standard textbooks. The first five chapters are devoted to classical physics, from planetary motion to special relativity, always keeping in mind its relevance to questions of contemporary interest. The next six chapters deal mainly with newer developments in physics, from quantum theory and general relativity to grand unified theories, and the book concludes by discussing the role of physics in living systems. A basic grounding in mathematics is required of the reader, but technicalities are avoided as far as possible; thus complex calculations are omitted so long as the essential ideas remain clear. The book is addressed to undergraduate and graduate students in physics and will also be appreciated by many professional physicists. It will likewise be of interest to students, researchers and teachers of other natural sciences, as well as to engineers, high-school teachers and the curious general reader, who will come to understand what physics is about and how it describes the different phenomena of Nature. Not only will readers of this book learn much about physics, they will also learn to love it.

THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN PHYSICAL SELF CONCEPT, SPORT AND GENDER IN ALGERIAN ADOLESCENTS

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Farid Mouissi

2017-06-01

Full Text Available This study aims to clarify the impact of sport specialty in physical self concept and gender, and also the difference in the dimension of the physical self concept. A sample of research is made up of 169 sportsmen in different disciplines from Chlef ’s sport league with an average age of 18.3± 2.45 (soccer , volleyball, athleticism. The Physical self-description questionnaire (PSDQ was used to measure the concept of physical self-according to multidimensional perspectives. The research results have demonstrated that the kind of sport discipline practiced by high level players has an impact on their understanding of their physical selves, and the second results might assert the general approximation which we are about to speak about. Gender issue influences self-esteem in relation to individuals, yet in the field of sport, we realize that males and females are equal at the level of all other dimensions of the questioner.

Alpine Skiing With total knee ArthroPlasty (ASWAP): physical self-concept, pain, and life satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Amesberger, G; Müller, E; Würth, S

2015-08-01

Physical self-concept in the elderly is assumed to be structured in terms of different domains and to contribute substantially to life satisfaction. However, little is known about the role of the physical self-concept in older persons that are engaged in physical activity while suffering from typical age-related impairments or chronic diseases. The present study aimed to investigate the structure of physical self-concept in a group of older persons with total knee arthroplasty (TKA), its development throughout a 12-week skiing intervention, and its importance to life satisfaction. Factor analyses of the present data reveal that the physical self-concept consists of four dimensions addressing strength, flexibility/coordination, endurance, and sportiness. One higher order factor extracted by hierarchical factor analyses reflects a global physical self-concept. The 12-week skiing intervention had no substantial impact in terms of an improvement of self-concept. Life satisfaction is best predicted by positive changes in the subjective ratings between pre- and post-test (i.e., global physical self-concept, flexibility and coordination, and perceived sportiness) and not by objective physical performance (isokinetic strength, endurance, or coordination). Results support the assumption that physical self-concept of older people with TKA is only marginally sensitive to a 12-week skiing intervention. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Physical self-concept in adolescents from Seville in relation with gender and the evolution of sport career

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francis Ries

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to examine the physical capacities and the physical attractiveness of Seville adolescent athletes and whether these perceptions vary by gender and sport career development. 90 adolescents from 12 to 18 years (50 girls and 40 boys completed a Spanish adaptation of the Physical Self Description Questionnaire (Marsh, Richards, Johnson, Roche y Tremaye, 1994; Tomás, 1998 and a scale to collect physical attractiveness perceived (Alfermann, Saborowski y Würth, 1997. The results show that males have a more positive physical self-concept than females. There were no relationships of the variables with the level of sports performance. The follow-up survey, one year later, noted an increase in some subdomains of self-concept in terms of positive developments in the sport career. In this study the physical changes associated with maturation in adolescence seem to have fewer influences on the perception of the body as it has been reported in other studies

Explorations in Mathematical Physics The Concepts Behind an Elegant Language

CERN Document Server

Koks, Don

2006-01-01

Have you ever wondered why the language of modern physics centres on geometry? Or how quantum operators and Dirac brackets work? What a convolution really is? What tensors are all about? Or what field theory and lagrangians are, and why gravity is described as curvature? This book takes you on a tour of the main ideas forming the language of modern mathematical physics. Here you will meet novel approaches to concepts such as determinants and geometry, wave function evolution, statistics, signal processing, and three-dimensional rotations. You'll see how the accelerated frames of special relativity tell us about gravity. On the journey, you'll discover how tensor notation relates to vector calculus, how differential geometry is built on intuitive concepts, and how variational calculus leads to field theory. You will meet quantum measurement theory, along with Green functions and the art of complex integration, and finally general relativity and cosmology. The book takes a fresh approach to tensor analysis buil...

Psychometric properties of a shortened version of the Physical Self-Concept Questionnaire (PSQ-S).

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez-Fernández, Arantzazu; Axpe, Inge; Goñi, Alfredo

2015-01-01

The four-dimensional model of physical self-concept which differentiates the physical self-perceptions of ability, condition, attractiveness and strength is widely accepted. In the last two decades much research has been done on the physical self-concept and its relations with the psychological well-being/distress, anxiety disorders or Eating Behavior Disorders (EBD). To validate a shortened version of the Physical Self-Concept Questionnaire (PSQ-S) and verify its ability to discriminate between people with different levels of EBD. Responses of 1478 subjects between 13 and 21 years old to the shortened version of the PSQ were analyzed in order to check indexes of reliability and validity. Furthermore, the scores of 96 women aged 14 to 23 years old diagnosed of EBD were compared to 96 others without clinical diagnosis. The results indicate a reliability of 0.93 and confirm the tetrafactorial structure of the physical selfconcept. The highest physical self-concept is that of those without a clinical diagnosis of EBD. The Shortened-PSQ is a simple, reliable and suitable screening tool both for educational and clinical settings. It also provides a sufficient measure of physical self-concept for research purposes.

Developing iPad-Based Physics Simulations That Can Help People Learn Newtonian Physics Concepts

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Young-Jin

2015-01-01

The aims of this study are: (1) to develop iPad-based computer simulations called iSimPhysics that can help people learn Newtonian physics concepts; and (2) to assess its educational benefits and pedagogical usefulness. To facilitate learning, iSimPhysics visualizes abstract physics concepts, and allows for conducting a series of computer…

Basic concepts in physics from the cosmos to quarks

CERN Document Server

Chaichian, Masud; Tureanu, Anca

2014-01-01

"Basic Concepts in Physics: From the Cosmos to Quarks" is the outcome of the authors' long and varied teaching experience in different countries and for different audiences, and gives an accessible and eminently readable introduction to all the main ideas of modern physics. The book’s fresh approach, using a novel combination of historical and conceptual viewpoints, makes it ideal complementary reading to more standard textbooks. The first five chapters are devoted to classical physics, from planetary motion to special relativity, always keeping in mind its relevance to questions of contemporary interest. The next six chapters deal mainly with newer developments in physics, from quantum theory and general relativity to grand unified theories, and the book concludes by discussing the role of physics in living systems. A basic grounding in mathematics is required of the reader, but technicalities are avoided as far as possible; thus complex calculations are omitted so long as the essential ideas remain clear....

Basic concepts in physics. From the cosmos to quarks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chaichian, M.; Tureanu, A. [Helsinki Univ. (Finland). Dept. of Physics; Perez Rojas, H. [ICIMAF, La Habana (Cuba). Dept. of Theoretical Physics

2014-08-01

A clear, concise and beautifully written presentation of modern physics. Readers will not only learn physics, they will learn to enjoy it. Self-contained and comprehensive History, concepts and formal treatment go hand-in-hand. Suppresses mathematical technicalities in favor of a wide scope of topics. Suited for class use, e.g. as a textbook for the course ''Modern Physics'', but also ideal for ''lone explorers'' and other newcomers to physics. ''Basic Concepts in Physics: From the Cosmos to Quarks'' is the outcome of the authors' long and varied teaching experience in different countries and for different audiences, and gives an accessible and eminently readable introduction to all the main ideas of modern physics. The book's fresh approach, using a novel combination of historical and conceptual viewpoints, makes it ideal complementary reading to more standard textbooks. The first five chapters are devoted to classical physics, from planetary motion to special relativity, always keeping in mind its relevance to questions of contemporary interest. The next six chapters deal mainly with newer developments in physics, from quantum theory and general relativity to grand unified theories, and the book concludes by discussing the role of physics in living systems. A basic grounding in mathematics is required of the reader, but technicalities are avoided as far as possible; thus complex calculations are omitted so long as the essential ideas remain clear. The book is addressed to undergraduate and graduate students in physics and will also be appreciated by many professional physicists. It will likewise be of interest to students, researchers and teachers of other natural sciences, as well as to engineers, high-school teachers and the curious general reader, who will come to understand what physics is about and how it describes the different phenomena of Nature. Not only will readers of this book learn

A Study on Contingency Learning in Introductory Physics Concepts

Science.gov (United States)

Scaife, Thomas M.

investigation of their behavior, students were asked what rule they used when answering questions. Although the self-reported rules might not be congruent with their behavior, training with specific examples might affect how students explicitly think about physics problems. In addition to exploring the effectiveness of various training examples, the results were also compared to a cognitive theory of causality: the contingency model. Physical concepts can often be expressed in terms of causal relations (e.g., a net force causes an object to accelerate), and a large body of work has found that people make many decisions that are consistent with causal reasoning. The contingency model, in particular, explains how certain statistical regularities in the co-occurrence of two events can be interpreted by individuals as causal relations, and was chosen primarily because it of its robust results and simple, parsimonious form. The empirical results demonstrate that different categories of training examples did affect student answers differently. Furthermore, these effects were mostly consistent with the predictions made by the contingency model. When rule use was explored, the self-reported rules were consistent with contingency model predictions, but indicated that examples alone were insufficient to teach complex functional relationships between physical dimensions, such as torque.

Energy Blocks--A Physical Model for Teaching Energy Concepts

Science.gov (United States)

Hertting, Scott

2016-01-01

Most physics educators would agree that energy is a very useful, albeit abstract topic. It is therefore important to use various methods to help the student internalize the concept of energy itself and its related ideas. These methods include using representations such as energy bar graphs, energy pie charts, or energy tracking diagrams.…

Cognitive Architecture and the Epistemic Gap: Defending Physicalism without Phenomenal Concepts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fazekas, Peter

2011-01-01

The novel approach presented in this paper accounts for the occurrence of the epistemic gap and defends physicalism against anti-physicalist arguments without relying on so-called phenomenal concepts. Instead of concentrating on conceptual features, the focus is shifted to the special...... characteristics of experiences themselves. To this extent, the account provided is an alternative to the Phenomenal Concept Strategy. It is argued that certain sensory representations, as accessed by higher cognition, lack constituent structure. Unstructured representations could freely exchange their causal...... to pose a serious problem for contemporary physicalism. I conclude that if those concepts which are related to the phenomenal character of conscious experience are special in any way, their characteristics are derivative of and can be accounted for in terms of the cognitive and representational features...

IMPACT OF SELF-CONCEPT OF DISABLED LEARNERS ON INCLUSIVE PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammed ALI,

2012-08-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the conceptual foundations of self-concept, self-esteem and the self as they relate to disabled students in the context of physical education. Disable school children experience severe discriminations in society and within the school system, especially if the school is the mainstream type. With increasing emphasis on inclusiveness in school to different groups of excluded children, the need to thoroughly examine the psychological frame of mind of these children is now more important than ever before. Consequently, this paper sought to uncover the fundamental tenets of self-concept of disabled learners and highlight the key characteristics of disabled children. The paper concludes by with an analysis of the major impacts that disabled learners self-concept has on participation in physical education activities.

Pre-Service Physics Teachers’ Concept Mastery and the Challenges of Game Development on Physics Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Saprudin, S.; Liliasari, L.; Prihatmanto, A. S.

2017-09-01

This study is a survey that aims to describe pre-service physics teachers’ concept mastery at a university in Ternate. Data were collected through test standard instrument for physics which used in the teacher certification program. Data were analyzed by using quantitative descriptive technique. Based on the results of data analysis, it was concluded that generally pre-service physics teachers’ concept mastery can be categorized on low category (25.4%). The map of concept mastery will be used as a reference to developing game design in the physics learning context for pre-service physics teachers.

The concept of intelligibility in modern physics (1948).

Science.gov (United States)

Feyerabend, Paul K

2016-06-01

This is an English translation of Paul Feyerabend's earliest extant essay "Der Begriff der Verständlichkeit in der modernen Physik" (1948). In it, Feyerabend defends positivism as a progressive framework for scientific research in certain stages of scientific development. He argues that in physics visualizability (Anschaulichkeit) and intelligibility (Verständlichkeit) are time-conditioned concepts: what is deemed visualizable in the development of physical theories is relative to a specific historical context and changes over time. He concludes that from time to time the abandonment of visualizability is crucial for progress in physics, as it is conducive to major theory change, illustrating the point on the basis of advances in atomic theory. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Implementation of Physics Problem Solving Strategy Combined with Concept Map in General Physics Course

Science.gov (United States)

Hidayati, H.; Ramli, R.

2018-04-01

This paper aims to provide a description of the implementation of Physic Problem Solving strategy combined with concept maps in General Physics learning at Department of Physics, Universitas Negeri Padang. Action research has been conducted in two cycles where each end of the cycle is reflected and improved for the next cycle. Implementation of Physics Problem Solving strategy combined with concept map can increase student activity in solving general physics problem with an average increase of 15% and can improve student learning outcomes from 42,7 in the cycle I become 62,7 in cycle II in general physics at the Universitas Negeri Padang. In the future, the implementation of Physic Problem Solving strategy combined with concept maps will need to be considered in Physics courses.

Promoting a Functional Physical Self-Concept in Physical Education: Evaluation of a 10-Week Intervention

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, Mirko; Valkanover, Stefan; Roebers, Claudia; Conzelmann, Achim

2013-01-01

Most physical education intervention studies on the positive effect of sports on self-concept development have attempted to "increase" schoolchildren's self-concept without taking the "veridicality" of the self-concept into account. The present study investigated whether a 10-week intervention in physical education would lead…

Physical Self-Concept and Physical Activity Enjoyment in Elementary School Children

Science.gov (United States)

Lohbeck, Annette; Tietjens, Maike; Bund, Andreas

2016-01-01

The present study examined gender differences and relationships of seven specific domains of physical self-concept (PSC) ("Strength," "Endurance," "Speed," "Flexibility," "Coordination," "Global Sport Competence," and "Appearance") and physical activity enjoyment (PAE) in 447…

Finnish Cooperating Physics Teachers' Conceptions of Physics Teachers' Teacher Knowledge

Science.gov (United States)

Asikainen, Mervi A.; Hirvonen, Pekka E.

2010-01-01

This article examines Finnish cooperating physics teachers' conceptions of teacher knowledge in physics. Six experienced teachers were interviewed. The data was analyzed to form categories concerning the basis of teacher knowledge, and the tradition of German Didaktik and Shulman's theory of teacher knowledge were used in order to understand the…

Basic Concepts of Surface Physics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Degras, D A

1974-07-01

The basic concepts of surface physics are given in this paper which deals mainly with the thermodynamics of metal surfaces. one finds also a short review of vibrational and electronic properties. Written for a Summer School, the text provides numerous references.

ANALYSIS OF THE DIMENSIONS OF PHYSICAL SELF-CONCEPT BY SEX IN ADOLESCENTES FROM A TYPICAL SPANISH MEDITERRANEAN COMMUNITY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Palomares Cuadros

2016-04-01

Full Text Available This study examined globally adolescents’ physical self-concept as a function of its components: physical appearance, physical ability, strength, balance, flexibility, and endurance, and as a function of their sex, in a population aged 12-15 from Jaén, Spain. The sample consisted of 296 participants with an average age of 13.03 years. As a measuring tool, an adaptation of the Marsh and Sutherland Physical Self-concept Scale was used. The results revealed that boys rated above girls in most of the items that showed positive self-concept aspects. Conversely, girls scored higher than boys in the majority of negative self-concept items. Our evidence showed significant gender differences related to teenagers’ physical self-concepts; where girls obtained more negative assessments regarding physical self-concepts than boys did, and the latter group was more interested in engaging in physical exercise than the former group. English translation by Jeannette Soto Segura

Quantum physics and relational ontology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cordovil, Joao [Center of Philosophy of Sciences of University of Lisbon (Portugal)

2013-07-01

The discovery of the quantum domain of reality put a serious ontological challenge, a challenge that is still well present in the recent developments of Quantum Physics. Physics was conceived from an atomistic conception of the world, reducing it, in all its diversity, to two types of entities: simple, individual and immutable entities (atoms, in metaphysical sense) and composite entities, resulting solely from combinations. Linear combinations, additive, indifferent to the structure or to the context. However, the discovery of wave-particle dualism and the developments in Quantum Field Theories and in Quantum Nonlinear Physical, showed that quantum entities are not, in metaphysical sense, neither simple, nor merely the result of linear (or additive) combinations. In other words, the ontological foundations of Physics revealed as inadequate to account for the nature of quantum entities. Then a fundamental challenge arises: How to think the ontic nature of these entities? In my view, this challenge appeals to a relational and dynamist ontology of physical entities. This is the central hypothesis of this communication. In this sense, this communication has two main intentions: 1) positively characterize this relational and dynamist ontology; 2) show some elements of its metaphysical suitability to contemporary Quantum Physics.

Validity of the concept of absorbed dose as a physical quantity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tada, Jun-Ichiro; Katoh, Kazuaki.

1995-01-01

The concept of the 'absorbed dose' of ionizing radiation is scrutinized from physical point of view. It is shown that the concept and definition of the quantity in the ICRU system is disqualified as a physical quantity and the absorbed dose can not always be a 'measure of cause' in describing causality relation between radiation and effects on matter. The current absorbed dose depends even on the energy that have already been brought out from the matter, contrary to the intention of introducing the quantity. Trials to remove these difficulties are made. However, it is also shown there still exists an essential problem that cannot be solved by improving the formulation. (author)

Main physics features driving design concept and physics design constraints

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujisawa, Noboru; Sugihara, Masayoshi; Yamamoto, Shin

1987-07-01

Major physics design philosophies are described, which are essential bases for a plasma design and may have significant impacts on a reactor design concept. Those design philosophies are classified into two groups, physics design drivers and physics design constraints. The design drivers are featured by the fact that a designer is free to choose and the choice may be guided by his opinion, such as ignition, a pulse length, an operation scenario, etc.. The design constraints may follow a physical law, such as plasma confinement, β-limit, density limit, and so on. (author)

Development of physical conceptions of fast reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khomyakov, Yu.S.; Matveev, V.I.; Moiseev, A.V.

2013-01-01

• Russian experience in developing fast reactors has proved clearly scientific justification of conceptual physical principles and their technical feasibility. • However, the potential of fast reactors caused by their physical features has not been fully realized. • In order to assure the real possibility of transition to the nuclear power with fast reactors by about 2030 it is necessary to consistently update fast reactor designs for solving the following key problems: - increasing of self-protection level of reactor core; - improvement of technical and economical characteristics; - solution of the problems related to the fuel supply of nuclear power and assimilation of closed nuclear fuel cycle; - disposal of long lived radioactive waste and transmutation of minor actinides. • Russian program (2010-2020) on the development of basic concepts of the new generation reactors implies successive solution of the above problems. • New technical decisions will be demonstrated by development and assimilation of the new reactors: - BN-800 – development of the fuel cycle infrastructure and mastering of the new types of fuel; - BN-1200 reactor – demonstration economical efficiency of fast reactor and new level of safety; - BREST development and demonstration new heavy liquid metal coolant technology and alternative design concept

Physical self-concept of adolescents in Western Balkan countries: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Janić, Snežana Radisavljević; Jurak, Gregor; Milanović, Ivana; Lazarević, Dušanka; Kovač, Marjeta; Novak, Dario

2014-10-01

The aim of this study was to explore physical self-concept of adolescents of the Western Balkans (Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina) according to sex and country. The participants were 2,606 students, ages 13 and 14 years (M = 13.5, SD = 0.9). The Physical Self-Description Questionnaire (PSDQ) was used to assess multidimensional physical self-concept. The results show the interaction of sex and country for three dimensions of physical self-concept (Appearance, Global Physical Self-Concept, and Self-Esteem). It was shown that female and male adolescents' perception of physical appearance, self-esteem, and global physical self-concept is more susceptible to influences of socio-cultural factors in the monitored countries. In all other dimensions of Physical self-concept, sex differences were consistently manifested in favour of male adolescents, except in Flexibility. Regardless of adolescents' sex, under the increasing influence of Western culture in the Western Balkan countries, adolescents more critically evaluate their body and motor abilities.

The Electromagnetic Conception of Nature at the Root of the Special and General Relativity Theories and Its Revolutionary Meaning

Science.gov (United States)

Giannetto, Enrico R. A.

2009-01-01

The revolution in XX century physics, induced by relativity theories, had its roots within the electromagnetic conception of Nature. It was developed through a tradition related to Brunian and Leibnizian physics, to the German "Naturphilosophie" and English XIXth physics. The electromagnetic conception of Nature was in some way realized by the…

Secondary school physics teachers' conceptions of scientific evidence: A collective case study

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Joseph A.

Engaging secondary school students in inquiry-oriented tasks that more closely simulate the scholarly activities of scientists has been recommended as a way to improve scientific literacy. Two tasks that are frequently recommended include students' design of original experiments, and students' evaluation of scientific evidence and conclusions. Yet, little is known about teachers' conceptions of experimentation. The principal aim of this study, therefore, was to describe the nature of prospective and practicing physics teachers' conceptions of scientific evidence. More specifically, the following research questions guided this study: (1) What types of issues related to the measurement reliability and experimental validity of scientific evidence do practicing and prospective physics teachers think about when designing experiments? (2) When presented with hypothetical scenarios that describe unsound experimental procedures or poorly supported conclusions (or both), what concerns will prospective and practicing physics teachers raise? And (3) When the participants' responses to parallel research prompts are compared across protocols, what similarities and differences exist? The nature of the teacher-participants' conceptions was described from an analysis of data collected from research prompts such as interviews and hand written artifacts. In these research prompts, the teachers "thought aloud" while designing experiments and critically evaluated student-collected evidence presented in hypothetical classroom scenarios. The data from this study suggested that the three teachers, while contemplating the reliability and validity of scientific evidence, frequently used their conceptions of evidence in conjunction with specific subject matter conceptions. The data also indicated that the relationship between subject matter knowledge and conceptions of evidence was more pronounced for some conceptions of evidence than for others. Suggestions for future research included

What Do Pre-Service Physics Teachers Know and Think about Concept Mapping?

Science.gov (United States)

Didis, Nilüfer; Özcan, Özgür; Azar, Ali

2014-01-01

In order to use concept maps in physics classes effectively, teachers' knowledge and ideas about concept mapping are as important as the physics knowledge used in mapping. For this reason, we aimed to examine pre-service physics teachers' knowledge on concept mapping, their ideas about the implementation of concept mapping in physics…

Resolution of a cosmological paradox using concepts from general relativity theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silverman, A.N.

1986-01-01

According to the big bang theory, the universe began about 15 billion years ago and has been continually expanding ever since. If certain elementary physical concepts are naively applied to this cosmological theory, it can lead to a paradox in which distant astronomical objects seem to have lain at distances from the Earth larger than the possible size of the universe. The paradox is resolved by using concepts from general relativity theory. These concepts may appear startling to some readers

The Concept of General Relativity is not Related to Reality

Science.gov (United States)

Kotas, Ronald

2015-04-01

The concept of general relativity is not related to reality. It is not real or factual Science. GR cannot account for objects falling to earth or for the weight of objects sitting on the earth. The Cavendish demonstration showing the attraction between two masses at right angles to earth's gravity, is not explained by GR. No one can prove the existence of ``space fabric.'' The concept of ``space time'' effects causing gravitational attraction between masses is wrong. Conservation law of energy - momentum does not exist in GR. LIGO fails in detecting ``gravity waves'' because there is no ``space fabric'' to transmit them. The Gravity B Probe data manipulated to show some effects, is not proof of ``space fabric.'' It is Nuclear Quantum Gravitation that provides clear definitive explanation of Gravity and Gravitation. It is harmonious with Newtonian and Quantum Mechanics, and Scientific Logic. Nuclear Quantum Gravitation has 10 clear, Scientific proofs and 21 more good indications. With this theory the Physical Forces are Unified. See: OBSCURANTISM ON EINSTEIN GRAVITATION? http://www.santilli-foundation.org/inconsistencies-gravitation.php and Einstein's Theory of Relativity versus Classical Mechanics, by Paul Marmet http://www.newtonphysics.on.ca/einstein/

Does Physical Self-Concept Mediate the Relationship between Motor Abilities and Physical Activity in Adolescents and Young Adults?

Science.gov (United States)

Jekauc, Darko; Wagner, Matthias Oliver; Herrmann, Christian; Hegazy, Khaled; Woll, Alexander

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the reciprocal relationship between motor abilities and physical activity and the mediation effects of physical self-concept in this relationship using longitudinal data. We expect that the effects of motor abilities on physical activity are rather indirect via physical self-concept and that the effects of physical activity on motor abilities are rather direct without involvement of the motor ability self-concept. Data was obtained from the Motorik-Modul (MoMo) Longitudinal Study in which 335 boys and 363 girls aged 11–17 years old at Baseline were examined twice in a period of six years. Physical activity was assessed by the MoMo Physical Activity Questionnaire for adolescents, physical self-concept by Physical Self-Description Questionnaire and motor abilities by MoMo Motor Test which comprised of the dimensions strength, endurance, coordination and flexibility. Multiple regression analyses were used to analyse the direct and indirect effects. The results of the multiple regression analyses show that the effects of motor abilities on physical activity were only indirect for the dimensions strength, coordination, and flexibility. For the dimension endurance, neither direct nor indirect effects were significant. In the opposite direction, the effects of physical activity on motor abilities were partially mediated by the self-concept of strength. For the dimensions endurance, coordination and flexibility, only indirect were significant. The results of this study support the assumption that the relationship between motor abilities and physical activity is mediated by physical self-concept in both directions. Physical self-concept seems to be an important determinant of adolescents´ physical activity. PMID:28045914

Learning about a Level Physics Students' Understandings of Particle Physics Using Concept Mapping

Science.gov (United States)

Gourlay, H.

2017-01-01

This paper describes a small-scale piece of research using concept mapping to elicit A level students' understandings of particle physics. Fifty-nine year 12 (16- and 17 year-old) students from two London schools participated. The exercise took place during school physics lessons. Students were instructed how to make a concept map and were…

Relational Aggression, Victimization and Self-Concept: Testing Pathways from Middle Childhood to Adolescence.

Science.gov (United States)

Blakely-McClure, Sarah J; Ostrov, Jamie M

2016-02-01

When studying adolescent development, it is important to consider two key areas that are salient for teens, which are self-concept and peer relations. A secondary analysis of the National Institute of Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development was conducted to examine the prospective bidirectional associations between self-concept and peer relations. To date, how social development broadly and peer relations in particular (e.g., relational aggression and victimization) affect self-concept domains is not fully understood. Using a large sample (N = 1063; 532 girls; M = 11.14 years; SD = .59) with multiple informants, the present study examined whether fifth grade relational aggression and sixth grade relational victimization was associated with adolescent self-concept in three key domains (i.e., academic, sports, physical appearance). A significant direct effect emerged, such that relational aggression in middle childhood was associated with decreases in academic self-concept and increases in sports self-concept in adolescence. Analyses also revealed that having higher levels of domain specific self-concept led to decreases in relational aggression across the transition to adolescence. The findings highlight the importance of examining bidirectional prospective associations between relational aggression, relational victimization, and domain specific self-concept. Implications for future research and clinical intervention are discussed.

Relational time in physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Assis, A.K.T.

2011-01-01

Full text: Isaac Newton (1642-1727) defended in his book Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy, also know as Principia, published in 1687, the utilization of absolute time in physics. According to him 'absolute, true, and mathematical time, of itself, and from its own nature, flows equably without relation to anything external'. Leibniz (1646-1716), on the other hand, was against this concept and proposed relative time to replace it: 'As for my opinion, I have said more than once, that I hold space to be something merely relative, as time is; that I hold it to be an order of coexistence, as time is an order of successions'. Leibniz ideas were accepted and developed by Ernst Mach (1838-1916) in his book The Science of Mechanics, published in 1883. In this work we consider the implementation of relational time, as proposed by Leibniz and Mach, and the consequences this implementation will mean for physics as a whole. We consider some specific examples related to mechanics (Newton's bucket experiment, the flattening of the Earth, Foucault's pendulum experiment) and to electromagnetism (Ampere's force between current carrying wires, an electric charge describing a Larmor radius due to a nearby large magnet, two charges orbiting around one another). We generalize these ideas considering the principle of physical proportions (PPP), according to which no absolute magnitudes should appear in the laws of physics. We present some laws satisfying this principle and others which do not comply with it. The laws which do not satisfy the PPP should be based upon incomplete theories. We present the consequences of complete theories complying with this fundamental principle of nature. (author)

Introduction to the basic concepts of modern physics special relativity, quantum and statistical physics

CERN Document Server

Becchi, Carlo Maria

2016-01-01

This is the third edition of a well-received textbook on modern physics theory. This book provides an elementary but rigorous and self-contained presentation of the simplest theoretical framework that will meet the needs of undergraduate students. In addition, a number of examples of relevant applications and an appropriate list of solved problems are provided.Apart from a substantial extension of the proposed problems, the new edition provides more detailed discussion on Lorentz transformations and their group properties, a deeper treatment of quantum mechanics in a central potential, and a closer comparison of statistical mechanics in classical and in quantum physics. The first part of the book is devoted to special relativity, with a particular focus on space-time relativity and relativistic kinematics. The second part deals with Schrödinger's formulation of quantum mechanics. The presentation concerns mainly one-dimensional problems, but some three-dimensional examples are discussed in detail. The third...

Pathways from fear of falling to quality of life: the mediating effect of the self-concept of health and physical independence.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Yawen; Alfermann, Dorothee; Lu, Frank J H; Lin, Linda L

2013-01-01

Fear of falling leads to many adverse consequences and may compromise the quality of life of older adults. Psychological factors are potential mediators between the fear of falling and quality of life, but have yet to be explored in detail. This study presents results from examining the mediating effect of the self-concept of health and physical independence. Data from Western and Eastern countries were compared. Concerns about falling, the level of participation in physical activities, the self-concept of health and physical independence, and health-related quality of life were measured using samples from Taiwan (n = 193) and Germany (n = 182). Multiple regression models were used to test the mediating effects. The relationship between fear of falling and quality of life was partially mediated through participation in physical activities and the self-concept of health and physical independence in both the Taiwanese and German samples. In particular, the self-concept of health and physical independence of the Taiwanese sample resulted in the strongest mediating effect. Potential mediating mechanisms through both participation in physical activities and the self-concept of health and physical independence provide useful information for understanding related theories and for explicating interventions. Cultural factors should also be accounted for when conducting research and programs related to the fear of falling.

Relativity and quantum physics for beginners

CERN Document Server

Manly, Steven L

2009-01-01

As we humans have expanded our horizons to see things vastly smaller, faster, larger, and farther than ever before, we have been forced to confront preconceptions born of the human experience and create wholly new ways of looking at the world around us. The theories of relativity and quantum physics were developed out of this need and have provided us with phenomenal, mind-twisting insights into the strange and exciting reality show of our universe.Relativity and Quantum Physics For Beginners is an entertaining and accessible introduction to the bizarre concepts that fueled the scientific revolution of the 20th century and led to amazing advances in our understanding of the universe.

Impact of Self-Concept of Disabled Learners on Inclusive Physical Education

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Mohammed Y.

2012-01-01

This paper examines the conceptual foundations of self-concept, self-esteem and the self as they relate to disabled students in the context of physical education. Disable school children experience severe discriminations in society and within the school system, especially if the school is the mainstream type. With increasing emphasis on…

Developing skills versus reinforcing concepts in physics labs: Insight from a survey of students' beliefs about experimental physics

Science.gov (United States)

Wilcox, Bethany R.; Lewandowski, H. J.

2017-06-01

Physics laboratory courses have been generally acknowledged as an important component of the undergraduate curriculum, particularly with respect to developing students' interest in, and understanding of, experimental physics. There are a number of possible learning goals for these courses including reinforcing physics concepts, developing laboratory skills, and promoting expertlike beliefs about the nature of experimental physics. However, there is little consensus among instructors and researchers interested in the laboratory learning environment as to the relative importance of these various learning goals. Here, we contribute data to this debate through the analysis of students' responses to the laboratory-focused assessment known as the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey for Experimental Physics (E-CLASS). Using a large, national data set of students' responses, we compare students' E-CLASS performance in classes in which the instructor self-reported focusing on developing skills, reinforcing concepts, or both. As the classification of courses was based on instructor self-report, we also provide additional description of these courses with respect to how often students engage in particular activities in the lab. We find that courses that focus specifically on developing lab skills have more expertlike postinstruction E-CLASS responses than courses that focus either on reinforcing physics concepts or on both goals. Within first-year courses, this effect is larger for women. Moreover, these findings hold when controlling for the variance in postinstruction scores that is associated with preinstruction E-CLASS scores, student major, and student gender.

Students’ understanding and application of the area under the curve concept in physics problems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dong-Hai Nguyen

2011-06-01

Full Text Available This study investigates how students understand and apply the area under the curve concept and the integral-area relation in solving introductory physics problems. We interviewed 20 students in the first semester and 15 students from the same cohort in the second semester of a calculus-based physics course sequence on several problems involving the area under the curve concept. We found that only a few students could recognize that the concept of area under the curve was applicable in physics problems. Even when students could invoke the area under the curve concept, they did not necessarily understand the relationship between the process of accumulation and the area under a curve, so they failed to apply it to novel situations. We also found that when presented with several graphs, students had difficulty in selecting the graph such that the area under the graph corresponded to a given integral, although all of them could state that “the integral equaled the area under the curve.” The findings in this study are consistent with those in previous mathematics education research and research in physics education on students’ use of the area under the curve.

Prospective Physics Teachers' Views on Their Knowledge about the New Concepts in Turkish High School Physics Curricula

Science.gov (United States)

Kapucu, Serkan; Yildirim, Ufuk

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to a) investigate prospective physics teachers' views on their knowledge about new physics concepts introduced in Turkish High School Physics Curricula; b) investigate the sources of their acquired knowledge about these new physics concepts; and c) explore if there were differences in views on knowledge about these…

Women's toileting behaviour related to urinary elimination: concept analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Kefang; Palmer, Mary H

2010-08-01

This paper is a report of analysis of the concept of women's toileting behaviour related to urinary elimination. Behaviours related to emptying urine from the bladder can contribute to bladder health problems. Evidence exists that clinical interventions focusing on specific behaviours that promote urine storage and controlled emptying are effective in reducing lower urinary tract symptoms. The concept of women's toileting behaviour related to urinary elimination has not been well-developed to guide nursing research and intervention. The CINAHL, Medline, PsycInfo and ISI Citation databases were searched for publications between January, 1960 and May, 2009, using combinations of keywords related to women's toileting behaviour. Additional publications were identified by examining the reference lists in the papers identified. Johnson's behavioural system model provided the conceptual framework to identify the concept. Walker and Avant's method was used for this concept analysis. Women's toileting behaviour related to urinary elimination can be defined as voluntary actions related to the physiological event of emptying the bladder, which is comprised of specific attributes including voiding place, voiding time, voiding position and voiding style. This behaviour is also influenced by the physical and social environments. An explicit definition of women's toileting behaviour can offer a basis for nurses to understand the factors involved in women's toileting behaviour. It also facilitates the development of an instrument to assess women's toileting behaviour better, and to facilitate development of behavioural interventions designed to prevent, eliminate, reduce and manage female lower urinary tract symptoms.

The use of three orthogonal time-dimensions for concept reconciliation in physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lewis, B.L.

1981-01-01

This paper uses logic and documented experimental results to show that there is overwhelming evidence to prove that time is multidimensional but that man can only perceive (measure) one of these dimensions. This paper attempts to demonstrate that man has enough experimental clues to permit him to develop a useful multidimensional time concept that will allow him to relate and explain observable physical phenomena. To demonstrate this, a multidimensional time concept is developed and used to explain and relate the following: the wave particle duality of nature, electromagnetic phenomena, intrinsic angular momentum, time dilation, Lorentz contraction and gravity. In the process, electrons are related to photons, protons to neutrinos and all four to tachyons. (Auth.)

The amazing graphene: an educational bridge connecting different physics concepts

Science.gov (United States)

Persano Adorno, Dominique; Bellomonte, Leonardo; Pizzolato, Nicola

2018-01-01

The purpose of this work is to present a learning workshop covering various physics concepts aimed at strengthening physics/engineering student understanding about the remarkable properties of two dimensional materials, graphene in particular. At the basis of this learning experience is the idea of blending and interconnecting separate pieces of knowledge already acquired by undergraduates in different courses and to help them visualize and link the concepts lying beyond separate chunks of information or equations. Graphene represents an appropriate unifying framework to achieve this task in view of its monatomic structure and various exotic processes peculiar to this and some other two dimensional crystals. We first discuss essential elements of group theory and their application to the symmetry properties of graphene with the aim of presenting to physics/electronic engineering undergraduates that in a system characterized by symmetry properties such as a crystal, the acquisition of the solutions of the Schrödinger equation is simpler and easier to visualize than when these properties are ignored. We have then selected and discussed some remarkable properties of graphene: the linear electron energy-momentum dispersion relation in proximity of some edge points of the Brillouin zone; the consequential massless Dirac behaviour of the electrons; their tunnelling behaviour and the related Klein paradox; the chiral behaviour of electrons and holes; the fractional quantum Hall effect in massless particles; and the quantum behaviour of correlated quasiparticles observable at macroscopic level. These arguments are presented in a context covering related pieces of knowledge about classical, quantum and relativistic mechanics. Finally, we mention current applications and possible future ones with the aim of providing students with an expertise that could be useful for further work experiences and scientific investigations regarding new materials, having far

Relational time in physics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Assis, A.K.T. [Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), SP (Brazil)

2011-07-01

Full text: Isaac Newton (1642-1727) defended in his book Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy, also know as Principia, published in 1687, the utilization of absolute time in physics. According to him 'absolute, true, and mathematical time, of itself, and from its own nature, flows equably without relation to anything external'. Leibniz (1646-1716), on the other hand, was against this concept and proposed relative time to replace it: 'As for my opinion, I have said more than once, that I hold space to be something merely relative, as time is; that I hold it to be an order of coexistence, as time is an order of successions'. Leibniz ideas were accepted and developed by Ernst Mach (1838-1916) in his book The Science of Mechanics, published in 1883. In this work we consider the implementation of relational time, as proposed by Leibniz and Mach, and the consequences this implementation will mean for physics as a whole. We consider some specific examples related to mechanics (Newton's bucket experiment, the flattening of the Earth, Foucault's pendulum experiment) and to electromagnetism (Ampere's force between current carrying wires, an electric charge describing a Larmor radius due to a nearby large magnet, two charges orbiting around one another). We generalize these ideas considering the principle of physical proportions (PPP), according to which no absolute magnitudes should appear in the laws of physics. We present some laws satisfying this principle and others which do not comply with it. The laws which do not satisfy the PPP should be based upon incomplete theories. We present the consequences of complete theories complying with this fundamental principle of nature. (author)

Conceptualizing physical activity parenting practices using expert informed concept mapping analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Louise C. Mâsse

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Parents are widely recognized as playing a central role in the development of child behaviors such as physical activity. As there is little agreement as to the dimensions of physical activity-related parenting practices that should be measured or how they should be operationalized, this study engaged experts to develop an integrated conceptual framework for assessing parenting practices that influence multiple aspects of 5 to 12 year old children’s participation in physical activity. The ultimate goal of this study is to inform the development of an item bank (repository of calibrated items aimed at measuring physical activity parenting practices. Methods Twenty four experts from 6 countries (Australia, Canada, England, Scotland, the Netherlands, & United States (US sorted 77 physical activity parenting practice concepts identified from our previously published synthesis of the literature (74 measures and survey of Canadian and US parents. Concept Mapping software was used to conduct the multi-dimensional scaling (MDS analysis and a cluster analysis of the MDS solution of the Expert’s sorting which was qualitatively reviewed and commented on by the Experts. Results The conceptual framework includes 12 constructs which are presented using three main domains of parenting practices (neglect/control, autonomy support, and structure. The neglect/control domain includes two constructs: permissive and pressuring parenting practices. The autonomy supportive domain includes four constructs: encouragement, guided choice, involvement in child physical activities, and praises/rewards for their child’s physical activity. Finally, the structure domain includes six constructs: co-participation, expectations, facilitation, modeling, monitoring, and restricting physical activity for safety or academic concerns. Conclusion The concept mapping analysis provided a useful process to engage experts in re-conceptualizing physical activity

Conceptualizing physical activity parenting practices using expert informed concept mapping analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Mâsse, Louise C; O'Connor, Teresia M; Tu, Andrew W; Hughes, Sheryl O; Beauchamp, Mark R; Baranowski, Tom

2017-06-14

Parents are widely recognized as playing a central role in the development of child behaviors such as physical activity. As there is little agreement as to the dimensions of physical activity-related parenting practices that should be measured or how they should be operationalized, this study engaged experts to develop an integrated conceptual framework for assessing parenting practices that influence multiple aspects of 5 to 12 year old children's participation in physical activity. The ultimate goal of this study is to inform the development of an item bank (repository of calibrated items) aimed at measuring physical activity parenting practices. Twenty four experts from 6 countries (Australia, Canada, England, Scotland, the Netherlands, & United States (US)) sorted 77 physical activity parenting practice concepts identified from our previously published synthesis of the literature (74 measures) and survey of Canadian and US parents. Concept Mapping software was used to conduct the multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) analysis and a cluster analysis of the MDS solution of the Expert's sorting which was qualitatively reviewed and commented on by the Experts. The conceptual framework includes 12 constructs which are presented using three main domains of parenting practices (neglect/control, autonomy support, and structure). The neglect/control domain includes two constructs: permissive and pressuring parenting practices. The autonomy supportive domain includes four constructs: encouragement, guided choice, involvement in child physical activities, and praises/rewards for their child's physical activity. Finally, the structure domain includes six constructs: co-participation, expectations, facilitation, modeling, monitoring, and restricting physical activity for safety or academic concerns. The concept mapping analysis provided a useful process to engage experts in re-conceptualizing physical activity parenting practices and identified key constructs to include in

Essential concepts and underlying theories from physics, chemistry, and mathematics for "biochemistry and molecular biology" majors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Ann; Provost, Joseph; Roecklein-Canfield, Jennifer A; Bell, Ellis

2013-01-01

Over the past two years, through an NSF RCN UBE grant, the ASBMB has held regional workshops for faculty members from around the country. The workshops have focused on developing lists of Core Principles or Foundational Concepts in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, a list of foundational skills, and foundational concepts from Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics that all Biochemistry or Molecular Biology majors must understand to complete their major coursework. The allied fields working group created a survey to validate foundational concepts from Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics identified from participant feedback at various workshops. One-hundred twenty participants responded to the survey and 68% of the respondents answered yes to the question: "We have identified the following as the core concepts and underlying theories from Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics that Biochemistry majors or Molecular Biology majors need to understand after they complete their major courses: 1) mechanical concepts from Physics, 2) energy and thermodynamic concepts from Physics, 3) critical concepts of structure from chemistry, 4) critical concepts of reactions from Chemistry, and 5) essential Mathematics. In your opinion, is the above list complete?" Respondents also delineated subcategories they felt should be included in these broad categories. From the results of the survey and this analysis the allied fields working group constructed a consensus list of allied fields concepts, which will help inform Biochemistry and Molecular Biology educators when considering the ASBMB recommended curriculum for Biochemistry or Molecular Biology majors and in the development of appropriate assessment tools to gauge student understanding of how these concepts relate to biochemistry and molecular biology. © 2013 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

The concept of physical limitations in knee osteoarthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Klokker, Louise; Osborne, Richard; Wæhrens, Eva Elisabet Ejlersen

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To comprehensively identify components of the physical limitation concept in knee osteoarthritis (OA) and to rate the clinical importance of these using perspectives of both patients and health professionals. DESIGN: Concept mapping, a structured group process, was used to identify...... and organize data in focus groups (patients) and via a global web-based survey (professionals). Ideas were elicited through a nominal group technique and then organized using multidimensional scaling, cluster analysis, participant validation, rating of clinical importance, and thematic analyses to generate...... a conceptual model of physical limitations in knee OA. RESULTS: Fifteen Danish patients and 200 international professionals contributed to generating the conceptual model. Five clusters emerged: 'Limitations/physical deficits'; 'Everyday hurdles'; 'You're not the person you used to be'; 'Need to adjust way...

Pre-service teachers' metaphorical perceptions of "physics" as a concept

Science.gov (United States)

Aykutlu, Isil; Bayrak, Celal; Bezen, Sevim

2018-02-01

In this study, the aim is to reveal pre-service biology, chemistry and mathematics teachers' metaphorical perceptions for physics. This study was patterned by employing phenomenology, which is one of the qualitative research methods. Sampling of the study consists of 90 pre-service teachers enrolled at the departments of biology, chemistry, and mathematics education at the faculty of education of a state university in Ankara. A metaphor form was prepared to determine pre-service teachers' mental metaphors for the physics concept. Then, it was determined that a total of 80 pre-service teachers generated 34 different metaphors for physics concept. As a result of the study, 34 metaphors generated by pre-service teachers for "physics" concept were gathered under seven different categories. Also, it was determined that pre-service teachers express most frequently "life" (26,25%) and "a difficult to solve problem"(21,25%) which take place in conceptual categories.

Influence of Physical Activity on Students' Physical Self-Concept and Satisfaction with Life: Physical and Non-Physical Education Students' Perspective

OpenAIRE

MEHDINEZHAD, Vali; GOLSANAMLOU, Masoumeh

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to find out the physical and non-physical education students' physical self-concept and satisfaction with life. 470 students were selected randomly as two sample groups (physical and non-physical education students). The valid sample of study was 449. The two questionnaires employed here were the Physical Self-Description Questionnaire (PSDQ-S) and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. SPSS 20 was used to produce the Mean; Standard Deviations; Pearson's Pro...

Review of key concepts in magnetic resonance physics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moore, Michael M. [Penn State Hershey Children' s Hospital, Department of Radiology, The Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA (United States); Chung, Taylor [UCSF Benioff Children' s Hospital Oakland, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Oakland, CA (United States)

2017-05-15

MR physics can be a challenging subject for practicing pediatric radiologists. Although many excellent texts provide very comprehensive reviews of the field of MR physics at various levels of understanding, the authors of this paper explain several key concepts in MR physics that are germane to clinical practice in a non-rigorous but practical fashion. With the basic understanding of these key concepts, practicing pediatric radiologists can build on their knowledge of current clinical MR techniques and future advances in MR applications. Given the challenges of both the increased need for rapid imaging in non-sedated children and the rapid physiological cardiovascular and respiratory motion in pediatric patients, many advances in complex MR techniques are being applied to imaging these children. The key concepts are as follows: (1) structure of a pulse sequence, (2) k-space, (3) ''trade-off triangle'' and (4) fat suppression. This review is the first of five manuscripts in a minisymposium on pediatric MR. The authors' goal for this review is to aid in understanding the MR techniques described in the subsequent manuscripts on brain imaging and body imaging in this minisymposium. (orig.)

Review of key concepts in magnetic resonance physics.

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Michael M; Chung, Taylor

2017-05-01

MR physics can be a challenging subject for practicing pediatric radiologists. Although many excellent texts provide very comprehensive reviews of the field of MR physics at various levels of understanding, the authors of this paper explain several key concepts in MR physics that are germane to clinical practice in a non-rigorous but practical fashion. With the basic understanding of these key concepts, practicing pediatric radiologists can build on their knowledge of current clinical MR techniques and future advances in MR applications. Given the challenges of both the increased need for rapid imaging in non-sedated children and the rapid physiological cardiovascular and respiratory motion in pediatric patients, many advances in complex MR techniques are being applied to imaging these children. The key concepts are as follows: (1) structure of a pulse sequence, (2) k-space, (3) "trade-off triangle" and (4) fat suppression. This review is the first of five manuscripts in a minisymposium on pediatric MR. The authors' goal for this review is to aid in understanding the MR techniques described in the subsequent manuscripts on brain imaging and body imaging in this minisymposium.

Activity-Based Restorative Therapies: Concepts and Applications in Spinal Cord Injury-Related Neurorehabilitation

Science.gov (United States)

Sadowsky, Cristina L.; McDonald, John W.

2009-01-01

Physical rehabilitation following spinal cord injury-related paralysis has traditionally focused on teaching compensatory techniques, thus enabling the individual to achieve day-to-day function despite significant neurological deficits. But the concept of an irreparable central nervous system (CNS) is slowly being replaced with evidence related to…

Effect of scaffolding on helping introductory physics students solve quantitative problems involving strong alternative conceptions

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Shih-Yin; Singh, Chandralekha

2015-12-01

It is well known that introductory physics students often have alternative conceptions that are inconsistent with established physical principles and concepts. Invoking alternative conceptions in the quantitative problem-solving process can derail the entire process. In order to help students solve quantitative problems involving strong alternative conceptions correctly, appropriate scaffolding support can be helpful. The goal of this study is to examine how different scaffolding supports involving analogical problem-solving influence introductory physics students' performance on a target quantitative problem in a situation where many students' solution process is derailed due to alternative conceptions. Three different scaffolding supports were designed and implemented in calculus-based and algebra-based introductory physics courses involving 410 students to evaluate the level of scaffolding needed to help students learn from an analogical problem that is similar in the underlying principles involved but for which the problem-solving process is not derailed by alternative conceptions. We found that for the quantitative problem involving strong alternative conceptions, simply guiding students to work through the solution of the analogical problem first was not enough to help most students discern the similarity between the two problems. However, if additional scaffolding supports that directly helped students examine and repair their knowledge elements involving alternative conceptions were provided, e.g., by guiding students to contemplate related issues and asking them to solve the targeted problem on their own first before learning from the analogical problem provided, students were more likely to discern the underlying similarities between the problems and avoid getting derailed by alternative conceptions when solving the targeted problem. We also found that some scaffolding supports were more effective in the calculus-based course than in the algebra

Women, Physical Activity, and Quality of Life: Self-concept as a Mediator.

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzalo Silvestre, Tamara; Ubillos Landa, Silvia

2016-02-22

The objectives of this research are: (a) analyze the incremental validity of physical activity's (PA) influence on perceived quality of life (PQL); (b) determine if PA's predictive power is mediated by self-concept; and (c) study if results vary according to a unidimensional or multidimensional approach to self-concept measurement. The sample comprised 160 women from Burgos, Spain aged 18 to 45 years old. Non-probability sampling was used. Two three-step hierarchical regression analyses were applied to forecast PQL. The hedonic quality-of-life indicators, self-concept, self-esteem, and PA were included as independent variables. The first regression analysis included global self-concept as predictor variable, while the second included its five dimensions. Two mediation analyses were conducted to see if PA's ability to predict PQL was mediated by global and physical self-concept. Results from the first regression shows that self-concept, satisfaction with life, and PA were significant predictors. PA slightly but significantly increased explained variance in PQL (2.1%). In the second regression, substituting global self-concept with its five constituent factors, only the physical dimension and satisfaction with life predicted PQL, while PA ceased to be a significant predictor. Mediation analysis revealed that only physical self-concept mediates the relationship between PA and PQL (z = 1.97, p relationship between PQL, PA, and self-concept.

Pregnancy-related anxiety: A concept analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bayrampour, Hamideh; Ali, Elena; McNeil, Deborah A; Benzies, Karen; MacQueen, Glenda; Tough, Suzanne

2016-03-01

Evidence suggests that pregnancy-related anxiety is more strongly associated with maternal and child outcomes than general anxiety and depression are and that pregnancy-related anxiety may constitute a distinct concept. However, because of its poor conceptualization, the measurement and assessment of pregnancy-related anxiety have been limited. Efforts to analyze this concept can significantly contribute to its theoretical development. The first objective of this paper was to clarify the concept of pregnancy-related anxiety and identify its characteristics and dimensions. The second aim was to examine the items of current pregnancy-related anxiety measures to determine the dimensions and attributes that each scale addresses, noting any gaps between the current assessment and the construct of the concept. A concept analysis was conducted to examine the concept of pregnancy-related anxiety. To obtain the relevant evidence, several databases were searched including MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EBSCO's SocINDEX, Psychological and Behavioral Sciences Collection, CINAHL, SCOPUS, and EMBASE. A modified approach based on Walker and Avant (Strategies for theory construction in nursing. 5th ed; 2011) was used. Qualitative or quantitative studies published in English that explored or examined anxiety during pregnancy or its dimensions prospectively or retrospectively were included. Thirty eight studies provided data for the concept analysis. Three critical attributes (i.e., affective responses, cognitions, and somatic symptoms), three antecedents (i.e., a real or anticipated threat to pregnancy or its outcomes, low perceived control, and excessive cognitive activity, and four consequences (i.e., negative attitudes, difficulty concentrating, excessive reassurance-seeking behavior, and avoidance behaviors) were identified. Nine dimensions for pregnancy-related anxiety were determined, and a definition of the concept was proposed. The most frequently reported dimensions included anxiety

Concepts in particle physics a concise introduction to the standard model

CERN Document Server

Nair, V Parameswaran

2018-01-01

The 2013 discovery of the Higgs boson posed a challenge to both physics undergraduates and their instructors. Since particle physics is seldom taught at the undergraduate level, the question "what is the Higgs and why does its discovery matter?" is a common question among undergraduates. Equally, answering this question is a problem for physics instructors. This book is an attempt to put the key concepts of particle physics together in an appealing way, and yet give enough extra tidbits for students seriously considering graduate studies in particle physics. It starts with some recapitulation of relativity and quantum mechanics, and then builds on it to give both conceptual ideas regarding the Standard Model of particle physics as well as technical details. It is presented in an informal lecture style, and includes "remarks" sections where extra material, history, or technical details are presented for the interested student. The last lecture presents an assessment of the open questions, and where the future...

New concepts in particle physics from solution of an old problem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schroer, Bert

1999-11-01

Recent ideas on modular localization in local quantum physics are used to clarify the relation between on off-shell quantities in particle physics: in particular the relation between on-shell crossing symmetry and off-shell Einstein causality. Among the collateral results of this new nonperturbative approach are profound relations between crossing symmetry of particle physics and Hawking-Unruh like thermal aspects (KMS property, entropy attached to horizons) of quantum matter behind causal horizons which hitherto were related with Killing horizons in curved spacetime than with localization aspects in Minkowski particle physics. The scope of this framework is wide and ranges from providing a conceptual basis for the d=1+1 bootstrap-form factor program for factorable d=1+1 models to a decomposition theory of QFT's in terms of a finite collection of unitarily equivalent chiral conformal theories placed a specified relative position within a common Hilbert spacetime than with localization aspects in Minkowski space particle physics. The scope of this framework is wide and ranges from providing a conceptual basis for the d= 1+1 bootstrap-form factor program for factorable d=1+1 models to a decomposition theory of QFT's in terms of a finite collection of unitarily equivalent chiral conformal theories placed a specified relative position within a common Hilbert space (in d=1+1 a holographic relation and in higher dimensions more like a scanning). Although different from string theory, some of its concepts originated as string theory in the aftermath of the ill-fated S-matrix bootstrap of the 60 ies . Some remarks on the relation to string theory can be found at the end. (author)

New concepts in particle physics from solution of an old problem

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schroer, Bert [Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Fisicas (CBPF), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

1999-11-01

Recent ideas on modular localization in local quantum physics are used to clarify the relation between on off-shell quantities in particle physics: in particular the relation between on-shell crossing symmetry and off-shell Einstein causality. Among the collateral results of this new nonperturbative approach are profound relations between crossing symmetry of particle physics and Hawking-Unruh like thermal aspects (KMS property, entropy attached to horizons) of quantum matter behind causal horizons which hitherto were related with Killing horizons in curved spacetime than with localization aspects in Minkowski particle physics. The scope of this framework is wide and ranges from providing a conceptual basis for the d=1+1 bootstrap-form factor program for factorable d=1+1 models to a decomposition theory of QFT's in terms of a finite collection of unitarily equivalent chiral conformal theories placed a specified relative position within a common Hilbert spacetime than with localization aspects in Minkowski space particle physics. The scope of this framework is wide and ranges from providing a conceptual basis for the d= 1+1 bootstrap-form factor program for factorable d=1+1 models to a decomposition theory of QFT's in terms of a finite collection of unitarily equivalent chiral conformal theories placed a specified relative position within a common Hilbert space (in d=1+1 a holographic relation and in higher dimensions more like a scanning). Although different from string theory, some of its concepts originated as string theory in the aftermath of the ill-fated S-matrix bootstrap of the 60{sup ies}. Some remarks on the relation to string theory can be found at the end. (author)

Concepts and models in particle physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paty, M.

1977-01-01

The knowledge of Elementary Particle Physics is characterized by an object and a purpose which are both highly theoretical. This assessment is shown and analysed by some examples taken in recent achievements in the field. It is also tried to attempt an enonciation of some criteria of the reality for concepts and objects in this matter [fr

Middle school students' learning of mechanics concepts through engagement in different sequences of physical and virtual experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Sullivan, Sarah; Gnesdilow, Dana; Puntambekar, Sadhana; Kim, Jee-Seon

2017-08-01

Physical and virtual experimentation are thought to have different affordances for supporting students' learning. Research investigating the use of physical and virtual experiments to support students' learning has identified a variety of, sometimes conflicting, outcomes. Unanswered questions remain about how physical and virtual experiments may impact students' learning and for which contexts and content areas they may be most effective. Using a quasi-experimental design, we examined eighth grade students' (N = 100) learning of physics concepts related to pulleys depending on the sequence of physical and virtual labs they engaged in. Five classes of students were assigned to either the: physical first condition (PF) (n = 55), where students performed a physical pulley experiment and then performed the same experiment virtually, or virtual first condition (VF) (n = 45), with the opposite sequence. Repeated measures ANOVA's were conducted to examine how physical and virtual labs impacted students' learning of specific physics concepts. While we did not find clear-cut support that one sequence was better, we did find evidence that participating in virtual experiments may be more beneficial for learning certain physics concepts, such as work and mechanical advantage. Our findings support the idea that if time or physical materials are limited, using virtual experiments may help students understand work and mechanical advantage.

Introduction to the basic concepts of modern physics special relativity, quantum and statistical physics

CERN Document Server

Becchi, Carlo Maria

2007-01-01

These notes are designed as a text book for a course on the Modern Physics Theory for undergraduate students. The purpose is providing a rigorous and self-contained presentation of the simplest theoretical framework using elementary mathematical tools. A number of examples of relevant applications and an appropriate list of exercises and answered questions are also given. The first part is devoted to Special Relativity concerning in particular space-time relativity and relativistic kinematics. The second part deals with Schroedinger's formulation of quantum mechanics. The presentation concerns mainly one dimensional problems, in particular tunnel effect, discrete energy levels and band spectra. The third part concerns the application of Gibbs statistical methods to quantum systems and in particular to Bose and Fermi gasses.

Understanding physical (in-) activity, overweight, and obesity in childhood: Effects of congruence between physical self-concept and motor competence.

Science.gov (United States)

Utesch, T; Dreiskämper, D; Naul, R; Geukes, K

2018-04-12

Both the physical self-concept and actual motor competence are important for healthy future physical activity levels and consequently decrease overweight and obesity in childhood. However, children scoring high on motor competence do not necessarily report high levels of physical self-concept and vice versa, resulting in respective (in-) accuracy also referred to as (non-) veridicality. This study examines whether children's accuracy of physical self-concept is a meaningful predictive factor for their future physical activity. Motor competence, physical self-concept and physical activity were assessed in 3 rd grade and one year later in 4 th grade. Children's weight status was categorized based on WHO recommendations. Polynomial regression with Response surface analyses were conducted with a quasi-DIF approach examining moderating weight status effects. Analyses revealed that children with higher motor competence levels and higher self-perceptions show greater physical activity. Importantly, children who perceive their motor competence more accurately (compared to less) show more future physical activity. This effect is strong for underweight and overweight/obese children, but weak for normal weight children. This study indicates that an accurate self-perception of motor competence fosters future physical activity beyond single main effects, respectively. Hence, the promotion of actual motor competence should be linked with the respective development of accurate self-knowledge.

Students’ Gender-Related Choices and Achievement in Physics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivana Jugović

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The goal of the research was to explore the role of motivation, gender roles and stereotypes in the explanation of students’ educational outcomes in a stereotypically male educational domain: physics. Eccles and colleagues’ expectancy-value model was used as a theoretical framework for the research. The research sample included 736 grammar school students from Zagreb, Croatia. The variables explored were expectancy of success, selfconcept of ability and subjective task values of physics, gender roles and stereotypes, and educational outcomes: academic achievement in physics, intention to choose physics at the high school leaving exam, and intention to choose a technical sciences university course. The results showed that girls had a lower self-concept of ability and lower expectancies of success in physics compared to boys, in spite of their higher physics school grades. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that self-concept of physics ability was the strongest predictor of physics school grades, whereas the utility value of physics was the key predictor of educational intentions for both genders. Expectancy of success was one of the key predictors of girls’ educational intentions, as well. Endorsement of a typically masculine gender role predicted girls’ and boys’ stronger intentions to choose a stereotypically male educational domain, whereas acceptance of the stereotype about the poorer talent of women in technical sciences occupations predicted girls’ lower educational outcomes related to physics. The practical implication of the research is the need to create gender-sensitive intervention programmes aimed at deconstructing the gender stereotypes and traditional gender roles that restrain students from choosing gender-non-stereotypical careers.

Physical Education as "Means without Ends:" Towards a New Concept of Physical Education

Science.gov (United States)

Vlieghe, Joris

2013-01-01

This article is concerned with the educational value of raising the human body at school. Drawing inspiration from the work of Giorgio Agamben, I develop a new perspective that explores the possibility of taking the concept of physical education in a literal sense. This is to say that the specific educational content of physical education (in…

Physical Activity and Obesity: Biomechanical and Physiological Key Concepts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julie Nantel

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Overweight (OW and obesity (OB are often associated with low levels of physical activity. Physical activity is recommended to reduce excess body weight, prevent body weight regain, and decrease the subsequent risks of developing metabolic and orthopedic conditions. However, the impact of OW and OB on motor function and daily living activities must be taken into account. OW and OB are associated with musculoskeletal structure changes, decreased mobility, modification of the gait pattern, and changes in the absolute and relative energy expenditures for a given activity. While changes in the gait pattern have been reported at the ankle, knee, and hip, modifications at the knee level might be the most challenging for articular integrity. This review of the literature combines concepts and aims to provide insights into the prescription of physical activity for this population. Topics covered include the repercussions of OW and OB on biomechanical and physiological responses associated with the musculoskeletal system and daily physical activity. Special attention is given to the effect of OW and OB in youth during postural (standing and various locomotor (walking, running, and cycling activities.

Relativity Concept Inventory: Development, Analysis, and Results

Science.gov (United States)

Aslanides, J. S.; Savage, C. M.

2013-01-01

We report on a concept inventory for special relativity: the development process, data analysis methods, and results from an introductory relativity class. The Relativity Concept Inventory tests understanding of relativistic concepts. An unusual feature is confidence testing for each question. This can provide additional information; for example,…

The Relationship of Self-Concept and Perceived Athletic Competence to Physical Activity Level and Gender among Turkish Early Adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Kosar, F. Hulya Asci S. Nazan; Isler, Ayse Kin

2001-01-01

Examined self-concept and perceived athletic competence of Turkish early adolescents in relation to physical activity level and gender. Multivariate analysis of variance revealed significant main effects for gender and physical activity level but no significant gender by physical activity interaction. Univariate analysis demonstrated significant…

The Abraham Pais Prize Lecture: The historical Development of the Physical Concept of Time

Science.gov (United States)

Jammer, Max

2007-04-01

The Irish physicist and mathematician John Lighton Synge once (1959) proclaimed that of all physical measurements that of time is the most fundamental and its theory ``the most basic theory of all.'' Twenty years later the Belgian physicist and chemist Ilya Prigogine declared that ``the concept of time is much more complex than we thought.'' Indeed, having studied the basic notions in physics like space, mass, force, simultaneity and written on each of them a detailed monograph, I always postponed a similar treatment of the concept of time because I realized that just by being the ``most basic'' it is also the most ``complex'' of all notions in physics and therefore a rather complicated subject of research. In fact, time, as perceived by us, is both ``flowing'' and ``enduring'' and its ``passing'' always ``lasts.'' If I venture nevertheless to offer herewith a survey of the conceptual development of the notion of time, I do so because I delimit myself to the role of time only in physics and ignore as far as possible general metaphysical, psychological or biological issues. The presentation thus ignores the history of the notion of time as conceived in the myths and religions of ancient civilizations and begins, after some brief remarks about the Pythagoreans, with the theories of time as proposed by the Pre-Socratics, Plato and Aristotle. After a critical discourse on the early proponents of an idealistic interpretation of the notion of time, like that of St. Augustine, medieval theories of time, like those which proposed the atomicity of time, are discussed. After a presentation of sixteenth century discussions of time, like that by Bruno or Gassendi, Isaac Barrow's and Isaac Newton's theories of physical time are critically analyzed. This is followed by a brief study of the conceptions of time by Locke and Berkeley and subsequently by Leibniz, who is often regarded as the first proponent of a relational or causal theory of time. Following some brief remarks about

Statistical physics and thermodynamics an introduction to key concepts

CERN Document Server

Rau, Jochen

2017-01-01

Statistical physics and thermodynamics describe the behaviour of systems on the macroscopic scale. Their methods are applicable to a wide range of phenomena: from refrigerators to the interior of stars, from chemical reactions to magnetism. Indeed, of all physical laws, the laws of thermodynamics are perhaps the most universal. This text provides a concise yet thorough introduction to the key concepts which underlie statistical physics and thermodynamics. It begins with a review of classical probability theory and quantum theory, as well as a careful discussion of the notions of information and entropy, prior to embarking on the development of statistical physics proper. The crucial steps leading from the microscopic to the macroscopic domain are rendered transparent. In particular, the laws of thermodynamics are shown to emerge as natural consequences of the statistical framework. While the emphasis is on clarifying the basic concepts, the text also contains many applications and classroom-tested exercises,...

Concept similarity and related categories in information retrieval using formal concept analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Eklund, P.; Ducrou, J.; Dau, F.

2012-11-01

The application of formal concept analysis to the problem of information retrieval has been shown useful but has lacked any real analysis of the idea of relevance ranking of search results. SearchSleuth is a program developed to experiment with the automated local analysis of Web search using formal concept analysis. SearchSleuth extends a standard search interface to include a conceptual neighbourhood centred on a formal concept derived from the initial query. This neighbourhood of the concept derived from the search terms is decorated with its upper and lower neighbours representing more general and special concepts, respectively. SearchSleuth is in many ways an archetype of search engines based on formal concept analysis with some novel features. In SearchSleuth, the notion of related categories - which are themselves formal concepts - is also introduced. This allows the retrieval focus to shift to a new formal concept called a sibling. This movement across the concept lattice needs to relate one formal concept to another in a principled way. This paper presents the issues concerning exploring, searching, and ordering the space of related categories. The focus is on understanding the use and meaning of proximity and semantic distance in the context of information retrieval using formal concept analysis.

Concepts of electroweak symmetry breaking and Higgs physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomez-Bock, M.; Zerwas, P.M.; RWTH Aachen; Univ. Paris- Sud, Orsay

2007-12-01

We present an introduction to the basic concepts of electroweak symmetry breaking and Higgs physics within the Standard Model and its supersymmetric extensions. A brief overview will also be given on alternative mechanisms of electroweak symmetry breaking. In addition to the theoretical basis, the present experimental status of Higgs physics and prospects at the Tevatron, the LHC and e + e - linear colliders are discussed. (orig.)

Concepts of electroweak symmetry breaking and Higgs physics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gomez-Bock, M. [Benemerita Univ., Puebla (Mexico). Inst. de Fisica; Mondragon, M. [Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico City (Mexico). Inst. de Fisica; Muehlleitner, M. [Laboratoire d' Annecy-Le-Vieux de Physique Theorique, 74 (France)]|[CERN - European Organization for Nuclear Research, Geneva (Switzerland). Theory Div.; Spira, M. [Paul Scherrer Inst. (PSI), Villigen (Switzerland); Zerwas, P.M. [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Hamburg (Germany)]|[RWTH Aachen (Germany). Inst. Theor. Physik E]|[Univ. Paris- Sud, Orsay (France). Laboratoire de Physique Theorique

2007-12-15

We present an introduction to the basic concepts of electroweak symmetry breaking and Higgs physics within the Standard Model and its supersymmetric extensions. A brief overview will also be given on alternative mechanisms of electroweak symmetry breaking. In addition to the theoretical basis, the present experimental status of Higgs physics and prospects at the Tevatron, the LHC and e{sup +}e{sup -} linear colliders are discussed. (orig.)

Ash'arite's atomistic conception of the physical world: A restatement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pozi, Firdaus; Othman, Mohd Yusof; Mohamed, Faizal

2013-01-01

Atomism plays an important role in the history of human thought. It can be traced back from Democritus atomos in the 500 BC to particle physics and quantum theory in the 21 st century. However, as it being rejected and developed in the course of history of science, it still brings the fundamental question that perplexes physicists. It gives the views that the world is eternal; that the laws of nature is immutable and eternal therefore all phenomena can be determined through the laws and that there is no reality behind the quantum world. In this paper, we shall briefly describe all these three views on the nature of the physical world or universe and this include on the nature of matter. Then, we shall explain our stand on those conceptions based on the Ash'arites atomistic conception of the physical world. We hope this paper can shed a light on several fundamental issues in the conception of the universe and gives the proper response to them

Physical self-concept in a sample of primary students and its relationship with gender and out of school sport practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bernardino Javier Sánchez-Alcaraz Martínez

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The aims of this article are to evaluate the physical self-concept in adolescence and to get to know the outcomes in the different dimensions in the physical self-concept and to check the influence of the variables gender and level of physical activity. 125 students in Primary Education took part, aged between 11 and 13 years, and answered the Children Physical Self Questionnaire. Results in relation to gender indicated that boys had higher levels of self-perceived competence (p=.003, physical appearance (p=.000 and self-confidence (p=.029. With regard to sport practice, those participants who practice sports habitually obtain higher values at self-perceived competence (p=.000, physical appearance (p=.000, physical strength (p=.001 and self-confidence (p=.000. Therefore, according to the reached results, it can be concluded that, among the participants of this study, gender as well as sport practice have influence on the development of a positive physical self-concept.

Amotivation in Physical Education: Relationships with Physical Self-Concept and Teacher Ratings of Attainment

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson-Kersey, Rachel; Spray, Christopher

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the reliability and validity of the Amotivation Inventory in Physical Education (AI-PE). In addition, the study sought to identify the relationships between students' amotivation, physical self-concept, and teacher ratings of National Curriculum attainment levels in PE. Students ("N" = 510) from a…

Pre-Service Physics Teachers' Comprehension of Quantum Mechanical Concepts

Science.gov (United States)

Didis, Nilufer; Eryilmaz, Ali; Erkoc, Sakir

2010-01-01

When quantum theory caused a paradigm shift in physics, it introduced difficulties in both learning and teaching of physics. Because of its abstract, counter-intuitive and mathematical structure, students have difficulty in learning this theory, and instructors have difficulty in teaching the concepts of the theory. This case study investigates…

Concepts in Physical Education with Laboratories and Experiments. Second Edition.

Science.gov (United States)

Corbin, Charles B.; And Others

This text is designed for student use in introductory course of physical education at the college level and deals with the specific areas of physical activity, exercise, health, physical fitness, skill learning, and body mechanics. Twenty concepts and thirty accompanying laboratory exercises suitable for both men and women are presented. Two…

Use of Physics Innovative Device for Improving Students‟ Motivation and Performance in Learning Selected Concepts in Physics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Virginia Songalia Sobremisana

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This research was focused on the development and evaluation of physics innovative device in enhancing students’ motivation and performance in learning selected concepts in physics. The Physics innovative device was developed based upon research on student difficulties in learning relevant concepts in physics and their attitudes toward the subject. Basic concepts in mechanics were also made as baselines in the development of the locally-produced Physics innovative learning device. Such learning devices are valuable resources when used either in lecture or demonstration classes. The developmental, descriptive and quasi-experimental research methods were utilized to determine the effectiveness, in terms of motivation and performance, of the innovative device in Physics. The instruments used for the data collection were the Instructional Materials Motivational Scale (IMMS developed by Keller and the students’ performance test. Pretest and posttest mean scores were measured to determine if there is a mean gain score difference between the experimental and control groups. The study revealed that the group taught with the Physics innovative device performed significantly better than those taught in the traditional method and also the use of Physics innovative device generally improved students’ understanding of concepts and led to higher academic achievements. Analysis of the students’ level of motivation showed that their interests were captured, the instructions they received were relevant to their personal goals and motives, their confidence to learn on their own were build-up, and learning for them was rewarding and important. In the four dimensions (ARCS of IMMS students were found to be attentive, confident, and in agreement in using the fun-learning tool having realize its applicability and relevance in learning their Physics lessons. Results of the study disclosed students and teachers consider the novel device acceptable because it is

PHYSICAL SELF-PERCEPTIONS AND SELF-ESTEEM IN RELATION TO BODY MASS STATUS AMONG FEMALE ADOLESCENTS

OpenAIRE

Petra Dolenc

2016-01-01

The purpose of the study was to examine the physical self-concept and self-esteem in adolescent girls aged between 13 and 18 years in relation to their body mass status. The Slovenian version of the Self-Description Questionnaire (PSDQ) was used to determine the multidimensional physical self-concept among participants. The results indicated that overweight girls reported greater body dissatisfaction in terms self-perceived body fat and physical appearance compared to normal-weight girls. Ove...

Proof of Concept: Model Based Bionic Muscle with Hyperbolic Force-Velocity Relation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. F. B. Haeufle

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Recently, the hyperbolic Hill-type force-velocity relation was derived from basic physical components. It was shown that a contractile element CE consisting of a mechanical energy source (active element AE, a parallel damper element (PDE, and a serial element (SE exhibits operating points with hyperbolic force-velocity dependency. In this paper, a technical proof of this concept was presented. AE and PDE were implemented as electric motors, SE as a mechanical spring. The force-velocity relation of this artificial CE was determined in quick release experiments. The CE exhibited hyperbolic force-velocity dependency. This proof of concept can be seen as a well-founded starting point for the development of Hill-type artificial muscles.

High School Students' Approaches to Learning Physics with Relationship to Epistemic Views on Physics and Conceptions of Learning Physics

Science.gov (United States)

Chiou, Guo-Li; Lee, Min-Hsien; Tsai, Chin-Chung

2013-01-01

Background and purpose: Knowing how students learn physics is a central goal of physics education. The major purpose of this study is to examine the strength of the predictive power of students' epistemic views and conceptions of learning in terms of their approaches to learning in physics. Sample, design and method: A total of 279 Taiwanese high…

Control theory in physics and other fields of science concepts, tools and applications

CERN Document Server

Schulz, Michael

2006-01-01

This book covers systematically and in a simple language the mathematical and physical foundations of controlling deterministic and stochastic evolutionary processes in systems with a high degree of complexity. Strong emphasis is placed on concepts, methods and techniques for modelling, assessment and the solution or estimation of control problems in an attempt to understand the large variability of these problems in several branches of physics, chemistry and biology as well as in technology and economics. The main focus of the book is on a clear physical and mathematical understanding of the dynamics and kinetics behind several kinds of control problems and their relation to self-organizing principles in complex systems. The book is a modern introduction and a helpful tool for researchers, engineers as well as post-docs and graduate students interested in an application oriented control theory and related topics.

Relativity in a Rock Field: A Study of Physics Learning with a Computer Game

Science.gov (United States)

Carr, David; Bossomaier, Terry

2011-01-01

The "Theory of Special Relativity" is widely regarded as a difficult topic for learners in physics to grasp, as it reformulates fundamental conceptions of space, time and motion, and predominantly deals with situations outside of everyday experience. In this paper, we describe embedding the physics of relativity into a computer game, and…

Physical perceptions and self-concept in athletes with muscle dysmorphia symptoms.

Science.gov (United States)

González-Martí, Irene; Fernández Bustos, Juan Gregorio; Hernández-Martínez, Andrea; Contreras Jordán, Onofre Ricardo

2014-01-01

Individuals affected by Muscle Dysmorphia (MD; body image disorder based on the sub estimation of muscle size), practice weightlifting in order to alleviate their muscular dissatisfaction. Although physical activity is associated with increased physical self-perception, we assume that this was not reproduced in full in people with MD. The study sample consisted of 734 weightlifters and bodybuilders, 562 men and 172 women, who completed the Escala de Satisfacción Muscular, the Physical Self-Concept Questionnaire, and from whom measures of body fat and Fat -Free Mass Index (FFMI) were obtained. The results showed that people suffering from MD symptoms, overall, have poorer physical self-concept perceptions (F = 18.46 - 34.77, p < .01).

Analysis of the most common concept inventories in physics: What are we assessing?

Science.gov (United States)

Laverty, James T.; Caballero, Marcos D.

2018-06-01

Assessing student learning is a cornerstone of educational practice. Standardized assessments have played a significant role in the development of instruction, curricula, and educational spaces in college physics. However, the use of these assessments to evaluate student learning is only productive if they continue to align with our learning goals. Recently, there have been calls to elevate the process of science ("scientific practices") to the same level of importance and emphasis as the concepts of physics ("core ideas" and "crosscutting concepts"). We use the recently developed Three-Dimensional Learning Assessment Protocol to investigate how well the most commonly used standardized assessments in introductory physics (i.e., concept inventories) align with this modern understanding of physics education's learning goals. We find that many of the questions on concept inventories do elicit evidence of student understanding of core ideas, but do not have the potential to elicit evidence of scientific practices or crosscutting concepts. Furthermore, we find that the individual scientific practices and crosscutting concepts that are assessed using these tools are limited to a select few. We discuss the implications that these findings have on designing and testing curricula and instruction both in the past and for the future.

Effect of Modeling Instruction on Concept Knowledge Among Ninth Grade Physics Students

Science.gov (United States)

Ditmore, Devin Alan

A basic knowledge of physics concepts is the gateway to success through high-paying careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Many students show little understanding of concepts following traditional physics instruction. As an alternative to current lecture-based approaches for high school physics instruction, Piaget's theory of cognitive development supports using real scientific experiences to lead learners from concrete to formal understanding of complex concepts. Modeling instruction (MI) is a pedagogy that guides learners through genuine scientific experiences. This project study analyzed the effects of MI on 9th grade physics students' gains on the test measuring mastery of physics concepts, Force Concept Inventory (FCI). A quasi-experimental design was used to compare the FCI scores of a traditional lecture-taught control group to a treatment group taught using MI. A t test t(-.201) = 180.26, p = .841 comparing the groups and an analysis of variance F(2,181) = 5.20 comparing female to male students indicated MI had no significant positive effect on students. A partial eta squared of the effect size showed that 5.4% of the variance in FCI gains was accounted for by gender, favoring female participants for both groups. The significant relationship between content and gender bears further inquiry. A lesson plan guide was designed to help teachers use computer simulation technology within the MI curriculum. The project promotes positive social change by exploring further ways to help adolescents experience success in physics at the beginning of high school, leading to future success in all STEM areas.

Definitions of Physical Concepts: A Study of Physics Teachers' Knowledge and Views. Research Report

Science.gov (United States)

Galili, Igal; Lehavi, Yaron

2006-01-01

A study was made of the ability of a population of high-school physics teachers to define physics concepts and of their views regarding the importance of such definitions. It was found possible to arrange the definitions accumulated in categories, and the classification so obtained was consonant with that of the philosophy of science. Although the…

Validity and Responsiveness of Concept Map Assessment Scores in Physical Education

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Yun Soo; Jang, Yongkyu; Kang, Minsoo

2015-01-01

Concept map assessment has been applied to many education areas to measure students' knowledge structure. However, the proper and valid use of concept map assessment has not been examined in physical education. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the evidence of validity and responsiveness of the concept map assessment scores in physical…

Green economy and related concepts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Loiseau, Eleonore; Saikku, Laura; Antikainen, Riina; Droste, Nils; Hansjürgens, Bernd; Pitkänen, Kati; Leskinen, Pekka; Kuikman, Peter; Thomsen, Marianne

2016-01-01

For the last ten years, the notion of a green economy has become increasingly attractive to policy makers. However, green economy covers a lot of diverse concepts and its links with sustainability are not always clear. In this article, we focus on definitions of green economy and related concepts

Auditing the multiply-related concepts within the UMLS.

Science.gov (United States)

Mougin, Fleur; Grabar, Natalia

2014-10-01

This work focuses on multiply-related Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) concepts, that is, concepts associated through multiple relations. The relations involved in such situations are audited to determine whether they are provided by source vocabularies or result from the integration of these vocabularies within the UMLS. We study the compatibility of the multiple relations which associate the concepts under investigation and try to explain the reason why they co-occur. Towards this end, we analyze the relations both at the concept and term levels. In addition, we randomly select 288 concepts associated through contradictory relations and manually analyze them. At the UMLS scale, only 0.7% of combinations of relations are contradictory, while homogeneous combinations are observed in one-third of situations. At the scale of source vocabularies, one-third do not contain more than one relation between the concepts under investigation. Among the remaining source vocabularies, seven of them mainly present multiple non-homogeneous relations between terms. Analysis at the term level also shows that only in a quarter of cases are the source vocabularies responsible for the presence of multiply-related concepts in the UMLS. These results are available at: http://www.isped.u-bordeaux2.fr/ArticleJAMIA/results_multiply_related_concepts.aspx. Manual analysis was useful to explain the conceptualization difference in relations between terms across source vocabularies. The exploitation of source relations was helpful for understanding why some source vocabularies describe multiple relations between a given pair of terms. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

A.V. Usova's Contribution to the Field of Concept Learning in Physics Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Yavoruk, Oleg

2015-01-01

A.V. Usova (1921-2014) has always been one of the leading figures in Russian physics education. Her theory of physics concept formation was formulated during the 1970s and the 1980s and directly influenced the process of physics education in the 20th and the 21st century. Over the years there have been a lot of theories of concept formation. Her…

Quirky quantum concepts physical, conceptual, geometric, and pictorial physics that didn't fit in your textbook

CERN Document Server

Michelsen, Eric L

2014-01-01

Quirky Quantum Concepts explains the more important and more difficult concepts in theoretical quantum mechanics, especially those which are consistently neglected or confusing in many common expositions. The emphasis is on physical understanding, which is necessary for the development of new, cutting edge science. In particular, this book explains the basis for many standard quantum methods, which are too often presented without sufficient motivation or interpretation. The book is not a simplification or popularization: it is real science for real scientists. Physics includes math, and this book does not shy away from it, but neither does it hide behind it. Without conceptual understanding, math is gibberish. The discussions here provide the experimental and theoretical reasoning behind some of the great discoveries, so the reader may see how discoveries arise from a rational process of thinking, a process which Quirky Quantum Concepts makes accessible to its readers. Quirky Quantum Concepts is therefore a s...

Becoming physics people: Development of physics identity in self-concept and practice through the Learning Assistant experience

Science.gov (United States)

Close, Eleanor

2016-03-01

The physics department at Texas State University has implemented a Learning Assistant (LA) program with reform-based instructional changes in our introductory course sequences. We are interested in how participation in the LA program influences LAs' identity both as physics students and as physics teachers; in particular, how being part of the LA community changes participants' self-concepts and their day-to-day practice. We analyze video of weekly LA preparation sessions and interviews with LAs as well as written artifacts from program applications, pedagogy course reflections, and evaluations. Our analysis of self-concepts is informed by the identity framework developed by Hazari et al., and our analysis of practice is informed by Lave and Wenger's theory of Communities of Practice. Regression models from quantitative studies show that the physics identity construct strongly predicts intended choice of a career in physics; the goal of our current project is to understand the details of the impacts of participation in the LA experience on participants' practice and self-concept, in order to identify critical elements of LA program structure that positively influence physics identity and physics career intentions for students. Our analysis suggests that participation in the LA program impacts LAs in ways that support both stronger ``physics student'' identity and stronger ``physics instructor'' identity, and that these identities are reconciled into a coherent integrated physics identity. In addition to becoming more confident and competent in physics, LAs perceive themselves to have increased competence in communication and a stronger sense of belonging to a supportive and collaborative community; participation in the LA program also changes their ways of learning and of being students, both within and beyond physics. This research and the TXST LA program are supported by NSF DUE-1240036, NSF DUE-1431578, and the Halliburton Foundation.

Physics of nuclear radiations concepts, techniques and applications

CERN Document Server

Rangacharyulu, Chary

2013-01-01

Physics of Nuclear Radiations: Concepts, Techniques and Applications makes the physics of nuclear radiations accessible to students with a basic background in physics and mathematics. Rather than convince students one way or the other about the hazards of nuclear radiations, the text empowers them with tools to calculate and assess nuclear radiations and their impact. It discusses the meaning behind mathematical formulae as well as the areas in which the equations can be applied. After reviewing the physics preliminaries, the author addresses the growth and decay of nuclear radiations, the stability of nuclei or particles against radioactive transformations, and the behavior of heavy charged particles, electrons, photons, and neutrons. He then presents the nomenclature and physics reasoning of dosimetry, covers typical nuclear facilities (such as medical x-ray machines and particle accelerators), and describes the physics principles of diverse detectors. The book also discusses methods for measuring energy a...

Fundamental movement skills proficiency in children with developmental coordination disorder: does physical self-concept matter?

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Jie; Sit, Cindy H P; Capio, Catherine M; Burnett, Angus; Ha, Amy S C; Huang, Wendy Y J

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to (1) examine differences in fundamental movement skills (FMS) proficiency, physical self-concept, and physical activity in children with and without developmental coordination disorder (DCD), and (2) determine the association of FMS proficiency with physical self-concept while considering key confounding factors. Participants included 43 children with DCD and 87 age-matched typically developing (TD) children. FMS proficiency was assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development - second edition. Physical self-concept and physical activity were assessed using self-report questionnaires. A two-way (group by gender) ANCOVA was used to determine whether between-group differences existed in FMS proficiency, physical self-concept, and physical activity after controlling for age and BMI. Partial correlations and hierarchical multiple regression models were used to examine the relationship between FMS proficiency and physical self-concept. Compared with their TD peers, children with DCD displayed less proficiency in various components of FMS and viewed themselves as being less competent in physical coordination, sporting ability, and physical health. Physical coordination was a significant predictor of ability in object control skills. DCD status and gender were significant predictors of FMS proficiency. Future FMS interventions should target children with DCD and girls, and should emphasize improving object control skills proficiency and physical coordination. Children with DCD tend to have not only lower FMS proficiency than age-matched typically developing children but also lower physical self-concept. Self-perceptions of physical coordination by children with DCD are likely to be valuable contributors to development of object control skills. This may then help to develop their confidence in performing motor skills. Children with DCD need supportive programs that facilitate the development of object control skills. Efficacy of training

Gender compatibility, math-gender stereotypes, and self-concepts in math and physics

Science.gov (United States)

Koul, Ravinder; Lerdpornkulrat, Thanita; Poondej, Chanut

2016-12-01

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Gender in Physics.] Positive self-assessment of ability in the quantitative domains is considered critical for student participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics field studies. The present study investigated associations of gender compatibility (gender typicality and contentedness) and math-gender stereotypes with self-concepts in math and physics. Statistical analysis of survey data was based on a sample of 170 male and female high school science students matched on propensity scores based on age and past GPA scores in math. Results of MANCOVA analyses indicated that the combination of high personal gender compatibility with low endorsement of math-gender stereotypes was associated with low gender differentials in math and physics self-concepts whereas the combination of high personal gender compatibility with high endorsement of math-gender stereotypes was associated with high gender differentials in math and physics self-concepts. These results contribute to the recent theoretical and empirical work on antecedents to the math and physics identities critical to achieving gender equity in STEM fields.

Effect of Physical Attractiveness on Therapists' Initial Judgments of a Person's Self-concept

Science.gov (United States)

Hobfoll, Stevan E.; Penner, Louis A.

1978-01-01

Investigated effect of a person's physical attractiveness on a therapist's initial judgment of that person's self-concept. Videotapes and audiotapes were made of interviews with attractive and unattractive males and females. Physically attractive persons of both sexes were rated as having better self-concepts than unattractive persons. (Author)

Basic concept of common reactor physics code systems. Final report of working party on common reactor physics code systems (CCS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-03-01

A working party was organized for two years (2001-2002) on common reactor physics code systems under the Research Committee on Reactor Physics of JAERI. This final report is compilation of activity of the working party on common reactor physics code systems during two years. Objectives of the working party is to clarify basic concept of common reactor physics code systems to improve convenience of reactor physics code systems for reactor physics researchers in Japan on their various field of research and development activities. We have held four meetings during 2 years, investigated status of reactor physics code systems and innovative software technologies, and discussed basic concept of common reactor physics code systems. (author)

Relativity concept inventory: Development, analysis, and results

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J. S. Aslanides

2013-05-01

Full Text Available We report on a concept inventory for special relativity: the development process, data analysis methods, and results from an introductory relativity class. The Relativity Concept Inventory tests understanding of relativistic concepts. An unusual feature is confidence testing for each question. This can provide additional information; for example, high confidence correlated with incorrect answers suggests a misconception. A novel aspect of our data analysis is the use of Monte Carlo simulations to determine the significance of correlations. This approach is particularly useful for small sample sizes, such as ours. Our results show a gender bias that was not present in course assessment, similar to that reported for the Force Concept Inventory.

The Correlation Study of Interest at Physics and Knowledge of Mathematics Basic Concepts towards the Ability to Solve Physics Problems of 7th Grade Students at Junior High School in Ambon Maluku Province, Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Izaak Hendrik Wenno

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the study is to determine the relation between interest at Physics and knowledge of Mathematics basic concepts with the ability to solve Physics problems. The populations are all students in the 7th grade at the junior high school in Ambon, Maluku, Indonesia. The used sample schools are Junior High Schools 8, 9, and 10 during 2013/2014 academic year with 44 students per school. Two independent variables and one dependent variable are studied. The independent variables are the interest at Physics (X1 and the knowledge of Mathematics basic concepts (X2, while the dependent variable is the ability to solve Physics problems (Y. Data collection technique for X1 is an interview with questionnaire instrument, while for the X2 and Y is using the test technique with test items instrument. The obtained data from the measurements were analyzed with descriptive analysis and inferential analysis. The results show that there is a positive relation between interest at Physics and knowledge of Mathematics basic concepts with students’ ability to solve Physics problems.

Facilitating students' application of the integral and the area under the curve concepts in physics problems

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Dong-Hai

This research project investigates the difficulties students encounter when solving physics problems involving the integral and the area under the curve concepts and the strategies to facilitate students learning to solve those types of problems. The research contexts of this project are calculus-based physics courses covering mechanics and electromagnetism. In phase I of the project, individual teaching/learning interviews were conducted with 20 students in mechanics and 15 students from the same cohort in electromagnetism. The students were asked to solve problems on several topics of mechanics and electromagnetism. These problems involved calculating physical quantities (e.g. velocity, acceleration, work, electric field, electric resistance, electric current) by integrating or finding the area under the curve of functions of related quantities (e.g. position, velocity, force, charge density, resistivity, current density). Verbal hints were provided when students made an error or were unable to proceed. A total number of 140 one-hour interviews were conducted in this phase, which provided insights into students' difficulties when solving the problems involving the integral and the area under the curve concepts and the hints to help students overcome those difficulties. In phase II of the project, tutorials were created to facilitate students' learning to solve physics problems involving the integral and the area under the curve concepts. Each tutorial consisted of a set of exercises and a protocol that incorporated the helpful hints to target the difficulties that students expressed in phase I of the project. Focus group learning interviews were conducted to test the effectiveness of the tutorials in comparison with standard learning materials (i.e. textbook problems and solutions). Overall results indicated that students learning with our tutorials outperformed students learning with standard materials in applying the integral and the area under the curve

Maturity associated variance in physical activity and health-related quality of life in adolescent females: a mediated effects model.

Science.gov (United States)

Smart, Joan E Hunter; Cumming, Sean P; Sherar, Lauren B; Standage, Martyn; Neville, Helen; Malina, Robert M

2012-01-01

This study tested a mediated effects model of psychological and behavioral adaptation to puberty within the context of physical activity (PA). Biological maturity status, physical self-concept, PA, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) were assessed in 222 female British year 7 to 9 pupils (mean age = 12.7 years, SD = .8). Structural equation modeling using maximum likelihood estimation and bootstrapping procedures supported the hypothesized model. Maturation status was inversely related to perceptions of sport competence, body attractiveness, and physical condition; and indirectly and inversely related to physical self-worth, PA, and HRQoL. Examination of the bootstrap-generated bias-corrected confidence intervals representing the direct and indirect paths between suggested that physical self-concept partially mediated the relations between maturity status and PA, and maturity status and HRQoL. Evidence supports the contention that perceptions of the physical self partially mediate relations maturity, PA, and HRQoL in adolescent females.

Addressing pre-service teachers' understandings and difficulties with some core concepts in the special theory of relativity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Selcuk, Gamze Sezgin

2011-01-01

The aim of this study is to investigate pre-service teachers' understanding of and difficulties with some core concepts in the special theory of relativity. The pre-service teachers (n = 185) from the Departments of Physics Education and Elementary Science Education at Dokuz Eylul University (in Turkey) participated. Both quantitative and qualitative research methods were used in this study. Students' understanding of and difficulties with core elements (time, length, mass and density) were tested using a paper-and-pencil questionnaire (including four questions) and in-depth interviews after the instruction of related modern physics topics. The analyses of the collected data were based on quantitative and qualitative techniques. The results indicate that pre-service teachers at different academic levels have specific and considerable difficulties with proper time, time dilation, proper length, mass and relativistic density concepts. In this paper, the conclusions of the study and implications for physics teaching are discussed.

Social phobia and self-concept: a correlational study with physical activity practice

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Christi Noriko Sonoo

2008-12-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to analyze social phobia in teenagers aged 14 to 20 years and its possiblerelationship with regular practice of physical activity and their self-concept. This study enrolled 191 students from privateand public schools and the measurement instruments used were a test of social phobia, a test of self-concept and a physicalactivity questionnaire. The results indicate that students from private schools are shyer than students from public schools. Inrelation to self-concept, there were significant differences in security factor for boys and moral factor for girls. This indicatesthat boys are more stable, brave and secure, while girls are more influenced by moral and ethical rules. These resultsdemonstrate that no relationship was detected between social phobia and physical activity, but it was possible to observea relationship between social phobia and some of the self-concept factors, and a relationship between physical activityand some of the self-concept factors. It is therefore concluded that the negative influence of high levels of social phobia onthe receptivity and security factors of men and women suggests a need for further studies in the area, which could help inthe prevention and treatment of social phobia, which could worsen over the years and compromise these young people’sability to socialize.

Supervisors' approaches to supervision and how these relate to conceptions of research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kobayashi, Sofie; Grout, Brian William Wilson; Rump, Camilla Østerberg

how supervision is different or similar to research. Møller Madsen and Winsløw (2009) have investigated researchers' understanding of relations between research and teaching in two disciplines: Mathematics and Physical Geography using Chevallard's anthropological theory of didactics (Chevallard 2006...... are short of empirical studies that can shed light on the relations between supervisors' conceptions of research and their approaches to supervision. This work which lies in the research-teaching nexus arena of doctoral supervision has the potential to provide new insights into supervision by identifying...

Didactical contract: An analytical concept to facilitate successful implementation of open-ended physics labs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jacobsen, Lærke Bang; Johannsen, Bjørn Friis; Rump, Camilla Østerberg

outcomes of alternative laboratory work in secondary and tertiary physics education we decided to approach the underlying cause of the problem. Framed in the theory of Didactical Situations in mathematics we adapt the concept of the didactical contract to the physics education context to locate aspects...... of the traditional laboratory learning environment that would lead to resistance from those involved if faced with alternatives. We conclude that both teachers and students lean heavily on a type of algorithm that ensures an appearance of having successfully completed the assigned tasks. This algorithmic didactical...... contract permeates through secondary education into university physics education. Our results allow for a better renegotiation of didactical contracts and thus for avoiding typical problems related to the implementation of alternative tasks. One might expect physics students to be special in their explicit...

Opinions of Physical Education Teachers on the Concept of Sportsmanship

Science.gov (United States)

Koç, Yakup; Esentürk, Oguz Kaan

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the opinions of physical education teachers on the concept of sportsmanship. This study, which has been based on the qualitative research paradigm, involves opinions of 13 physical education teachers (9 males and 4 females) which serve in public schools of Turkey and which have been specified through a…

Gravity, Magnetism, and "Down": Non-Physics College Students' Conceptions of Gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Asghar, Anila; Libarkin, Julie C.

2010-01-01

This study investigates how students enrolled in entry-level geology, most of whom would graduate from college without university-level physics courses, thought about and applied the concept of gravity while solving problems concerning gravity. The repercussions of students' gravity concepts are then considered in the context of non-physics…

Concepts on integration of physical protection and material accounting functions in a safeguards system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reynolds, D.A.

1981-01-01

Concepts on integration of physical protection and material accounting systems to enhance overall safeguards capability are developed and presented. These concepts identify ways in which material accounting systems can be used to enable effective monitoring of authorized movement of nuclear material through physical protection boundaries. Concepts are also discussed for monitoring user access to nuclear material and for tagging user identification to material accounting transactions through physical protection functions. These result in benefits in detecting diversion and in positively tracing material movement. Finally, coordination of safeguards information from both subsystems in such an integrated system through a safeguards coordination center is addressed with emphasis on appropriate response in case of discrepancies

Simulation-Based Performance Assessment: An Innovative Approach to Exploring Understanding of Physical Science Concepts

Science.gov (United States)

Gale, Jessica; Wind, Stefanie; Koval, Jayma; Dagosta, Joseph; Ryan, Mike; Usselman, Marion

2016-01-01

This paper illustrates the use of simulation-based performance assessment (PA) methodology in a recent study of eighth-grade students' understanding of physical science concepts. A set of four simulation-based PA tasks were iteratively developed to assess student understanding of an array of physical science concepts, including net force,…

Studies of Credit and Equity Markets with Concepts of Theoretical Physics

CERN Document Server

Münnix, Michael C

2011-01-01

Financial markets are becoming increasingly complex. The financial crisis of 2008 to 2009 has demonstrated that an improved understanding of the mechanisms embedded in the market is a key requirement for the estimation of financial risk. Recently, concepts of theoretical physics, in particular concepts of complex systems, have proven to be very useful in this regard. Michael C. Münnix analyses the statistical dependencies in financial markets and develops mathematical models using concepts and methods from physics. The author focuses on aspects that played a key role in the emergence of the recent financial crisis: estimation of credit risk, dynamics of statistical dependencies, and correlations on small time-scales. He visualizes the findings for various large-scale empirical studies of market data. The results give novel insights into the mechanisms of financial markets and allow conclusions on how to reduce financial risk significantly.

Measuring the Computer-Related Self-Concept

Science.gov (United States)

Langheinrich, Jessica; Schönfelder, Mona; Bogner, Franz X.

2016-01-01

A positive self-concept supposedly affects a student's well-being as well as his or her perception of individual competence at school. As computer-based learning is becoming increasingly important in school, a positive computer-related self-concept (CSC) might help to enhance cognitive achievement. Consequently, we focused on establishing a short,…

Mathematical methods for students of physics and related fields

CERN Document Server

Hassani, Sadri

2000-01-01

Intended to follow the usual introductory physics courses, this book has the unique feature of addressing the mathematical needs of sophomores and juniors in physics, engineering and other related fields Many original, lucid, and relevant examples from the physical sciences, problems at the ends of chapters, and boxes to emphasize important concepts help guide the student through the material Beginning with reviews of vector algebra and differential and integral calculus, the book continues with infinite series, vector analysis, complex algebra and analysis, ordinary and partial differential equations Discussions of numerical analysis, nonlinear dynamics and chaos, and the Dirac delta function provide an introduction to modern topics in mathematical physics This new edition has been made more user-friendly through organization into convenient, shorter chapters Also, it includes an entirely new section on Probability and plenty of new material on tensors and integral transforms Some praise for the previous edi...

Mathematical Methods For Students of Physics and Related Fields

CERN Document Server

Hassani, Sadri

2009-01-01

Intended to follow the usual introductory physics courses, this book has the unique feature of addressing the mathematical needs of sophomores and juniors in physics, engineering and other related fields. Many original, lucid, and relevant examples from the physical sciences, problems at the ends of chapters, and boxes to emphasize important concepts help guide the student through the material. Beginning with reviews of vector algebra and differential and integral calculus, the book continues with infinite series, vector analysis, complex algebra and analysis, ordinary and partial differential equations. Discussions of numerical analysis, nonlinear dynamics and chaos, and the Dirac delta function provide an introduction to modern topics in mathematical physics. This new edition has been made more user-friendly through organization into convenient, shorter chapters. Also, it includes an entirely new section on Probability and plenty of new material on tensors and integral transforms. Some praise for the previo...

Duhem’s Critical Analysis of Mechanicism and his Defense of a Formal Conception of Theoretical Physics

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José R. N. Chiappin

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to present Duhem’s critical view of the dynamical development of mechanics according to two principles of his theory of the development of physics: the continuous and the rational development of physics. These two principles impose a formal conception of physics that aims at demarcating physics from the metaphysical view on the one hand and the pragmatist/conventionalist view on the other hand. Duhem pursues an intermediary conception of physics, a representational system of empirical laws based upon formal principles. This formal conception of physics will adjust to his idea of scientific progress in the form of a sequence of representational systems as structures of increasing comprehensiveness of empirical laws, which leads him to defend a convergent structural realism pointing to an ideal physical theory.

Relations between representational consistency, conceptual understanding of the force concept, and scientific reasoning

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Pasi Nieminen

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Previous physics education research has raised the question of “hidden variables” behind students’ success in learning certain concepts. In the context of the force concept, it has been suggested that students’ reasoning ability is one such variable. Strong positive correlations between students’ preinstruction scores for reasoning ability (measured by Lawson’s Classroom Test of Scientific Reasoning and their learning of forces [measured by the Force Concept Inventory (FCI] have been reported in high school and university introductory courses. However, there is no published research concerning the relation between students’ ability to interpret multiple representations consistently (i.e., representational consistency and their learning of forces. To investigate this, we collected 131 high school students’ pre- and post-test data of the Representational Variant of the Force Concept Inventory (for representational consistency and the FCI. The students’ Lawson pretest data were also collected. We found that the preinstruction level of students’ representational consistency correlated strongly with student learning gain of forces. The correlation (0.51 was almost equal to the correlation between Lawson prescore and learning gain of forces (0.52. Our results support earlier findings which suggest that scientific reasoning ability is a hidden variable behind the learning of forces. In addition, we suggest that students’ representational consistency may also be such a factor, and that this should be recognized in physics teaching.

Mikhail Geraskov (1874-1957 Methodological Concepts of Learning Physics.

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Mariyana Ilieva

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Mikhail Geraskov is a distinguished Bulgarian educator from the first half of the twentieth century, who developed the scientific foundations of didactics and methodology of training. His work contributed a lot to the development of the Bulgarian pedagogy. The subject of scientific research is didactical conceptions and methodological conceptions of learning. The aim of the research paper is to presents his ideas about particular methods of teaching Physics for high school. Geraskov assumes direct correlation between didactics and methodology. This paper focuses on his ideas about design, technology and methodological requirements for lessons of Physics. He believes that the appropriate methods are determined by the curriculum, set of educational goals and age characteristics, and capabilities of adolescents. In his methodical recommendations he focuses on teaching methods and forms that provoke students’ activity. Comparative analysis with publications on the issues set for development of the Bulgarian pedagogic science and the actuality in the modern education system.

Physiological concepts in physical education and sports training: stress, homeostasis and allostasis

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Tácito Pessoa de Souza Junior

2008-07-01

Full Text Available http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/1980-0037.2008v10n2p206 The objective of this review article is to discuss the concepts of stress and homeostasis (homeos = equal; stasis = stable and to expose their limitations on the basis of recent evidence demonstrating that the supposed internal stability of living organisms is merely apparent, and is even independent of environmental factors. This internal instability is often observed by researchers investigating circadian rhythms (hormone secretion, temporal series (heart rate and behavior (hunger and satiety, who argue in favor of substituting the theory of homeostasis by the concept of allostasis (allo = different; stasis = stable. Indeed, these researchers suggest that the objective of regulation and control is not stability. There are two consequences for Physical Education and Sport if allostasis is accepted as a physiological paradigm: 1. Selye’s concept of stress requires a new defi nition and interpretation, with a clear impact on the concept of load and overload; 2. Noakes’ central governor hypothesis to explain the fatigue resulting from intense physical exercise loses its relevance, as will be discussed in this paper. Furthermore, it is very diffi cult for the model of stability by staying the same to explain why performance is improved by physical training or why we have a predisposition for this type of recognizedly anti-homeostatic activity. We intend to demonstrate the possibility that the allostatic concept of stability through change can explain these contradictions.

Screen time, weight status and the self-concept of physical attractiveness in adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Suchert, Vivien; Hanewinkel, Reiner; Isensee, Barbara

2016-04-01

Adolescents in modern societies spend about 3 h per day in front of small recreational screens. The present study aims at investigating the relationships between screen time and different indicators of overweight. In addition, associations with the self-concept of physical attractiveness and perceived weight status will be examined. In a total sample of 1228 students (47.5% girls) aged 12-17 years (M = 13.74, SD = 0.68) cross-sectional associations were determined by conducting multiple linear regression analyses. Screen time showed a significant positive dose-response relationship with body mass index percentile, waist circumference, body fat, waist-to-height-ratio, and a negative association with self-concept of physical attractiveness independent of age, gender and moderate to vigorous physical activity. Thus, screen time seems to be associated with adolescent overweight, abdominal obesity, and body dissatisfaction. Reducing adolescents' screen time could be a promising approach for primary prevention of obesity and for the promotion of a positive physical self-concept. Copyright © 2016 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Alternative Conceptions: Turning Adversity into Advantage

Science.gov (United States)

Ferreira, Annalize; Lemmer, Miriam; Gunstone, Richard

2017-08-01

While a vast body of research has identified difficulties in students' understanding about forces and acceleration and their related alternative conceptions, far less research suggests ways to use students' alternative conceptions to enhance conceptual understanding of a specific fundamental concept. This study focused on distinguishing between students' conceptual understanding of the Newtonian concept of gravitational acceleration being the same for all objects and students' alternative conception that heavy objects fall faster. A multiple choice questionnaire was distributed to first year physics students for three consecutive years at a university in South Africa. The results indicate that changing the direction of motion and the physics quantity asked in paired questions revealed practically significant inconsistencies in students' reasoning and conceptions. This research contributes to the body of knowledge in proposing how the alternative conception of mass-related gravitational acceleration can be used in instruction to enhance conceptual understanding of the force-mass-acceleration relationship. Understanding of this relationship not only promotes conceptual understanding of the basic Newtonian concepts of the laws of motion which forms the critical foundation on which more advanced physics courses are built, but also contributes towards students' perception of physics as a set of coherent ideas applicable in all contexts.

A Quantum Chemistry Concept Inventory for Physical Chemistry Classes

Science.gov (United States)

Dick-Perez, Marilu; Luxford, Cynthia J.; Windus, Theresa L.; Holme, Thomas

2016-01-01

A 14-item, multiple-choice diagnostic assessment tool, the quantum chemistry concept inventory or QCCI, is presented. Items were developed based on published student misconceptions and content coverage and then piloted and used in advanced physical chemistry undergraduate courses. In addition to the instrument itself, data from both a pretest,…

Pre-Service Physics Teachers' Conceptions of Nature of Science

Science.gov (United States)

Buaraphan, Khajornsak

2011-01-01

Understanding of NOS (nature of science) appears as a prerequisite of a scientifically literate person. Promoting adequate understanding of NOS in pre-service physics teachers is, therefore, an important task of science educators. Before doing that, science educators must have information concerning their pre-service teachers' conceptions of NOS.…

PHYSICAL SELF-PERCEPTIONS AND SELF-ESTEEM IN RELATION TO BODY MASS STATUS AMONG FEMALE ADOLESCENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Petra Dolenc

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the study was to examine the physical self-concept and self-esteem in adolescent girls aged between 13 and 18 years in relation to their body mass status. The Slovenian version of the Self-Description Questionnaire (PSDQ was used to determine the multidimensional physical self-concept among participants. The results indicated that overweight girls reported greater body dissatisfaction in terms self-perceived body fat and physical appearance compared to normal-weight girls. Overweight girls also achieved significantly lower scores in the self-perceived physical abilities, as well as global physical-self and self-esteem than normal-weight peers. As expected, underweight girls reported the lowest amount of body fat. Moreover, they reported lower levels of physical activity than normal-weight peers and had less physical strength compared to the other body mass index categories. The findings has significant implications for the work with adolescent girls in terms of developing appropriate educational intervention and physical education programmes aimed towards reinforcing and increasing self-esteem and promoting active lifestyle.

The Framatome RCVS concept and physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vallee, A.; Millot, J.P.; Bruna, G.

1986-06-01

We have tried through this presentation to emphasize on what FRAMATOME thinks to be the most specific problems of the advanced RCVS (Reactor core with spectral shift) core concept (Spectral shift, voidage, reactivity control). Besides, FRAMATOME is analysing the most important safety related topics typically LOCA and DNBR, and has launched developments on them, in connection with CEA. The core behaviour during a loss of Coolant Accident is quite similar to PWR's, the pitch between rods being sufficiently large for clad ballooning not to cause any damage. To conclude, the core improvements developed by FRAMATOME on the RCVS concept economize the use of fissile materials

Vibronic coupling density and related concepts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sato, Tohru; Uejima, Motoyuki; Iwahara, Naoya; Haruta, Naoki; Shizu, Katsuyuki; Tanaka, Kazuyoshi

2013-01-01

Vibronic coupling density is derived from a general point of view as a one-electron property density. Related concepts as well as their applications are presented. Linear and nonlinear vibronic coupling density and related concepts, orbital vibronic coupling density, reduced vibronic coupling density, atomic vibronic coupling constant, and effective vibronic coupling density, illustrate the origin of vibronic couplings and enable us to design novel functional molecules or to elucidate chemical reactions. Transition dipole moment density is defined as an example of the one-electron property density. Vibronic coupling density and transition dipole moment density open a way to design light-emitting molecules with high efficiency.

Mathematica® for Theoretical Physics Electrodynamics, Quantum Mechanics, General Relativity and Fractals

CERN Document Server

Baumann, Gerd

2005-01-01

Mathematica for Theoretical Physics: Electrodynamics, Quantum Mechanics, General Relativity, and Fractals This second edition of Baumann's Mathematica® in Theoretical Physics shows readers how to solve physical problems and deal with their underlying theoretical concepts while using Mathematica® to derive numeric and symbolic solutions. Each example and calculation can be evaluated by the reader, and the reader can change the example calculations and adopt the given code to related or similar problems. The second edition has been completely revised and expanded into two volumes: The first volume covers classical mechanics and nonlinear dynamics. Both topics are the basis of a regular mechanics course. The second volume covers electrodynamics, quantum mechanics, relativity, and fractals and fractional calculus. New examples have been added and the representation has been reworked to provide a more interactive problem-solving presentation. This book can be used as a textbook or as a reference work, by student...

Physical self-concept and its link to cardiopulmonary exercise tolerance among adolescents with mild congenital heart disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chi-Wen; Su, Wen-Jen; Wang, Jou-Kou; Yang, Hsiao-Ling; Chiang, Yueh-Tao; Moons, Philip

2015-06-01

Due to medical advances, most children with congenital heart disease (CHD) are expected to survive into adulthood. Establishing adequate physical self-concept and cardiopulmonary tolerance during the adolescent period can primarily enhance overall well-being. The purpose of this study was to undertake a gender-specific evaluation of the domain of physical self-concept among adolescents with mild CHD, and to examine the relationships between physical self-concept and cardiopulmonary exercise tolerance among adolescents with mild CHD. Four hundred and thirteen adolescents 12-20 years of age, whose cardiologists had not recommended any limitation of exercise, completed Physical Self-Description Questionnaires and three-minute step tests in two outpatient cardiology departments. The male participants had significantly greater scores in measures of overall physical self-concept, competence in sports, physical appearance, body fat, physical activity, endurance, and strength than did the female participants. More than 80% of the participants had at least an average cardiopulmonary exercise tolerance index. The perception of not being 'too fat' and being more physically active were significant correlates of better cardiopulmonary exercise tolerance for adolescents with mild CHD. The results provided evidence for gender-specific evaluation of domains of physical self-concept among adolescents with mild CHD. The three-minute step test to measure cardiopulmonary exercise tolerance in adolescents with mild CHD may be an appropriate objective measure for use in future research. Continued efforts are needed in early intervention to promote cardiopulmonary exercise tolerance. © The European Society of Cardiology 2014.

A role for relational databases in high energy physics software systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lauer, R.; Slaughter, A.J.; Wolin, E.

1987-01-01

This paper presents the design and initial implementation of software which uses a relational database management system for storage and retrieval of real and Monte Carlo generated events from a charm and beauty spectrometer with a vertex detector. The purpose of the software is to graphically display and interactively manipulate the events, fit tracks and vertices and calculate physics quantities. The INGRES database forms the core of the system, while the DI3000 graphics package is used to plot the events. The paper introduces relational database concepts and their applicability to high energy physics data. It also evaluates the environment provided by INGRES, particularly its usefulness in code development and its Fortran interface. Specifics of the database design we have chosen are detailed as well. (orig.)

The effect of Phet Simulation media for physics teacher candidate understanding on photoelectric effect concept

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Supurwoko Supurwoko

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Indonesian new Curriculum for senior high school students required student-centered learning. One of the curriculum implementation constraint was the difficulty of providing learning media. PhET simulations media is one of the options that can help implementation of new curriculum on learning. However, the use of this media in Indonesia still needs to be studied comprehensively. The learning was conducted on students of physics education Study Program in sebelas maret university in 2013. The sample consisted of 62 students that was taking quantum physics course. The method that was used in the research was descriptive qualitative.  The method that was used in learning was demonstration’s method that used PhET media and accompanied by a question and answer and groups discussion. The data was collected using multiple choice test and interview through email. We found that any students still did not understand about photoelectric effect concept. They were confused when asked about the thick material and cross section of the targets as related with the regardless of electrons in the photoelectric effect event. Other than that, the concept of the waves as a particle and its relation with the kinetic energy of the electrons was not understood by most students.

Body-related state shame and guilt in women: do causal attributions mediate the influence of physical self-concept and shame and guilt proneness.

Science.gov (United States)

Crocker, Peter R E; Brune, Sara M; Kowalski, Kent C; Mack, Diane E; Wilson, Philip M; Sabiston, Catherine M

2014-01-01

Guided by the process model of self-conscious emotions, this study examined whether physical self-concept (PSC) and shame and guilt proneness were associated with body-related self-conscious emotions of state shame and guilt and if these relationships were mediated by attributions of stability, globality, and controllability. Female participants (N=284; Mean age=20.6±1.9 years) completed measures of PSC and shame and guilt proneness before reading a hypothetical scenario. Participants completed measures of attributions and state shame and guilt in response to the scenario. Significant relationships were noted between state shame and attributions of globality and controllability, and shame proneness, guilt proneness, and PSC. Similar relationships, with the additional predictor of stability, were found for state guilt. Mediation analysis partially supported the process model hypotheses for shame. Results indicate PSC and shame proneness are important in predicting body-related emotions, but the role of specific attributions are still unclear. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Use of Energizers to Reinforce Nutrition Concepts and Encourage Physical Activity

Science.gov (United States)

Lovett, Kathleen; Johnson, Betsy; Caskey, Mary; Pleasants, Christopher; Hurtado, G. Ali

2014-01-01

Given the importance of including daily physical activity as a part of a healthy lifestyle, Extension educators should do as much as they can to incorporate physical activity into their educational programming. A University of Minnesota Extension team has created a set of activities that incorporate motion to reinforce nutrition concepts, which…

Encoding of Physics Concepts: Concreteness and Presentation Modality Reflected by Human Brain Dynamics

OpenAIRE

Lai, Kevin; She, Hsiao-Ching; Chen, Sheng-Chang; Chou, Wen-Chi; Huang, Li-Yu; Jung, Tzyy-Ping; Gramann, Klaus

2012-01-01

Previous research into working memory has focused on activations in different brain areas accompanying either different presentation modalities (verbal vs. non-verbal) or concreteness (abstract vs. concrete) of non-science concepts. Less research has been conducted investigating how scientific concepts are learned and further processed in working memory. To bridge this gap, the present study investigated human brain dynamics associated with encoding of physics concepts, taking both presentati...

Ether and interpretation of some physical phenomena and concepts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rzayev, S.G.

2008-01-01

On the basis of the concept of existence of an ether representation about time, space, matters and physical field are profound and also the essence of such phenomena, as corpuscular - wave dualism, change of time, scale and mass at movement body's is opened. The opportunity of transition from probability-statistical interpretation of the quantum phenomena to Laplace's determinism is shown

Discovering Related Clinical Concepts Using Large Amounts of Clinical Notes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ganesan, Kavita; Lloyd, Shane; Sarkar, Vikren

2016-01-01

The ability to find highly related clinical concepts is essential for many applications such as for hypothesis generation, query expansion for medical literature search, search results filtering, ICD-10 code filtering and many other applications. While manually constructed medical terminologies such as SNOMED CT can surface certain related concepts, these terminologies are inadequate as they depend on expertise of several subject matter experts making the terminology curation process open to geographic and language bias. In addition, these terminologies also provide no quantifiable evidence on how related the concepts are. In this work, we explore an unsupervised graphical approach to mine related concepts by leveraging the volume within large amounts of clinical notes. Our evaluation shows that we are able to use a data driven approach to discovering highly related concepts for various search terms including medications, symptoms and diseases.

Discovering Related Clinical Concepts Using Large Amounts of Clinical Notes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kavita Ganesan

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The ability to find highly related clinical concepts is essential for many applications such as for hypothesis generation, query expansion for medical literature search, search results filtering, ICD-10 code filtering and many other applications. While manually constructed medical terminologies such as SNOMED CT can surface certain related concepts, these terminologies are inadequate as they depend on expertise of several subject matter experts making the terminology curation process open to geographic and language bias. In addition, these terminologies also provide no quantifiable evidence on how related the concepts are. In this work, we explore an unsupervised graphical approach to mine related concepts by leveraging the volume within large amounts of clinical notes. Our evaluation shows that we are able to use a data driven approach to discovering highly related concepts for various search terms including medications, symptoms and diseases.

Ash'arite's atomistic conception of the physical world: A restatement

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pozi, Firdaus; Othman, Mohd Yusof [School of Applied Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia and Institute of Islam Hadhari, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan (Malaysia); Mohamed, Faizal [School of Applied Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan (Malaysia)

2013-11-27

Atomism plays an important role in the history of human thought. It can be traced back from Democritus atomos in the 500 BC to particle physics and quantum theory in the 21{sup st} century. However, as it being rejected and developed in the course of history of science, it still brings the fundamental question that perplexes physicists. It gives the views that the world is eternal; that the laws of nature is immutable and eternal therefore all phenomena can be determined through the laws and that there is no reality behind the quantum world. In this paper, we shall briefly describe all these three views on the nature of the physical world or universe and this include on the nature of matter. Then, we shall explain our stand on those conceptions based on the Ash'arites atomistic conception of the physical world. We hope this paper can shed a light on several fundamental issues in the conception of the universe and gives the proper response to them.

Effects of Aging Stereotype Threat on Working Self-Concepts: An Event-Related Potentials Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Baoshan; Lin, Yao; Gao, Qianyun; Zawisza, Magdalena; Kang, Qian; Chen, Xuhai

2017-01-01

Although the influence of stereotype threat (ST) on working self-concepts has been highlighted in recent years, its neural underpinnings are unclear. Notably, the aging ST, which largely influences older adults’ cognitive ability, mental and physical health, did not receive much attention. In order to investigate these issues, electroencephalogram (EEG) data were obtained from older adults during a modified Stroop task using neutral words, positive and negative self-concept words in aging ST vs. neutral control conditions. Results showed longer reaction times (RTs) for identifying colors of words under the aging ST compared to the neutral condition. More importantly, the negative self-concept elicited more positive late P300 amplitudes and enhanced theta band activities compared to the positive self-concept or neutral words under the aging ST condition, whereas no difference was found between these self-concepts and neutral words in the control condition. Furthermore, the aging ST induced smaller theta band synchronization and enhanced alpha band synchronization compared to the control condition. Moreover, we also observed valence differences in self-concepts where the negative self-concept words reduced early P150/N170 complex relative to neutral words. These findings suggest that priming ST could activate negative self-concepts as current working self-concept, and that this influence occurred during a late neural time course. PMID:28747885

Effects of Aging Stereotype Threat on Working Self-Concepts: An Event-Related Potentials Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Baoshan Zhang

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Although the influence of stereotype threat (ST on working self-concepts has been highlighted in recent years, its neural underpinnings are unclear. Notably, the aging ST, which largely influences older adults’ cognitive ability, mental and physical health, did not receive much attention. In order to investigate these issues, electroencephalogram (EEG data were obtained from older adults during a modified Stroop task using neutral words, positive and negative self-concept words in aging ST vs. neutral control conditions. Results showed longer reaction times (RTs for identifying colors of words under the aging ST compared to the neutral condition. More importantly, the negative self-concept elicited more positive late P300 amplitudes and enhanced theta band activities compared to the positive self-concept or neutral words under the aging ST condition, whereas no difference was found between these self-concepts and neutral words in the control condition. Furthermore, the aging ST induced smaller theta band synchronization and enhanced alpha band synchronization compared to the control condition. Moreover, we also observed valence differences in self-concepts where the negative self-concept words reduced early P150/N170 complex relative to neutral words. These findings suggest that priming ST could activate negative self-concepts as current working self-concept, and that this influence occurred during a late neural time course.

On the conception of fundamental time asymmetries in physics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wohlfarth, Daniel

2013-02-05

The investigation is divided in 7 chapters and aims to argue for the realizability of a new conception of 'fundamental time asymmetries' in physics. After an introduction (chapter 1) in the field of interest, the investigation continues by developing a conception of fundamentality for time asymmetries in chapter 2. Chapter 3 shows that this conception is realized in classical cosmology and chapter 4 demonstrates, by taking in to account the result from chapter 3, that classical electrodynamics is understandable as a time asymmetric theory. Chapter 5 focuses on time asymmetries in quantum cosmology as well as quantum thermodynamics and demonstrates - as in the classical case - that a fundamental time asymmetry is imbedded in those fields. The considerations, contained in chapter 6, are focused on non relativistic quantum mechanics (NRQM). Here the main aim is to demonstrate that NRQM can be understood as a time asymmetric theory - even without using the measurement-process for that purpose. Chapter 7 summarized the main arguments and conclusions.

On the conception of fundamental time asymmetries in physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wohlfarth, Daniel

2013-01-01

The investigation is divided in 7 chapters and aims to argue for the realizability of a new conception of 'fundamental time asymmetries' in physics. After an introduction (chapter 1) in the field of interest, the investigation continues by developing a conception of fundamentality for time asymmetries in chapter 2. Chapter 3 shows that this conception is realized in classical cosmology and chapter 4 demonstrates, by taking in to account the result from chapter 3, that classical electrodynamics is understandable as a time asymmetric theory. Chapter 5 focuses on time asymmetries in quantum cosmology as well as quantum thermodynamics and demonstrates - as in the classical case - that a fundamental time asymmetry is imbedded in those fields. The considerations, contained in chapter 6, are focused on non relativistic quantum mechanics (NRQM). Here the main aim is to demonstrate that NRQM can be understood as a time asymmetric theory - even without using the measurement-process for that purpose. Chapter 7 summarized the main arguments and conclusions.

Between physics and metaphysics: structure as a boundary concept.

Science.gov (United States)

Tau, Ramiro

2015-03-01

The notion of structure is found to be used in a great number of theories, scientific research programs and world views. However, its uses and definitions are as diverse as the objects of the scientific disciplines where it can be found. Without trying to recreate the structuralist aspiration from the mid XX century, which believed to have found in this notion a common transdisciplinary language, I discuss a specific aspect of this concept that could be considered a constant in different perspectives. This aspect refers to the location of the notions of structure as boundaries in the different scientific theories. With this, I try to argue that the definition or presentation of a structure configures in itself the frontier for scientific knowledge, defining at the same time implied ontological assumptions. In order to discuss this hypothesis, and taking into consideration the double origin of contemporary notions of structure -the mathematical and linguistic line-, I revise several theoretical perspectives which made explicit the relation between structures and knowledge, and their relation with the real: the arguments on physical knowledge by Eddington, structural anthropology, structural linguistics, Lacanian psychoanalysis and Piaget's genetic psychology.

Relativity in modern physics

CERN Document Server

Deruelle, Nathalie

2018-01-01

This comprehensive textbook on relativity integrates Newtonian physics, special relativity and general relativity into a single book that emphasizes the deep underlying principles common to them all, yet explains how they are applied in different ways in these three contexts. Newton's ideas about how to represent space and time, his laws of dynamics, and his theory of gravitation established the conceptual foundation from which modern physics developed. Book I in this volume offers undergraduates a modern view of Newtonian theory, emphasizing those aspects needed for understanding quantum and relativistic contemporary physics. In 1905, Albert Einstein proposed a novel representation of space and time, special relativity. Book II presents relativistic dynamics in inertial and accelerated frames, as well as a detailed overview of Maxwell's theory of electromagnetism. This provides undergraduate and graduate students with the background necessary for studying particle and accelerator physics, astrophysics and ...

Concept Development in Learning Physics: The Case of Electric Current and Voltage Revisited

Science.gov (United States)

Koponen, Ismo T.; Huttunen, Laura

2013-01-01

In learning conceptual knowledge in physics, a common problem is the development and differentiation of concepts in the learning process. An important part of this development process is the re-organisation or re-structuring process in which students' conceptual knowledge and concepts change. This study proposes a new view of concept…

Reconsidering relations between nuclear energy and security concepts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Irie, Kazutomo

2004-01-01

Relations between nuclear energy and security concepts can be clarified through investigation into the multivocal nature of security concepts. While military uses of nuclear energy significantly influence national security, peaceful uses of nuclear energy contribute energy security, which is an expanded concept of national security. Military and peaceful uses of nuclear energy have reciprocal actions, thus influencing national security and energy security, respectively. Nuclear security, which means security of nuclear systems themselves, recently attracts the attention of the international society. Nuclear security directly influences national security issues. On the other hand, along with nuclear safety, nuclear security becomes a prerequisite for energy security through peaceful uses of nuclear energy. In investigating into relations between nuclear energy and security concepts, the difficulty of translating the English word of 'nuclear security' into Japanese as well as other languages is found. (author)

Addressing Pre-Service Teachers' Understandings and Difficulties with Some Core Concepts in the Special Theory of Relativity

Science.gov (United States)

Selcuk, Gamze Sezgin

2011-01-01

The aim of this study is to investigate pre-service teachers' understanding of and difficulties with some core concepts in the special theory of relativity. The pre-service teachers (n = 185) from the Departments of Physics Education and Elementary Science Education at Dokuz Eylul University (in Turkey) participated. Both quantitative and…

Self-concept and academic achievement: a meta-analysis of longitudinal relations.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Chiungjung

2011-10-01

The relation between self-concept and academic achievement was examined in 39 independent and longitudinal samples through the integration of meta-analysis and path analysis procedures. For relations with more than 3 independent samples, the mean observed correlations ranged from .20 to .27 between prior self-concept and subsequent academic achievement and from .19 to .25 between prior academic achievement and subsequent self-concept. Globality/specificity of self-concept was the only significant moderating factor in the relation between (a) prior self-concept and subsequent academic achievement and (b) prior academic achievement and subsequent self-concept. As high self-concept is related to high academic performance and vice-versa, intervention programs that combine self-enhancement and skill development should be integrated. Copyright © 2011 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

College Physical Chemistry Students' Conceptions of Equilibrium and Fundamental Thermodynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Peter L.; Schwenz, Richard W.

1998-01-01

Focuses on many alternative conceptions and nonconceptions about material related to equilibrium and thermodynamics. Uses interviews and compares the concepts from these with those expressed by experts in textbooks. (DDR)

History and Evolution of Concepts in Physics

Science.gov (United States)

Varvoglis, Harry

The history of any discipline is always based on written texts. In this way, to restrict ourselves to texts of Antiquity, the history of the Jewish people is based on the books of the Old Testament, the history of the Persian Wars on the books by Herodotus and the history of the Peloponnesian War on the books by Thucydides. Even the history of the Trojan War is based on Homer's written work, although this was based, in turn, on earlier oral traditions of the Greeks of Homer's time. This rule, of course, cannot find an exemption in the history of physics. This is the main reason why the history of physics, and hence the evolution of concepts in this science, necessarily starts from the ancient Greeks. It is certain that other people of historical times were also involved in scientific activities, such as the Babylonians, who developed astronomy, and the Egyptians, who developed geometry. But their aim was to solve practical problems of their everyday life and not to understand nature and its laws. The geometry of the ancient Egyptians was developed for the purpose of redistributing land after the annual flooding of Nile, while Babylonian astronomy was limited to the simple recording of astronomical observations, with a few surviving examples of predictions of future events. Instead, the interpretation of nature and its laws, in both these nations, was the responsibility of priests and kings. In other words, the interpretation of nature for them was not a result of rational thinking; it was based on truth by revelation. The "truth" was revealed to rulers, nobles and priests, and accepted, without questioning, by the rest of the people. This truth was closely related to the religion of each nation.

Seeding science success: Relations of secondary students' science self-concepts and motivation with aspirations and achievement

Science.gov (United States)

Chandrasena, Wanasinghe Durayalage

This research comprises three inter-related synergistic studies. Study 1 aims to develop a psychometrically sound tool to measure secondary students' science self-concepts, motivation, and aspirations in biology, chemistry, earth and environmental methodology to explicate students' and teachers' views, practices, and personal experiences, to identify the barriers to undertaking science for secondary students and to provide rich insights into the relations of secondary students' science self-concepts and motivation with their aspirations and achievement. Study 3 will detect additional issues that may not necessarily be identifiable from the quantitative findings of Study 2. The psychometric properties of the newly developed instrument demonstrated that students' science self-concepts were domain specific, while science motivation and science aspirations were not. Students' self-concepts in general science, chemistry, and physics were stronger for males than females. Students' self-concepts in general science and biology became stronger for students in higher years of secondary schooling. Students' science motivation did not vary across gender and year levels. Though students' science aspirations did not vary across gender, they became stronger with age. In general, students' science self-concepts and science motivation were positively related to science aspirations and science achievement. Specifically, students' year level, biology self-concept, and physics self concept predicted their science and career aspirations. Biology self-concept predicted teacher ratings of students' achievement, and students' general science self-concepts predicted their achievement according to students' ratings. Students' year level and intrinsic motivation in science were predictors of their science aspirations, and intrinsic motivation was a greater significant predictor of students' achievement, according to student ratings. Based upon students' and teachers' perceptions, the

Students' affordance of teleologic explanations and antrhropomorphic language in eliciting concepts in physics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Romiro Gordo Bautista

2015-03-01

Full Text Available This study ascertains the students’ affordance of teleologic explanations and anthropomorphic language in eliciting concepts in Physics as influenced by their age and learning exposure and experience. Using Explicative-Reductive Method of Descriptive Research, this study focused on the determinants of students’ affordance of teleologic-anthropomorphic reasoning to select concepts in Physics: Kinematics, Dynamics, Statics and Introduction to Thermodynamics.  It was found out that the respondents had intermittently committed teleologic-anthropomorphic languages across age and nature of their secondary education. Furthermore, teleologic-anthropomorphic languages were found correctible by classroom interventions as indicated by the test results on age and curricular exposure.

Concept relation discovery and innovation enabling technology (CORDIET)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Poelmans, J.; Elzinga, P.; Neznanov, A.; Viaene, S.; Kuznetsov, S.O.; Ignatov, D.; Dedene, G.

2011-01-01

Concept Relation Discovery and Innovation Enabling Technology (CORDIET), is a toolbox for gaining new knowledge from unstructured text data. At the core of CORDIET is the C-K theory which captures the essential elements of innovation. The tool uses Formal Concept Analysis (FCA), Emergent Self

Self-concept mediates the relation between achievement and emotions in mathematics.

Science.gov (United States)

Van der Beek, Jojanneke P J; Van der Ven, Sanne H G; Kroesbergen, Evelyn H; Leseman, Paul P M

2017-09-01

Mathematics achievement is related to positive and negative emotions. Pekrun's control-value theory of achievement emotions suggests that students' self-concept (i.e., self-appraisal of ability) may be an important mediator of the relation between mathematics achievement and emotions. The aims were (1) to investigate the mediating role of mathematical self-concept in the relation between mathematics achievement and the achievement emotions of enjoyment and anxiety in a comprehensive model, and (2) to test possible differences in this mediating role between low-, average-, and high-achieving students. Participants were ninth-grade students (n = 1,014) from eight secondary schools in the Netherlands. Through an online survey including mathematical problems, students were asked to indicate their levels of mathematics enjoyment, anxiety, and self-concept. Structural equation modelling was used to test the mediating role of self-concept in the relation between mathematics achievement and emotions. Multigroup analyses were performed to compare these relations across the three achievement groups. Results confirmed full mediation of the relation between mathematics achievement and emotions by mathematical self-concept. Furthermore, we found higher self-concepts, more enjoyment and less math anxiety in high-achieving students compared to their average and low-achieving peers. No differences across these achievement groups were found in the relations in the mediational model. Mathematical self-concept plays a pivotal role in students' appraisal of mathematics. Mathematics achievement is only one factor explaining students' self-concept. Likely also classroom instruction and teachers' feedback strategies help to shape students' self-concept. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Action Relations. Basic Design Concepts for Behaviour Modelling and Refinement.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Quartel, Dick

This thesis presents basic design concepts, design methods and a basic design language for distributed system behaviours. This language is based on two basic concepts: the action concept and the causality relation concept. Our methods focus on behaviour refinement, which consists of replacing an

Relativity Based on Physical Processes Rather Than Space-Time

Science.gov (United States)

Giese, Albrecht

2013-09-01

Physicists' understanding of relativity and the way it is handled is at present dominated by the interpretation of Albert Einstein, who related relativity to specific properties of space and time. The principal alternative to Einstein's interpretation is based on a concept proposed by Hendrik A. Lorentz, which uses knowledge of classical physics to explain relativistic phenomena. In this paper, we will show that on the one hand the Lorentz-based interpretation provides a simpler mathematical way of arriving at the known results for both Special and General Relativity. On the other hand, it is able to solve problems which have remained open to this day. Furthermore, a particle model will be presented, based on Lorentzian relativity, which explains the origin of mass without the use of the Higgs mechanism, based on the finiteness of the speed of light, and which provides the classical results for particle properties that are currently only accessible through quantum mechanics.

Zero-gravity cloud physics laboratory: Experiment program definition and preliminary laboratory concept studies

Science.gov (United States)

Eaton, L. R.; Greco, E. V.

1973-01-01

The experiment program definition and preliminary laboratory concept studies on the zero G cloud physics laboratory are reported. This program involves the definition and development of an atmospheric cloud physics laboratory and the selection and delineations of a set of candidate experiments that must utilize the unique environment of zero gravity or near zero gravity.

Mission Concept to Connect Magnetospheric Physical Processes to Ionospheric Phenomena

Science.gov (United States)

Dors, E. E.; MacDonald, E.; Kepko, L.; Borovsky, J.; Reeves, G. D.; Delzanno, G. L.; Thomsen, M. F.; Sanchez, E. R.; Henderson, M. G.; Nguyen, D. C.; Vaith, H.; Gilchrist, B. E.; Spanswick, E.; Marshall, R. A.; Donovan, E.; Neilson, J.; Carlsten, B. E.

2017-12-01

On the Earth's nightside the magnetic connections between the ionosphere and the dynamic magnetosphere have a great deal of uncertainty: this uncertainty prevents us from scientifically understanding what physical processes in the magnetosphere are driving the various phenomena in the ionosphere. Since the 1990s, the space plasma physics group at Los Alamos National Laboratory has been working on a concept to connect magnetospheric physical processes to auroral phenomena in the ionosphere by firing an electron beam from a magnetospheric spacecraft and optically imaging the beam spot in the ionosphere. The magnetospheric spacecraft will carry a steerable electron accelerator, a power-storage system, a plasma contactor, and instruments to measure magnetic and electric fields, plasma, and energetic particles. The spacecraft orbit will be coordinated with a ground-based network of cameras to (a) locate the electron beam spot in the upper atmosphere and (b) monitor the aurora. An overview of the mission concept will be presented, including recent enabling advancements based on (1) a new understanding of the dynamic spacecraft charging of the accelerator and plasma-contactor system in the tenuous magnetosphere based on ion emission rather than electron collection, (2) a new understanding of the propagation properties of pulsed MeV-class beams in the magnetosphere, and (3) the design of a compact high-power 1-MeV electron accelerator and power-storage system. This strategy to (a) determine the magnetosphere-to-ionosphere connections and (b) reduce accelerator- platform charging responds to one of the six emerging-technology needs called out in the most-recent National Academies Decadal Survey for Solar and Space Physics. [LA-UR-17-23614

Students’ conceptions analysis on several electricity concepts

Science.gov (United States)

Saputro, D. E.; Sarwanto, S.; Sukarmin, S.; Ratnasari, D.

2018-05-01

This research is aimed to analyse students’ conceptions on several electricity concept. This is a descriptive research with the subjects of new students of Sebelas Maret University. The numbers of the subject were 279 students that consisted of several departments such as science education, physics education, chemistry education, biology education and mathematics education in the academic year of 2017/2018. The instrument used in this research was the multiple-choice test with arguments. Based on the result of the research and analysis, it can be concluded that most of the students still find misconceptions and do not understand electricity concept on sub-topics such as electric current characteristic in the series and parallel arrangement, the value of capacitor capacitance, the influence of the capacitor charge and discharge towards the loads, and the amount of capacitor series arrangement. For the future research, it is suggested to improve students’ conceptual understanding with appropriate learning method and assessment instrument because electricity is one of physics material that closely related with students’ daily life.

Relations between Representational Consistency, Conceptual Understanding of the Force Concept, and Scientific Reasoning

Science.gov (United States)

Nieminen, Pasi; Savinainen, Antti; Viiri, Jouni

2012-01-01

Previous physics education research has raised the question of "hidden variables" behind students' success in learning certain concepts. In the context of the force concept, it has been suggested that students' reasoning ability is one such variable. Strong positive correlations between students' preinstruction scores for reasoning…

A concept analysis of relational aggression.

Science.gov (United States)

Gomes, M M

2007-08-01

The purpose of this article is to conduct a concept analysis of the phenomenon of relational aggression. With the increases in violence among our youth, the topic of aggression, and more specifically relational aggression, has gained an increasing interest. Discussion of relational aggression is imperative because it lends credence to a type of aggression not readily studied in previous decades. A new understanding of relational aggression will aide in future nursing and multidisciplinary research studies and will guide health promotion interventions to alleviate the consequences of relational aggression for adolescent girls. Therefore, with an increased knowledge about the consequences of relational aggression the nurse can provide appropriate nursing interventions to combat the detriment associated with it.

Questioning the Universe concepts in physics

CERN Document Server

Sadoff, Ahren

2008-01-01

UNITS AND POWERS OF TEN PHYSICS AND ITS METHODOLOGY  What Is Physics? Methodology The First Scientist Why Do You Believe? Back to the Questions How Do We Answer theQuestions? The Need to BeQuantitative Theories Models AestheticJudgments  MOTION Relating the Variables of Motion Graphs of One-Dimensional Motion Constant Speed Constant Acceleration Two-Dimensional Motion FORCES The Fundamental Forces A Specific Force Law: Newtonian Gravity Weight How Does Force Affect Motion? Newton's SecondLaw Newton, the Apple, and the Moon Combining Two Laws The Mass of the Earth Newton's Firs

Pacifier Overuse and Conceptual Relations of Abstract and Emotional Concepts.

Science.gov (United States)

Barca, Laura; Mazzuca, Claudia; Borghi, Anna M

2017-01-01

This study explores the impact of the extensive use of an oral device since infancy (pacifier) on the acquisition of concrete, abstract, and emotional concepts. While recent evidence showed a negative relation between pacifier use and children's emotional competence (Niedenthal et al., 2012), the possible interaction between use of pacifier and processing of emotional and abstract language has not been investigated. According to recent theories, while all concepts are grounded in sensorimotor experience, abstract concepts activate linguistic and social information more than concrete ones. Specifically, the Words As Social Tools (WAT) proposal predicts that the simulation of their meaning leads to an activation of the mouth (Borghi and Binkofski, 2014; Borghi and Zarcone, 2016). Since the pacifier affects facial mimicry forcing mouth muscles into a static position, we hypothesize its possible interference on acquisition/consolidation of abstract emotional and abstract not-emotional concepts, which are mainly conveyed during social and linguistic interactions, than of concrete concepts. Fifty-nine first grade children, with a history of different frequency of pacifier use, provided oral definitions of the meaning of abstract not-emotional, abstract emotional, and concrete words. Main effect of concept type emerged, with higher accuracy in defining concrete and abstract emotional concepts with respect to abstract not-emotional concepts, independently from pacifier use. Accuracy in definitions was not influenced by the use of pacifier, but correspondence and hierarchical clustering analyses suggest that the use of pacifier differently modulates the conceptual relations elicited by abstract emotional and abstract not-emotional. While the majority of the children produced a similar pattern of conceptual relations, analyses on the few (6) children who overused the pacifier (for more than 3 years) showed that they tend to distinguish less clearly between concrete and

Pacifier Overuse and Conceptual Relations of Abstract and Emotional Concepts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura Barca

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This study explores the impact of the extensive use of an oral device since infancy (pacifier on the acquisition of concrete, abstract, and emotional concepts. While recent evidence showed a negative relation between pacifier use and children's emotional competence (Niedenthal et al., 2012, the possible interaction between use of pacifier and processing of emotional and abstract language has not been investigated. According to recent theories, while all concepts are grounded in sensorimotor experience, abstract concepts activate linguistic and social information more than concrete ones. Specifically, the Words As Social Tools (WAT proposal predicts that the simulation of their meaning leads to an activation of the mouth (Borghi and Binkofski, 2014; Borghi and Zarcone, 2016. Since the pacifier affects facial mimicry forcing mouth muscles into a static position, we hypothesize its possible interference on acquisition/consolidation of abstract emotional and abstract not-emotional concepts, which are mainly conveyed during social and linguistic interactions, than of concrete concepts. Fifty-nine first grade children, with a history of different frequency of pacifier use, provided oral definitions of the meaning of abstract not-emotional, abstract emotional, and concrete words. Main effect of concept type emerged, with higher accuracy in defining concrete and abstract emotional concepts with respect to abstract not-emotional concepts, independently from pacifier use. Accuracy in definitions was not influenced by the use of pacifier, but correspondence and hierarchical clustering analyses suggest that the use of pacifier differently modulates the conceptual relations elicited by abstract emotional and abstract not-emotional. While the majority of the children produced a similar pattern of conceptual relations, analyses on the few (6 children who overused the pacifier (for more than 3 years showed that they tend to distinguish less clearly between

What Causes Environmental Inequalities and Related Health Effects? An Analysis of Evolving Concepts

Science.gov (United States)

Kruize, Hanneke; Droomers, Mariël; van Kamp, Irene; Ruijsbroek, Annemarie

2014-01-01

Early environmental justice studies were exposure-oriented, lacked an integrated approach, and did not address the health impact of environmental inequalities. A coherent conceptual framework, needed to understand and tackle environmental inequalities and the related health effects, was lacking. We analyzed the more recent environmental justice literature to find out how conceptual insights have evolved. The conceptual framework of the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health (CSDH) was analyzed for additional explanations for environmental inequalities and the related health effects. This paper points out that recent environmental justice studies have broadened their scope by incorporating a broader set of physical and social environmental indicators, and by focusing on different geographic levels and on health impacts of environmental inequalities. The CSDH framework provided additional elements such as the role of structural determinants, the role of health-related behavior in relation to the physical and social environment, access to health care, as well as the life course perspective. Incorporating elements of the CSDH framework into existing environmental justice concepts, and performing more empirical research on the interactions between the different determinants at different geographical levels would further improve our understanding of environmental inequalities and their health effects and offer new opportunities for policy action. PMID:24886752

What Causes Environmental Inequalities and Related Health Effects? An Analysis of Evolving Concepts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hanneke Kruize

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Early environmental justice studies were exposure-oriented, lacked an integrated approach, and did not address the health impact of environmental inequalities. A coherent conceptual framework, needed to understand and tackle environmental inequalities and the related health effects, was lacking. We analyzed the more recent environmental justice literature to find out how conceptual insights have evolved. The conceptual framework of the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health (CSDH was analyzed for additional explanations for environmental inequalities and the related health effects. This paper points out that recent environmental justice studies have broadened their scope by incorporating a broader set of physical and social environmental indicators, and by focusing on different geographic levels and on health impacts of environmental inequalities. The CSDH framework provided additional elements such as the role of structural determinants, the role of health-related behavior in relation to the physical and social environment, access to health care, as well as the life course perspective. Incorporating elements of the CSDH framework into existing environmental justice concepts, and performing more empirical research on the interactions between the different determinants at different geographical levels would further improve our understanding of environmental inequalities and their health effects and offer new opportunities for policy action.

Adaptive, maladaptive, mediational, and bidirectional processes of relational and physical aggression, relational and physical victimization, and peer liking.

Science.gov (United States)

Kawabata, Yoshito; Tseng, Wan-Ling; Crick, Nicki R

2014-01-01

A three-wave longitudinal study among ethnically diverse preadolescents (N = 597 at Time 1, ages 9-11) was conducted to examine adaptive, maladaptive, mediational, and bidirectional processes of relational and physical aggression, victimization, and peer liking indexed by peer acceptance and friendships. A series of nested structural equation models tested the hypothesized links among these peer-domain factors. It was hypothesized that (1) relational aggression trails both adaptive and maladaptive processes, linking to more peer victimization and more peer liking, whereas physical aggression is maladaptive, resulting in more peer victimization and less peer liking; (2) physical and relational victimization is maladaptive, relating to more aggression and less peer liking; (3) peer liking may be the social context that promotes relational aggression (not physical aggression), whereas peer liking may protect against peer victimization, regardless of its type; and (4) peer liking mediates the link between forms of aggression and forms of peer victimization. Results showed that higher levels of peer liking predicted relative increases in relational aggression (not physical aggression), which in turn led to more peer liking. On the other hand, more peer liking was predictive of relative decreases in relational aggression and relational victimization in transition to the next grade (i.e., fifth grade). In addition, relational victimization predicted relative increases in relational aggression and relative decreases in peer liking. Similarly, physical aggression was consistently and concurrently associated more physical victimization and was marginally predictive of relative increases in physical victimization in transition to the next grade. More peer liking predicted relative decreases in physical victimization, which resulted in lower levels of peer liking. The directionality and magnitude of these paths did not differ between boys and girls. © 2013 Wiley

The integral fast reactor (IFR) concept: Physics of operation and safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wade, D.C.; Chang, Y.I.

1987-01-01

The IFR concept employs a pool layout, a U/Pu/Zr metal alloy fuel and a closed fuel cycle based on pyrometallurgical reprocessing and injection casting refabrication. The reactor physics issues of designing for inherent safety and for a closed fissile self-sufficient integral fuel cycle with uranium startup and potential actinide transmutation are discussed

The integral fast reactor (IFR) concept: physics of operation and safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wade, D.C.; Chang, Y.I.

1987-01-01

The IFR concept employs a pool layout, a U/Pu/Zr metal alloy fuel and a closed fuel cycle based on pyrometallurgical reprocessing and injection casting refabrication. The reactor physics issues of designing for inherent safety and for a closed fissile self-sufficient integral fuel cycle with uranium startup and potential actinide transmutation are discussed

Healing, Mental Energy in the Physics Classroom: Energy Conceptions and Trust in Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Grade 10-12 Students

Science.gov (United States)

Svedholm, Annika M.; Lindeman, Marjaana

2013-03-01

Lay conceptions of energy often conflict with scientific knowledge, hinder science learning and scientific literacy, and provide a basis for ungrounded beliefs. In a sample of Finnish upper secondary school students, energy was attributed with features of living and animate beings and thought of as a mental property. These ontologically confused conceptions (OCC) were associated with trust in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), and independent of scientifically valid conceptions. Substance-based energy conceptions followed the correlational pattern of OCC, rather than scientific conceptions. OCC and CAM decreased both during the regular school physics curriculum and after a lesson targeted at the ontological confusions. OCC and CAM were slightly less common among students with high actively open-minded thinking, low trust in intuition and high need for cognition. The findings are discussed in relation to the goals of scientific education.

Formal structures, the concepts of covariance, invariance, equivalent reference frames, and the principle Relativity

Science.gov (United States)

Rodrigues, W. A.; Scanavini, M. E. F.; de Alcantara, L. P.

1990-02-01

In this paper a given spacetime theory T is characterized as the theory of a certain species of structure in the sense of Bourbaki [1]. It is then possible to clarify in a rigorous way the concepts of passive and active covariance of T under the action of the manifold mapping group G M . For each T, we define also an invariance group G I T and, in general, G I T ≠ G M . This group is defined once we realize that, for each τ ∈ ModT, each explicit geometrical object defining the structure can be classified as absolute or dynamical [2]. All spacetime theories possess also implicit geometrical objects that do not appear explicitly in the structure. These implicit objects are not absolute nor dynamical. Among them there are the reference frame fields, i.e., “timelike” vector fields X ∈ TU,U subseteq M M, where M is a manifold which is part of ST, a substructure for each τ ∈ ModT, called spacetime. We give a physically motivated definition of equivalent reference frames and introduce the concept of the equivalence group of a class of reference frames of kind X according to T, G X T. We define that T admits a weak principle of relativity (WPR) only if G X T ≠ identity for some X. If G X T = G I T for some X, we say that T admits a strong principle of relativity (PR). The results of this paper generalize and clarify several results obtained by Anderson [2], Scheibe [3], Hiskes [4], Recami and Rodrigues [5], Friedman [6], Fock [7], and Scanavini [8]. Among the novelties here, there is the realization that the definitions of G I T and G X T can be given only when certain boundary conditions for the equations of motion of T can be physically realizable in the domain U U subseteq M M, where a given reference frame is defined. The existence of physically realizable boundary conditions for each τ ∈ ModT (in ∂ U), in contrast with the mathematically possible boundary condition, is then seen to be essential for the validity of a principle of relativity for T

Influence of Cultural Belief and Values on Secondary School Students' Understanding of Atmospheric Related Physics Concepts

Science.gov (United States)

Bello, Theodora Olufunke

2015-01-01

The study identified the different cultural concepts that secondary school students' believe in and determined the belief and idea of students about the cultural concepts. It also investigated students' source of information about the cultural concepts and determined the influence of these cultural believes on students' academic performance in…

History of modern physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Biezunski, M.

1993-01-01

This book presents an history of the principal concepts of contemporary physics and their genesis from the great cleavages of the beginning of the century with some incursions in a more far-away past. The essential concepts are replaced in their creation context, especially relativity, quantum mechanics and particles physics. (A.B.)

The "Finding Physics" Project: Recognizing and Exploring Physics outside the Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Beck, Judith; Perkins, James

2016-01-01

Students in introductory physics classes often have difficulty recognizing the relevance of physics concepts outside the confines of the physics classroom, lab, and textbook. Even though textbooks and instructors often provide examples of physics applications from a wide array of areas, students have difficulty relating physics to their own lives.…

Concepts of Kinship Relations and Inheritance in Childhood and Adolescence

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Joanne M.; Smith, Lesley A.

2010-01-01

This paper examines the development and consistency of children's (4, 7, 10, and 14 years) naive concepts of inheritance using three tasks. A modified adoption task asked participants to distinguish between biological and social parentage in their predictions and explanations of the origins of different feature types (physical characteristics,…

The concept of mass angular scattering power and its relation to the diffusion constant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sandison, George A.; Papiez, Lech S. [School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN (United States)

1998-09-01

An understanding of the scattering of high energy charged particle beams by tissue is required in radiotherapy since the particle trajectories determine the pattern of radiation dose deposition in patients. Numerical calculations of radiation dose often utilize energy dependent values of the angular scattering power. However, the physics literature is replete with confused interpretations of the concept of angular scattering power and its relation to the single scattering cross section for the medium or the diffusion constant in the diffusional limit. The purpose of this article is to clarify these notions.

Quantum mechanics and the physical reality concept

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

von Borzeszkowski, H.H.; Wahsner, R.

1988-01-01

The difference between the measurement bases of classical and quantum mechanics is often interpreted as a loss of reality arising in quantum mechanics. In this paper it is shown that this apparent loss occurs only if one believes that refined everyday experience determines the Euclidean space as the real space, instead of considering this space, both in classical and quantum mechanics, as a theoretical construction needed for measurement and representing one part of a dualistic space conception. From this point of view, Einstein's program of a unified field theory can be interpreted as the attempt to find a physical theory that is less dualistic. However, if one regards this dualism as resulting from the requirements of measurements, one can hope for a weakening of the dualism but not expect to remove it completely

The education of Physics in elementary school: conceptions of the teaching staff practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cleci Werner da Rosa

2007-12-01

Full Text Available This present study sought to investigate the Sciences education developed in the Elementary school, emphasizing the identification of the physical presence in the curricular subjects at this school level. For this reason, interviews were accomplished with thirty four teachers in order to allow a mapping about the current science education before the sample selected for the research. Besides the identification of the subjects approached in Sciences, the research made the investigation, in such a more specific way, of physics in the curricular programs of elementary classes possible, as well as the way this subject was present during the graduation process of the teachers were being investigated. The results of the investigation pointed to the following issues: the contents of the curricular subject of Sciences, for the level being investigated, include fairly exclusive Biology topics; the lack of experimental activities; an education linked to the concepts and methodologies presented in graduation courses of the teaching staff; the conscientiousness of these teaching staff that the national legislation gives them freedom in curricular planning and organizing, even so, they feel themselves stuck into programs previously established by Education Secretariats or by educational books; and moreover, that the difficulties to discuss Physics in Elementary school are related to its graduating process.

An intelligent tutoring system for teaching fundamental physics concepts

Science.gov (United States)

Albacete, Patricia Lucia

1999-12-01

Students in traditional elementary mechanics classes can master problem solving of a quantitative nature but not those of a qualitative type. Moreover, students' naive conceptions of physics remain unchanged after completing their class. A few approaches have been implemented to improve this situation however none have met with great success. Since elementary mechanics is the foundation for all of physics and it is a required course for most science majors there is a clear need to improve the instruction of the subject. To address this problem I developed a intelligent tutoring system, called the Conceptual Helper, which coaches students during homework problem solving. The tutor uses a unique cognitive based approach to teaching physics, which presents innovations in three areas. (1) The teaching strategy, which focuses on teaching those links among the concepts of the domain that are essential for conceptual understanding yet are seldom learned by the students. (2) The manner in which the knowledge is taught, which is based on a combination of effective human tutoring techniques (e.g., hinting), effective pedagogical methods (e.g., a microscopic view of matter), and less cognitively demanding approaches (e.g., anthropomorphism). (3) The way in which misconceptions are handled which uses the underlying scientific correct line of reasoning to describe to the student the phenomenon that is the basis for the misconception. From a technological point of view the Conceptual Helper was implemented as a model-tracing tutor which intervenes when students make errors and after completion of each problem, at which time the tutor scaffolds the students on post-problem reflection. The remediation is guided by probabilistic assessment of mastery and the interventions are adapted to the errors. The thesis also presents the results of the evaluation of the system which revealed that the gain scores of the experimental group were statistically significantly higher than those of

Relation between self-concept and students alcohol drinking

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H.M. Fernandes

2009-01-01

Full Text Available This study examines the relation between multiple self-concept dimensions and alcohol consumption within the adolescent schooling. A sample of 642 students (263 boys and 379 girls aged between 15 and 23 years completed the Self-Description Questionnaire II (SDQ II and an alcohol drinking measure. Results reveal an absence of significant relationships between global self-esteem and alcohol consumption and a small relation, found only in the female, between alcoholic drinking and global self-concept, supporting the assumption that supports the low sensitivity and the consequent use of scarce global dimensions of the self. In contrast, there are significant relations between some specific dimensions of the self and alcohol consumption, whilst the correlation coefficients vary according to subject’s gender, suggesting a cultural involvement based analysis.

Relation between self-concept and students alcohol drinking

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Vasconcelos-Raposo

2009-03-01

Full Text Available This study examines the relation between multiple self-concept dimensions and alcohol consumption within the adolescent schooling. A sample of 642 students (263 boys and 379 girls aged between 15 and 23 years completed the Self-Description Questionnaire II (SDQ II and an alcohol drinking measure. Results reveal an absence of significant relationships between global self-esteem and alcohol consumption and a small relation, found only in the female, between alcoholic drinking and global self-concept, supporting the assumption that supports the low sensitivity and the consequent use of scarce global dimensions of the self. In contrast, there are significant relations between some specific dimensions of the self and alcohol consumption, whilst the correlation coefficients vary according to subject’s gender, suggesting a cultural involvement based analysis.

Talking and learning physics: Predicting future grades from network measures and Force Concept Inventory pretest scores

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jesper Bruun

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The role of student interactions in learning situations is a foundation of sociocultural learning theory, and social network analysis can be used to quantify student relations. We discuss how self-reported student interactions can be viewed as processes of meaning making and use this to understand how quantitative measures that describe the position in a network, called centrality measures, can be understood in terms of interactions that happen in the context of a university physics course. We apply this discussion to an empirical data set of self-reported student interactions. In a weekly administered survey, first year university students enrolled in an introductory physics course at a Danish university indicated with whom they remembered having communicated within different interaction categories. For three categories pertaining to (1 communication about how to solve physics problems in the course (called the PS category, (2 communications about the nature of physics concepts (called the CD category, and (3 social interactions that are not strictly related to the content of the physics classes (called the ICS category in the introductory mechanics course, we use the survey data to create networks of student interaction. For each of these networks, we calculate centrality measures for each student and correlate these measures with grades from the introductory course, grades from two subsequent courses, and the pretest Force Concept Inventory (FCI scores. We find highly significant correlations (p<0.001 between network centrality measures and grades in all networks. We find the highest correlations between network centrality measures and future grades. In the network composed of interactions regarding problem solving (the PS network, the centrality measures hide and PageRank show the highest correlations (r=-0.32 and r=0.33, respectively with future grades. In the CD network, the network measure target entropy shows the highest correlation

Action Relations. Basic Design Concepts for Behaviour Modelling and Refinement.

OpenAIRE

Quartel, Dick

1998-01-01

This thesis presents basic design concepts, design methods and a basic design language for distributed system behaviours. This language is based on two basic concepts: the action concept and the causality relation concept. Our methods focus on behaviour refinement, which consists of replacing an abstract behaviour by a more concrete behaviour, such that the concrete behaviour conforms to the abstract behaviour. An important idea underlying this thesis is that an effective design methodology s...

Culture of Honour and Emotional Intelligence: Incompatible or related concepts?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Esther López-Zafra

2013-11-01

Full Text Available In this study we relate two concepts, Emotional Intelligence and Culture of Honour; in both cases the emotional aspect is very important and we believe they may have a role in couple relations. We propose that both concepts would relate in reverse, so that an individual with a high level of Emotional Intelligence would give less importance to the Culture of Honor and vice versa. A sample of 203 heterosexual couples completed a questionnaire. Our results show that the dimension Attention to emotions is associated with the culture of honor. Among our fi ndings we propose that the two concepts are related in some way and that congruency in the valuation of the Culture of Honor between the two partners will also deal with a level of Emotional Intelligence higher than in couples where there is not this congruence.

Geometry of physical dispersion relations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raetzel, Dennis; Rivera, Sergio; Schuller, Frederic P.

2011-01-01

To serve as a dispersion relation, a cotangent bundle function must satisfy three simple algebraic properties. These conditions are derived from the inescapable physical requirements that local matter field dynamics must be predictive and allow for an observer-independent notion of positive energy. Possible modifications of the standard relativistic dispersion relation are thereby severely restricted. For instance, the dispersion relations associated with popular deformations of Maxwell theory by Gambini-Pullin or Myers-Pospelov are not admissible. Dispersion relations passing the simple algebraic checks derived here correspond to physically admissible Finslerian refinements of Lorentzian geometry.

Climacteric symptoms and their relation to feminine self-concept.

Science.gov (United States)

Quiroga, A; Larroy, C; González-Castro, P

2017-06-01

To investigate women's subjective experiences in the climacteric transition, especially the impact of self-concept, quality of life and depression on the severity of climacteric symptoms. Non-experimental, cross-sectional study, purpose sampling. To analyze the results, we proposed a three-way interaction, in which the direct effect of depression on the severity of climacteric symptoms would be buffered by perceived sexual quality of life, and mediated by self-concept. As hypothesized, depression significantly predicted self-concept, which in turn mediated the severity of climacteric symptoms. In a second stage of the model, sexual quality of life moderated the direct effect of depression on climacteric symptoms, such that women with a better sexual quality of life would perceive less severity of climacteric symptoms than those with a less favorable sexual quality of life. Physical quality of life did not significantly buffer the direct effect of depression on climacteric symptoms, nor did vasomotor or psychosocial quality of life. Our study confirmed the impact of subjective factors such as satisfaction, self-concept, and quality of life on climacteric symptoms; specifically, we observed the moderating effect of the sexual quality of life on the previously established correlation between depression and aggravation of climacteric symptoms.

Emerging concepts for management of river ecosystems and challenges to applied integration of physical and biological sciences in the Pacific Northwest, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Bruce E. Rieman; Jason B. Dunham; James L. Clayton

2006-01-01

Integration of biological and physical concepts is necessary to understand and conserve the ecological integrity of river systems. Past attempts at integration have often focused at relatively small scales and on mechanistic models that may not capture the complexity of natural systems leaving substantial uncertainty about ecological responses to management actions....

Interpreting Measures of Fundamental Movement Skills and Their Relationship with Health-Related Physical Activity and Self-Concept

Science.gov (United States)

Jarvis, Stuart; Williams, Morgan; Rainer, Paul; Jones, Eleri Sian; Saunders, John; Mullen, Richard

2018-01-01

The aims of this study were to determine proficiency levels of fundamental movement skills using cluster analysis in a cohort of U.K. primary school children; and to further examine the relationships between fundamental movement skills proficiency and other key aspects of health-related physical activity behavior. Participants were 553 primary…

The effect of obesity on the physical self-concept of urban school ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Nonparametric t-test was employed to test significant di fferences between boys and girls among the three groups. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey post -hoc test were calculated to examine the effect of obesity on the children's physical self-concept. The results showed that overweight and obese children were tal ...

Correspondence Between Physical Self-Concept and Participation in, and Fitness Change After, Biweekly Body Conditioning Classes in Sedentary Women.

Science.gov (United States)

Aasa, Ulrika; Paulin, Johan; Madison, Guy

2017-02-01

Aasa, U, Paulin, J, and Madison, G. Correspondence between physical self-concept and participation in, and fitness change after, biweekly body conditioning classes in sedentary women. J Strength Cond Res 31(2): 451-461, 2017-The aims of the study were (a) to investigate the effects of participation in low impact body conditioning classes on physical fitness in sedentary women at different ages and (b) to examine the correspondence between physical self-concept and participation in, and fitness change after, the participation. Ninety-two sedentary women (mean age 44.2 years) participated in 11 weeks of biweekly classes that included cardiovascular, strength, core, endurance, and mobility exercises, all performed in synchrony with music. Cardiorespiratory fitness, maximal lifting strength, mobility, and balance tests were performed before and after the exercise period and the short-form of the Physical Self-Description Questionnaire (PSDQ-S) was completed. Zero-order Spearman correlation analyses showed that women who rated the PSDQ-S dimension sport competence higher participated in a larger number of sessions (rs = 0.24, p = 0.040). At posttests, all participants had increased their balance, the participants aged 20-34 years had increased their lifting strength, and the participants aged 35-65 years had increased their cardiorespiratory fitness and mobility. Most PSDQ-S dimensions did not affect performance change, but the perception of being physically active was related to increased cardiovascular fitness. We conclude that women with a sedentary lifestyle who wish to increase their physical capacity benefit from music exercise and that inquiries about perceived sport competence and physical activity can improve recommendations made by strength and conditioning professionals.

General definition of the concept of "sport" as one of the basic constructs of the general theory of physical culture and sports theory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vasil Sutula

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Purpose: to reveal modern ideas about the essence of the concept of "sport" and determine its role in the development of the general theory of physical culture and sports theory. Material & Methods: analysis of specialized literature, which highlights various aspects of the development of the field of people's activities related to the use of physical exercises. Results: in today's society there is an objective sphere of human activity related to the use of physical exercises, for which the name in domestic and foreign scientific and social practice is most often used the term "physical culture". Conclusion: the constitutive conditions of the process of developing a general theory of physical culture are singled out, it is shown that sport, as a special socio-cultural phenomenon, is a historically conditioned activity of people associated with the use of physical exercises, aimed at preparing and participating in competitions, as well as individual and socially significant results of such activity.

Longitudinal relationships between self-concept for physical activity and neighborhood social life as predictors of physical activity among older African American adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Sweeney, Allison M; Wilson, Dawn K; Lee Van Horn, M

2017-05-22

Engaging in regular physical activity (PA) as an older adult has been associated with numerous physical and mental health benefits. The aim of this study is to directly compare how individual-level cognitive factors (self-efficacy for PA, self-determined motivation for PA, self-concept for PA) and neighborhood perceptions of the social factors (neighborhood satisfaction, neighborhood social life) impact moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) longitudinally among older African American adults. Data were analyzed from a sub-set of older African American adults (N = 224, M age  = 63.23 years, SD = 8.74, 63.23% female, M Body Mass Index  = 32.01, SD = 7.52) enrolled in the Positive Action for Today's Health trial. MVPA was assessed using 7-day accelerometry-estimates and psychosocial data (self-efficacy for PA, self-determined motivation for PA, self-concept for PA, neighborhood satisfaction, neighborhood social life) were collected at baseline, 12-, 18-, and 24-months. Multilevel growth modeling was used to examine within- and between-person effects of individual-level cognitive and social environmental factors on MVPA. At the between-person level, self-concept (b = 0.872, SE = 0.239, p self-concept (b = 0.294, SE = 0.145, p = 0.043) and neighborhood social life (b = 0.270, SE = 0.113, p = 0.017) were associated with increased MVPA. These results suggest that people with a higher average self-concept for PA and a more positive social life engaged in greater average MVPA. Additionally, changes in perceptions of one's neighborhood social life and one's self-concept for PA were associated with greater MVPA over 2 years. These factors may be particularly relevant for future interventions targeting long-term change and maintenance of MVPA in older African Americans. ClinicalTrials.Gov # NCT01025726 registered 1 December 2009.

Physical activity in relation to selected physical health components ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The aim of this study was to determine the relation between physical activity and selected physical health components. A total of 9860 employees of a financial institution in South Africa, between the ages 18 and 64 (x̄ =35.3 ± 18.6 years), voluntary participated in the study. Health risk factors and physical activity was ...

A curricular frame for physics education: Development, comparison with students' interests, and impact on students' achievement and self-concept

Science.gov (United States)

Häussler, Peter; Hoffmann, Lore

2000-11-01

This article presents three interlinked studies aimed at: (1) developing a curricular frame for physics education; (2) assessing the students' interest in the contents, contexts, and activities that are suggested by that curricular frame; and (3) developing a curriculum that is in line with that frame and measuring its cognitive and emotional effects on students. The curricular frame was developed by adopting the Delphi technique and drawing on the expertise of 73 persons selected according to specified selection criteria. Interest data of some 8000 students and information of the presently taught physics curriculum were sampled longitudinally as well as cross-sectionally in various German Länder (states) by questionnaire. The third study comprised 23 experimental and 7 control classes. As a result of the comparison between the features of the curricular frame, the interest structure of students, and the current physics curriculum, there is a remarkable congruency between students' interest in physics and the kind of physics education identified in the Delphi study as being relevant. However, there is a considerable discrepancy between students' interest and the kind of physics instruction practiced in the physics classroom. Regression analysis revealed that students' interest in physics as a school subject is hardly related to their interest in physics, but mainly to the students' self-esteem of being good achievers. The data strongly suggest physics be taught so that students have a chance to develop a positive physics-related self-concept and to link physics with situations they encounter outside the classroom. A curriculum based on these principles proved superior compared to a traditional curriculum.

Educacao Fisica Escolar: A Construcao de um Conceito (School Physical Education: The Construction of a Concept).

Science.gov (United States)

Colpas, Ricardo Ducatti

2000-01-01

Seeks to understand school physical education praxis in light of the human development theories of Lev Vygotsky. Develops a methodology of teaching and a conception of learning that enables students to recognize physical education as a school discipline connected to a dynamic curriculum. (BT)

Students' Affordance of Teleologic Explanations and Anthropomorphic Language in Eliciting Concepts in Physics

Science.gov (United States)

Bautista, Romiro G.

2015-01-01

This study ascertains that the students' affordance of teleologic explanations and anthropomorphic language in eliciting concepts in Physics is influenced by their age and learning exposure and experience. Using Explicative-Reductive Method of Descriptive Research, this study focused on the determinants of students' affordance of…

The Origins of the Field Concept in Physics

Science.gov (United States)

McMullin, Ernan

The term, ``field,'' made its first appearance in physics as a technical term in the mid-nineteenth century. But the notion of what later came to be called a field had been a long time in gestation. Early discussions of magnetism and of the cause of the ocean tides had long ago suggested the idea of a ``zone of influence'' surrounding certain bodies. Johannes Kepler's mathematical rendering of the orbital motion of Mars encouraged him to formulate what he called ``a true theory of gravity'' involving the notion of attraction. Isaac Newton went on to construct an eminently effective dynamics, with attraction as its primary example of force. Was his a field theory? Historians of science disagree. Much depends on whether a theory consistent with the notion of action at a distance ought qualify as a ``field'' theory. Roger Boscovich and Immanuel Kant later took the Newtonian concept of attraction in new directions. It was left to Michael Faraday to propose the ``physical existence'' of lines of force and to James Clerk Maxwell to add as criterion the presence of energy as the ontological basis for a full-blown ``field theory'' of electromagnetic phenomena.

Self-Concept and Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analysis of Longitudinal Relations

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Chiungjung

2011-01-01

The relation between self-concept and academic achievement was examined in 39 independent and longitudinal samples through the integration of meta-analysis and path analysis procedures. For relations with more than 3 independent samples, the mean observed correlations ranged from 0.20 to 0.27 between prior self-concept and subsequent academic…

Childhood Obesity, Gender, Actual-Ideal Body Image Discrepancies, and Physical Self-Concept in Hong Kong Children: Cultural Differences in the Value of Moderation

Science.gov (United States)

Marsh, Herbert W.; Hau, K. T.; Sung, R. Y. T.; Yu, C. W.

2007-01-01

Childhood obesity is increasingly prevalent in Western and non-Western societies. The authors related multiple dimensions of physical self-concept to body composition for 763 Chinese children aged 8 to 15 and compared the results with Western research. Compared with Western research, gender differences favoring boys were generally much smaller for…

Emerging concepts for management of river ecosystems and challenges to applied integration of physical and biological sciences in the Pacific Northwest, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Rieman, Bruce; Dunham, Jason B.; Clayton, James

2006-01-01

Integration of biological and physical concepts is necessary to understand and conserve the ecological integrity of river systems. Past attempts at integration have often focused at relatively small scales and on mechanistic models that may not capture the complexity of natural systems leaving substantial uncertainty about ecological responses to management actions. Two solutions have been proposed to guide management in the face of that uncertainty: the use of “natural variability” in key environmental patterns, processes, or disturbance as a reference; and the retention of some areas as essentially unmanaged reserves to conserve and represent as much biological diversity as possible. Both concepts are scale dependent because dominant processes or patterns that might be referenced will change with scale. Context and linkages across scales may be as important in structuring biological systems as conditions within habitats used by individual organisms. Both ideas view the physical environment as a template for expression, maintenance, and evolution of ecological diversity. To conserve or restore a diverse physical template it will be important to recognize the ecologically important differences in physical characteristics and processes among streams or watersheds that we might attempt to mimic in management or represent in conservation or restoration reserves.

The development of the physical conceptions of the FBR type reactors control methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matveev, V.I.; Ivanov, A.P.

1984-01-01

The physical concepts and specific problems of the control elements for LMFBR type reactors are discussed in this paper. Typical temperature coefficient of reactivity, its dependency on reactor power and burnup level are given. The authors give us the most advisable methods of the reactivity coefficient compensation

Essential Concepts and Underlying Theories from Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics for "Biochemistry and Molecular Biology" Majors

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Ann; Provost, Joseph; Roecklein-Canfield, Jennifer A.; Bell, Ellis

2013-01-01

Over the past two years, through an NSF RCN UBE grant, the ASBMB has held regional workshops for faculty members from around the country. The workshops have focused on developing lists of Core Principles or Foundational Concepts in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, a list of foundational skills, and foundational concepts from Physics, Chemistry,…

Relating Complexity and Error Rates of Ontology Concepts. More Complex NCIt Concepts Have More Errors.

Science.gov (United States)

Min, Hua; Zheng, Ling; Perl, Yehoshua; Halper, Michael; De Coronado, Sherri; Ochs, Christopher

2017-05-18

Ontologies are knowledge structures that lend support to many health-information systems. A study is carried out to assess the quality of ontological concepts based on a measure of their complexity. The results show a relation between complexity of concepts and error rates of concepts. A measure of lateral complexity defined as the number of exhibited role types is used to distinguish between more complex and simpler concepts. Using a framework called an area taxonomy, a kind of abstraction network that summarizes the structural organization of an ontology, concepts are divided into two groups along these lines. Various concepts from each group are then subjected to a two-phase QA analysis to uncover and verify errors and inconsistencies in their modeling. A hierarchy of the National Cancer Institute thesaurus (NCIt) is used as our test-bed. A hypothesis pertaining to the expected error rates of the complex and simple concepts is tested. Our study was done on the NCIt's Biological Process hierarchy. Various errors, including missing roles, incorrect role targets, and incorrectly assigned roles, were discovered and verified in the two phases of our QA analysis. The overall findings confirmed our hypothesis by showing a statistically significant difference between the amounts of errors exhibited by more laterally complex concepts vis-à-vis simpler concepts. QA is an essential part of any ontology's maintenance regimen. In this paper, we reported on the results of a QA study targeting two groups of ontology concepts distinguished by their level of complexity, defined in terms of the number of exhibited role types. The study was carried out on a major component of an important ontology, the NCIt. The findings suggest that more complex concepts tend to have a higher error rate than simpler concepts. These findings can be utilized to guide ongoing efforts in ontology QA.

Relative Effects of Problem-Solving and Concept Mapping ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Relative Effects of Problem-Solving and Concept Mapping Instructional ... mapping strategies are also discussed and their significance and importance to students. ... development of problem solving skills before the end of SSCE Programmebr ...

Toward a Proof of Concept Cloud Framework for Physics Applications on Blue Gene Supercomputers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dreher, Patrick; Scullin, William; Vouk, Mladen

2015-01-01

Traditional high performance supercomputers are capable of delivering large sustained state-of-the-art computational resources to physics applications over extended periods of time using batch processing mode operating environments. However, today there is an increasing demand for more complex workflows that involve large fluctuations in the levels of HPC physics computational requirements during the simulations. Some of the workflow components may also require a richer set of operating system features and schedulers than normally found in a batch oriented HPC environment. This paper reports on progress toward a proof of concept design that implements a cloud framework onto BG/P and BG/Q platforms at the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility. The BG/P implementation utilizes the Kittyhawk utility and the BG/Q platform uses an experimental heterogeneous FusedOS operating system environment. Both platforms use the Virtual Computing Laboratory as the cloud computing system embedded within the supercomputer. This proof of concept design allows a cloud to be configured so that it can capitalize on the specialized infrastructure capabilities of a supercomputer and the flexible cloud configurations without resorting to virtualization. Initial testing of the proof of concept system is done using the lattice QCD MILC code. These types of user reconfigurable environments have the potential to deliver experimental schedulers and operating systems within a working HPC environment for physics computations that may be different from the native OS and schedulers on production HPC supercomputers. (paper)

Longitudinal relations between symptoms, neurocognition, and self-concept in schizophrenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Hesse, Klaus; Kriston, Levente; Wittorf, Andreas; Herrlich, Jutta; Wölwer, Wolfgang; Klingberg, Stefan

2015-01-01

Cognitive models suggest that the self-concept of persons with psychosis can be fundamentally affected. Self-concepts were found to be related to different symptom domains when measured concurrently. Longitudinal investigations to disentangle the possible causal associations are rare. We examined a sample of 160 people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia who took part in a psychotherapy study. All participants had the DSM-IV diagnosis of a schizophrenia and pronounced negative symptoms. Neurocognition, symptoms, and self-concepts were assessed at two time points 12 months apart. Structural equation modeling was used to test whether symptoms influence self-concepts (scar-model) or self-concepts affect symptoms (vulnerability model). Negative symptoms correlated concurrently with self-concepts. Neurocognitive deficits are associated with more negative self-concepts 12 months later. Interpersonal self-concepts were found to be relevant for paranoia. The findings implicate that if deficits in neurocognition are present, fostering a positive self-concept should be an issue in therapy. Negative interpersonal self-concept indicates an increased risk for paranoid delusions in the course of 1 year. New aspects for cognitive models in schizophrenia and clinical implications are discussed.

Longitudinal relations between symptoms, neurocognition and self-concept in schizophrenia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Klaus eHesse

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Objective: Cognitive models suggest that the self-concept of persons with psychosis can be fundamentally affected. Self-concepts were found to be related to different symptom domains when measured concurrently. Longitudinal investigations to disentangle the possible causal associations are rare. Method: We examined a sample of 160 people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia who took part in a psychotherapy study. All participants had the DSM-IV diagnosis of a schizophrenia and pronounced negative symptoms. Neurocognition, symptoms and self-concepts were assessed at two time points twelve months apart. Structural equation modelling was used to test whether symptoms influence self-concepts (scar-model or self-concepts affect symptoms (vulnerability model. Results: Negative symptoms correlated concurrently with self-concepts. Neurocognitive deficits are associated with more negative self-concepts twelve months later. Interpersonal self-concepts were found to be relevant for paranoia. Conclusion: The findings implicate that if deficits in neurocognition are present, fostering a positive self-concept should be an issue in therapy. Negative interpersonal self-concept indicates an increased risk for paranoid delusions in the course of one year. New aspects for cognitive models in schizophrenia and clinical implications are discussed

Concepts and Relations in Neurally Inspired In Situ Concept-Based Computing.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Velde, Frank

2016-01-01

In situ concept-based computing is based on the notion that conceptual representations in the human brain are "in situ." In this way, they are grounded in perception and action. Examples are neuronal assemblies, whose connection structures develop over time and are distributed over different brain areas. In situ concepts representations cannot be copied or duplicated because that will disrupt their connection structure, and thus the meaning of these concepts. Higher-level cognitive processes, as found in language and reasoning, can be performed with in situ concepts by embedding them in specialized neurally inspired "blackboards." The interactions between the in situ concepts and the blackboards form the basis for in situ concept computing architectures. In these architectures, memory (concepts) and processing are interwoven, in contrast with the separation between memory and processing found in Von Neumann architectures. Because the further development of Von Neumann computing (more, faster, yet power limited) is questionable, in situ concept computing might be an alternative for concept-based computing. In situ concept computing will be illustrated with a recently developed BABI reasoning task. Neurorobotics can play an important role in the development of in situ concept computing because of the development of in situ concept representations derived in scenarios as needed for reasoning tasks. Neurorobotics would also benefit from power limited and in situ concept computing.

History and evolution of concepts in physics

CERN Document Server

Varvoglis, Harry

2014-01-01

Our understanding of nature, and in particular of physics and the laws governing it, has changed radically since the days of the ancient Greek natural philosophers. This book explains how and why these changes occurred, through landmark experiments as well as theories that - for their time - were revolutionary. The presentation covers Mechanics, Optics, Electromagnetism, Thermodynamics, Relativity Theory, Atomic Physics and Quantum Physics. The book places emphasis on ideas and on a qualitative presentation, rather than on mathematics and equations. Thus, although primarily addressed to those who are studying or have studied science, it can also be read by non-specialists. The author concludes with a discussion of the evolution and organization of universities, from ancient times until today, and of the organization and dissemination of knowledge through scientific publications and conferences.

Peer relations in adolescents: effects of parenting and adolescents' self-concept.

Science.gov (United States)

Deković, M; Meeus, W

1997-04-01

In this study we examined the link between the parent-adolescent relationship and the adolescent's relationship with peers. The proposed model assumes that the quality of the parent-child relationship affects the adolescent's self-concept, which in turn affects the adolescent's integration into the world of peers. The sample consisted of 508 families with adolescents (12- to 18-years-old). The data were obtained at the subjects' homes, where a battery of questionnaires was administered individually to mothers, fathers and adolescents. Several constructs relating to the quality of parent-child relationship were assessed: parental acceptance, attachment, involvement, responsiveness, love withdrawal and monitoring of the child. The measures of the adolescent's self-concept included Harter's Perceived Competence Scale for Adolescents and Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale. The indicators of the quality of peer relations were: degree of peer activity, having a best friend, perceived acceptance by peers and attachment to peers. Assessment of the hypothesized model showed that the adolescent's self-concept serves a mediating role in the relationship between maternal child-rearing style and involvement with peers. The mediating role of self-concept was greatest for maternal acceptance. Paternal child-rearing style, however, appeared to have an independent effect on the adolescent's involvement with peers that is not accounted for by the adolescent's self-concept. The prediction of the quality of adolescents' peer relations yielded similar results for both mothers and fathers. The results suggest that a positive self-concept and warm supportive parenting each contribute unique variance to satisfactory peer relations.

A New Foundation of Physical Theories

CERN Document Server

Ludwig, Günther

2006-01-01

Written in the tradition of G. Ludwig’s groundbreaking works, this book aims to clarify and formulate more precisely the fundamental ideas of physical theories. By introducing a basic descriptive language of simple form, in which it is possible to formulate recorded facts, ambiguities of physical theories are avoided as much as possible. In this approach the field of physics that should be described by a theory is determined by basic concepts only, i.e. concepts that can be explained without a theory. In this context the authors introduce a new concept of idealization and review the process of discovering new concepts. They believe that, when the theories are formulated within an axiomatic basis, solutions can be found to many difficult problems such as the interpretation of physical theories, the relations between theories as well as the introduction of physical concepts. The book addresses both physicists and philosophers of science and should encourage the reader to contribute to the understanding of the...

Feyerabend's 'The concept of intelligibility in modern physics' (1948).

Science.gov (United States)

Kuby, Daniel

2016-06-01

This essay introduces the transcription and translation of Paul Feyerabend's Der Begriff der Verständlichkeit in der modernen Physik [The concept of intelligibility in modern physics] (1948), which is an early essay written by Paul Feyerabend in 1948 on the topic of intelligibility (Verständlichkeit) and visualizability (Anschaulichkeit) of physical theories. The existence of such essay was likely. It is listed in his bibliography as his first publication. Yet the content of the essay was unknown, as no original or copy is extant in Feyerabend's Nachlass and no known published version was available to the community-until now. The essay has both historical and philosophical interest: it is, as far as our current knowledge goes, Feyerabend's earliest extant publication. It documents Feyerabend's philosophical interest as a physicist-to-be, in what he himself called his "positivist" phase; and it gives a rare if fragmentary insight into the early discussions of the 'Third Vienna Circle' and, more generally, the philosophical culture of discussion in Vienna. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Encoding of physics concepts: concreteness and presentation modality reflected by human brain dynamics.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kevin Lai

Full Text Available Previous research into working memory has focused on activations in different brain areas accompanying either different presentation modalities (verbal vs. non-verbal or concreteness (abstract vs. concrete of non-science concepts. Less research has been conducted investigating how scientific concepts are learned and further processed in working memory. To bridge this gap, the present study investigated human brain dynamics associated with encoding of physics concepts, taking both presentation modality and concreteness into account. Results of this study revealed greater theta and low-beta synchronization in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC during encoding of concrete pictures as compared to the encoding of both high and low imageable words. In visual brain areas, greater theta activity accompanying stimulus onsets was observed for words as compared to pictures while stronger alpha suppression was observed in responses to pictures as compared to words. In general, the EEG oscillation patterns for encoding words of different levels of abstractness were comparable but differed significantly from encoding of pictures. These results provide insights into the effects of modality of presentation on human encoding of scientific concepts and thus might help in developing new ways to better teach scientific concepts in class.

Encoding of physics concepts: concreteness and presentation modality reflected by human brain dynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Lai, Kevin; She, Hsiao-Ching; Chen, Sheng-Chang; Chou, Wen-Chi; Huang, Li-Yu; Jung, Tzyy-Ping; Gramann, Klaus

2012-01-01

Previous research into working memory has focused on activations in different brain areas accompanying either different presentation modalities (verbal vs. non-verbal) or concreteness (abstract vs. concrete) of non-science concepts. Less research has been conducted investigating how scientific concepts are learned and further processed in working memory. To bridge this gap, the present study investigated human brain dynamics associated with encoding of physics concepts, taking both presentation modality and concreteness into account. Results of this study revealed greater theta and low-beta synchronization in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) during encoding of concrete pictures as compared to the encoding of both high and low imageable words. In visual brain areas, greater theta activity accompanying stimulus onsets was observed for words as compared to pictures while stronger alpha suppression was observed in responses to pictures as compared to words. In general, the EEG oscillation patterns for encoding words of different levels of abstractness were comparable but differed significantly from encoding of pictures. These results provide insights into the effects of modality of presentation on human encoding of scientific concepts and thus might help in developing new ways to better teach scientific concepts in class.

The Reciprocal Relations between Self-Concept, Motivation and Achievement: Juxtaposing Academic Self-Concept and Achievement Goal Orientations for Mathematics Success

Science.gov (United States)

Seaton, Marjorie; Parker, Philip; Marsh, Herbert W.; Craven, Rhonda G.; Yeung, Alexander Seeshing

2014-01-01

Research suggests that motivated students and those with high academic self-concepts perform better academically. Although substantial evidence supports a reciprocal relation between academic self-concept and achievement, there is less evidence supporting a similar relation between achievement goal orientations and achievement. There is also a…

Humanity as a Contested Concept: Relations between Disability and ‘Being Human’

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul van Trigt

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This editorial presents the theme and approach of the themed issue “Humanity as a Contested Concept: Relations between Disability and ‘Being Human’”. The way in which the concept of humanity is or must be related to disability is critically investigated from different disciplinary perspectives in the themed issue, which is, moreover, situated in the field of disability studies and related to discussions about posthumanism. The argument is made that humanity is a concept that needs to be constantly reflected upon from a disability studies perspective. Finally, the contributions of the themed issue are briefly outlined.

General Relativity: Geometry Meets Physics

Science.gov (United States)

Thomsen, Dietrick E.

1975-01-01

Observing the relationship of general relativity and the geometry of space-time, the author questions whether the rest of physics has geometrical explanations. As a partial answer he discusses current research on subatomic particles employing geometric transformations, and cites the existence of geometrical definitions of physical quantities such…

Conceptions about the mind-body problem and their relations to afterlife beliefs, paranormal beliefs, religiosity, and ontological confusions.

Science.gov (United States)

Riekki, Tapani; Lindeman, Marjaana; Lipsanen, Jari

2013-01-01

We examined lay people's conceptions about the relationship between mind and body and their correlates. In Study 1, a web survey (N = 850) of reflective dualistic, emergentistic, and monistic perceptions of the mind-body relationship, afterlife beliefs (i.e., common sense dualism), religiosity, paranormal beliefs, and ontological confusions about physical, biological, and psychological phenomena was conducted. In Study 2 (N = 73), we examined implicit ontological confusions and their relations to afterlife beliefs, paranormal beliefs, and religiosity. Correlation and regression analyses showed that reflective dualism, afterlife beliefs, paranormal beliefs, and religiosity were strongly and positively related and that reflective dualism and afterlife beliefs mediated the relationship between ontological confusions and religious and paranormal beliefs. The results elucidate the contention that dualism is a manifestation of universal cognitive processes related to intuitions about physical, biological, and psychological phenomena by showing that especially individuals who confuse the distinctive attributes of these phenomena tend to set the mind apart from the body.

Conceptions about the mind-body problem and their relations to afterlife beliefs, paranormal beliefs, religiosity, and ontological confusions

Science.gov (United States)

Riekki, Tapani; Lindeman, Marjaana; Lipsanen, Jari

2013-01-01

We examined lay people’s conceptions about the relationship between mind and body and their correlates. In Study 1, a web survey (N = 850) of reflective dualistic, emergentistic, and monistic perceptions of the mind-body relationship, afterlife beliefs (i.e., common sense dualism), religiosity, paranormal beliefs, and ontological confusions about physical, biological, and psychological phenomena was conducted. In Study 2 (N = 73), we examined implicit ontological confusions and their relations to afterlife beliefs, paranormal beliefs, and religiosity. Correlation and regression analyses showed that reflective dualism, afterlife beliefs, paranormal beliefs, and religiosity were strongly and positively related and that reflective dualism and afterlife beliefs mediated the relationship between ontological confusions and religious and paranormal beliefs. The results elucidate the contention that dualism is a manifestation of universal cognitive processes related to intuitions about physical, biological, and psychological phenomena by showing that especially individuals who confuse the distinctive attributes of these phenomena tend to set the mind apart from the body. PMID:25247011

Reactor physical experimental program EROS in the frame of the molten salt applying reactor concepts development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hron, Miloslav; Kyncl, Jan; Mikisek, Miroslav

2009-01-01

After the relatively broad program of experimental activities, which have been involved in the complex R and D program for the Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) - SPHINX (SPent Hot fuel Incinerator by Neutron fluX) concept development in the Czech Republic, there has been a next stage (namely large-scale experimental verification of design inputs by use of MSR-type inserted zones into the existing light water moderated experimental reactor LR-0 called EROS project) started, which will be focused to the experimental verification of the rector physical or neutronic properties of other types of reactor concepts applying molten salts in the role of liquid fuel and/or coolant. This tendency is based on the recently accepted decision of the MSR SSC of GIF to consider for further period of its activity two baseline concepts- fast neutron molten salt reactor non-moderated (FMSR-NM) as a long-term alternative to solid fuelled fast neutron reactors and simultaneously, advanced high temperature reactor (AHTR) with pebble bed type solid fuel cooled by liquid salts. There will be a brief description of the prepared and performed experimental programs in these directions (as well as the preliminary results obtained so far) introduced in the paper. (author)

Using "Monopoly" to Introduce Concepts of Race and Ethnic Relations

Science.gov (United States)

Waren, Warren

2011-01-01

In this paper I suggest a technique which uses the familiar Parker Brother's game "Monopoly" to introduce core concepts of race and ethnic relations. I offer anecdotes from my classes where an abbreviated version of the game is used as an analog to highlight the sociological concepts of direct institutional discrimination, the legacy of…

[Aerobic capacity, weight status and self-concept in schoolchildren].

Science.gov (United States)

Gálvez Casas, Arancha; Rodríguez García, Pedro Luis; Rosa Guillamón, Andrés; García-Cantó, Eliseo; Pérez Soto, Juan José; Tárraga López, Pedro; Tárraga Marcos, Loreto

2016-01-01

To analyze the relationship between self-concept, aerobic capacity and weight status in schoolchildren. Relational descriptive design in which was assessed the weight status and aerobic capacity of 256 schoolchildren among 8-11 years. Aerobic capacity (low vs high) and the body mass index (normal-weight vs overweight-obesity) were categorized using standard criteria. The self-concept was assessed through the Piers Harris self-concept scale for children. Schoolchildren with normal-weight and high fitness level showed better levels of conductual self-concept (P=.030), physical (Pself-concept (P=.002). The schoolchildren with normal-weight show higher levels of conductual self-concpt (P=.016), intellectual (P=.050), physical (Pself-concept (P=.001). The schoolchildren with a higher fitness level showed better conductual self-concept (P=.024), physical (P=.004), lack of anxiety (P=.011), social (P=.024), and global (P=.003). The results of the study strengthen the importance to transmit to the educative community the knowledge of the relationship between the variables analyzed aiming to improve the schoolchildren self-concept. Copyright © 2015 Sociedad Española de Arteriosclerosis. Published by Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Overview and theory relating to the concepts of competitiveness, efficiency and productivity

OpenAIRE

Latruffe, Laure

2017-01-01

This is a brief overview and theory relating to the concepts of competitiveness, efficiency and productivity: concept of competitiveness, measurement of competitiveness, determinants of competitiveness.

The Grasp of Physics Concepts of Motion: Identifying Particular Patterns in Students' Thinking

Science.gov (United States)

Obaidat, Ihab; Malkawi, Ehab

2009-01-01

We have investigated the grasp of some of the basic concepts of motion by students taking the introductory physics course in Mechanics at United Arab Emirates University (UAEU). We have developed a short research-based multiple-choice test where we were able to extract some information about the state of knowledge of the students. In general, the…

Neurobiological correlates of physical self-concept and self-identification with avatars in addicted players of Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs).

Science.gov (United States)

Leménager, Tagrid; Dieter, Julia; Hill, Holger; Koopmann, Anne; Reinhard, Iris; Sell, Madlen; Kiefer, Falk; Vollstädt-Klein, Sabine; Mann, Karl

2014-12-01

MMORPG addiction has been associated with self-concept impairments and increased identification with the own avatar. Yet, the underlying neurobiological mechanisms of self-identification with avatars, especially reflected in the left angular gyrus (AG), have only been assessed in regular gamers. Therefore, the study aims to examine neurobiological processes in addicted MMORPG players while evaluating their own and their personal avatar's body image (physical self-concept). Sixteen addicted and seventeen non-addicted gamers underwent functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) while viewing images of themselves, their own avatar and unfamiliar persons. The Body Image Questionnaire (FKB-20) and Visual Analog Scales (VAS) assessing the degree of attractiveness, sympathy and gender identity of the self, of the avatar as well as of the unfamiliar persons were applied. Addicts showed a significantly extended negative body image and lower gender identity levels as well as decreased bilateral brain activations in the AG and the middle occipital gyrus during self-perception. They further exhibited higher activations in the left AG during avatar-perception. Regression analyses in the overall group and in addicted gamers indicated a significant positive correlation between gender identity and brain activation in the left AG during self-perception. Our results confirm addicted MMORPG players to have physical self-concept deficits which may be related to hypoactivations in the AG. The findings further indicate addicted gamers to have a tendency to identify themselves easier with their own avatar than with their real self. Lower gender identity levels might be associated with physical self-concept deficits in MMORPG addiction. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Physical self-concept and teenagers with intellectual disability: age, sex, and weight category effects].

Science.gov (United States)

Bégarie, Jérôme; Maïano, Christophe; Ninot, Grégory

2011-03-01

To study the effects of age, sex, weight, and their interactions on global self-esteem (GSE) and physical self-concept in teenagers with intellectual disability (ID). A sample of 353 teenagers with ID, aged 12 to 18 years, participated in this study. The Very Short Form of the Physical Self-Inventory—for adolescents with ID (PSI-VSF-ID) was used to assess GSE and physical self-perceptions (physical value perceived [PVP], sport skills [SS], physical condition, physical appearance, and strength). Multivariate covariance analyses show: (i) lower GSE and physical self levels (except for PVP) in females, compared with males; (ii) reduced GSE, PVP, SS, and perceived physical appearance (PPA) scores during adolescence; (iii) lower GSE, PVP, and PPA scores in obese adolescents, compared with overweight or normal weight peers; and (iv) lower PPA scores in obese females, compared with other teenagers. The sex and age results are almost identical to those for the general population, according to the literature. However, they are far from the main effect in the weight category.

Boys’ and Girls’ Relational and Physical Aggression in Nine Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Lansford, Jennifer E; Skinner, Ann T; Sorbring, Emma; Di Giunta, Laura; Deater-Deckard, Kirby; Dodge, Kenneth A; Malone, Patrick S; Oburu, Paul; Pastorelli, Concetta; Tapanya, Sombat; Tirado, Liliana Maria Uribe; Zelli, Arnaldo; Al-Hassan, Suha M; Alampay, Liane Peña; Bacchini, Dario; Bombi, Anna Silvia; Bornstein, Marc H; Chang, Lei

2012-01-01

Distinguishing between relational and physical aggression has become a key feature of many developmental studies in North America and Western Europe, but very little information is available on relational and physical aggression in more diverse cultural contexts. This study examined the factor structure of, associations between, and gender differences in relational and physical aggression in China, Colombia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, the Philippines, Sweden, Thailand, and the United States. Children ages 7–10 years (N = 1,410) reported on their relationally and physically aggressive behavior. Relational and physical aggression shared a common factor structure across countries. In all nine countries, relational and physical aggression were significantly correlated (average r = .49). Countries differed in the mean levels of both relational and physical aggression that children reported using and with respect to whether children reported using more physical than relational aggression or more relational than physical aggression. Boys reported being more physically aggressive than girls across all nine countries; no consistent gender differences emerged in relational aggression. Despite mean-level differences in relational and physical aggression across countries, the findings provided support for cross-country similarities in associations between relational and physical aggression as well as links between gender and aggression.

Judeo-Christian concepts related to psychiatry

Science.gov (United States)

Ponnudurai, R.

2013-01-01

The behavioral manifestations of psychotic disorders that are attributed to evil spirits in the Judeo-Christian scriptures as demonstrated by Jesus Christ have been narrated. The descriptions of false beliefs and the perceptual experiences that are consistent with the psychiatric terminologies “delusions and hallucinations” are briefly discussed. Attempt has been made to analyze the patterns of suicidal behaviors, guilt feelings, and, expressions of depressive symptoms in the Jewish culture. Of interest is the mass suicide by the Jews in the 1st century AD at the Fort Masada, perhaps the first of its kind recorded in the history. Noteworthy are alcohol and related mental health problems prevalent in the Jewish culture. While highlighting the descriptions of dreams and their revelations recorded in the Bible, it is suggested that such concepts about dreams might have influenced Sigmund Freud's classical works on dreams. The biblical messages and teachings that could be applied for psychotherapy and behavior modification strategies have been outlined. The mental concepts of Jewish culture and their relevance to Indian culture have also been discussed from a cross-cultural perspective. PMID:23858255

Understanding physics

CERN Document Server

Cassidy, David; Rutherford, James

2002-01-01

Understanding Physics provides a thorough grounding in contemporary physics while placing physics into its social and historical context Based in large part on the highly respected Project Physics Course developed by two of the authors, it also integrates the results of recent pedagogical research The text thus - teaches about the basic phenomena in the physical world and the concepts developed to explain them - shows that science is a rational human endeavor with a long and continuing tradition, involving many different cultures and people - develops facility in critical thinking, reasoned argumentation, evaluation of evidence, mathematical modeling, and ethical values The treatment emphasizes not only what we know but also how we know it, why we believe it, and what effects that knowledge has - Why do we believe the Earth and planets revolve around the Sun? - Why do we believe that matter is made of atoms? - How do relativity theory and quantum mechanics alter our conception of Nature and in what ways do th...

Preservice Teachers' Professional Knowledge and Its Relation to Academic Self-Concept

Science.gov (United States)

Paulick, Isabell; Großschedl, Jörg; Harms, Ute; Möller, Jens

2016-01-01

We investigated the factorial structure of preservice teachers' academic self-concept with regard to three domains of professional knowledge (content knowledge [CK], pedagogical content knowledge [PCK], and pedagogical/psychological knowledge [PPK]). We also analyzed the relation between preservice teachers' academic self-concept and their…

Concept Analysis: Alzheimer's Caregiver Stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Llanque, Sarah; Savage, Lynette; Rosenburg, Neal; Caserta, Michael

2016-01-01

The aim of this article was to analyze the concept of caregiver stress in the context of caring for a person with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Currently, there are more than 15 million unpaid caregivers for persons suffering from Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. This unpaid care can be stressful for caregivers due to the chronic nature of the disease process, as well as other factors. The paper incorporates the modified method of Wilson's concept analysis procedure to analyze the concept of caregiver stress. A review of the literature was undertaken using the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Google Scholar, and PubMed. A theoretical definition of caregiver stress is provided, and the defining attributes, related concepts, antecedents, and consequences of caregiver stress are proposed, and case studies are presented. The analysis demonstrates that caregiver stress is the unequal exchange of assistance among people who stand in close relationship to one another, which results in emotional and physical stress on the caregiver. Implications for future nursing research and practice conclude the paper. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Profiles of self-concept, goal orientation, and self-regulation in students with physical, intellectual, and multiple disabilities: Implications for instructional support.

Science.gov (United States)

Varsamis, Panagiotis; Agaliotis, Ioannis

2011-01-01

The present study explored physical self-concept, goal orientation in sport, and self-regulation in regard to a motor task, in 75 secondary students with physical, intellectual, and multiple disabilities, who were educated in the same special education units. It was found that students with intellectual disabilities generally presented a positive profile in all three psychosocial constructs, whereas students with physical disabilities presented low scores in most measures. Students with multiple disabilities did not differ essentially from students with intellectual disability in regard to physical self-concept and goal orientation; however, they compared unfavorably to them regarding self-regulation. The delineation of a distinct and defendable profile of self-concept, goal orientation, and self-regulation for each disability group allows the formulation of proposals for the implementation of appropriate instructional programs for students belonging to the above mentioned categories. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Elementary Physical Education Teachers' Content Knowledge of Physical Activity and Health-Related Fitness

Science.gov (United States)

Santiago, Jose A.; Disch, James G.; Morales, Julio

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine elementary physical education teachers' content knowledge of physical activity and health-related fitness. Sixty-four female and 24 male teachers completed the Appropriate Physical Activity and Health-Related Fitness test. Descriptive statistics results indicated that the mean percentage score for the test…

Ducklings imprint on the relational concept of "same or different".

Science.gov (United States)

Martinho, Antone; Kacelnik, Alex

2016-07-15

The ability to identify and retain logical relations between stimuli and apply them to novel stimuli is known as relational concept learning. This has been demonstrated in a few animal species after extensive reinforcement training, and it reveals the brain's ability to deal with abstract properties. Here we describe relational concept learning in newborn ducklings without reinforced training. Newly hatched domesticated mallards that were briefly exposed to a pair of objects that were either the same or different in shape or color later preferred to follow pairs of new objects exhibiting the imprinted relation. Thus, even in a seemingly rigid and very rapid form of learning such as filial imprinting, the brain operates with abstract conceptual reasoning, a faculty often assumed to be reserved to highly intelligent organisms. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Essentials of nuclear medicine physics and instrumentation

CERN Document Server

Powsner, Rachel A; Powsner, Edward R

2013-01-01

An excellent introduction to the basic concepts of nuclear medicine physics This Third Edition of Essentials of Nuclear Medicine Physics and Instrumentation expands the finely developed illustrated review and introductory guide to nuclear medicine physics and instrumentation. Along with simple, progressive, highly illustrated topics, the authors present nuclear medicine-related physics and engineering concepts clearly and concisely. Included in the text are introductory chapters on relevant atomic structure, methods of radionuclide production, and the interaction of radiation with matter. Fu

Evaluation of Standard Concepts Design of Library Interior Physical Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Debri Harindya Putri

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Currently the function of a room is not only used as a shelter, the function of the room itself to be increased as a refreshing or relaxation area for users to follow the development of creativity and technology in the field of design. The comfortable factor becomes the main factor that indicates a successful process of creating a space. No exception library. The nature of library seemed stiff because of its function as a place to read, now can be developed and made into more dynamic with the special design concepts or color patterns used. Libraries can be created a special concept that suits the characteristics of the users themselves. Most users of the library, especially in college libraries are teenagers. Naturally, teenagers like to gather with their friends and we have to facilitate this activity in our library design concept. In addition we can also determine the needs of users through research by questionnaire method. The answers of users can be mapped and drawn conclusions. To explore the research, the author reviewed some literature about library interior design and observed the library of Ma Chung University as a case study. The combined results of the method can be concluded and the discovery of ideal standards of physical environment. So, the library can be made as a comfortable reading environment so as to increased interest in reading behavior and the frequent visits of students in the library

Fundamental Concepts in Biophysics Volume 1

CERN Document Server

Jue, Thomas

2009-01-01

HANDBOOK OF MODERN BIOPHYSICS Series Editor Thomas Jue, PhD Handbook of Modern Biophysics brings current biophysics topics into focus, so that biology, medical, engineering, mathematics, and physical-science students or researchers can learn fundamental concepts and the application of new techniques in addressing biomedical challenges. Chapters explicate the conceptual framework of the physics formalism and illustrate the biomedical applications. With the addition of problem sets, guides to further study, and references, the interested reader can continue to explore independently the ideas presented. Volume I: Fundamental Concepts in Biophysics Editor Thomas Jue, PhD In Fundamental Concepts in Biophysics, prominent professors have established a foundation for the study of biophysics related to the following topics: Mathematical Methods in Biophysics Quantum Mechanics Basic to Biophysical Methods Computational Modeling of Receptor–Ligand Binding and Cellular Signaling Processes Fluorescence Spectroscopy Elec...

Boys’ and Girls’ Relational and Physical Aggression in Nine Countries

Science.gov (United States)

Lansford, Jennifer E.; Skinner, Ann T.; Sorbring, Emma; Di Giunta, Laura; Deater-Deckard, Kirby; Dodge, Kenneth A.; Malone, Patrick S.; Oburu, Paul; Pastorelli, Concetta; Tapanya, Sombat; Tirado, Liliana Maria Uribe; Zelli, Arnaldo; Al-Hassan, Suha M.; Alampay, Liane Peña; Bacchini, Dario; Bombi, Anna Silvia; Bornstein, Marc H.; Chang, Lei

2012-01-01

Distinguishing between relational and physical aggression has become a key feature of many developmental studies in North America and Western Europe, but very little information is available on relational aggression in more diverse cultural contexts. This study examined the factor structure of, gender differences in, and associations between relational and physical aggression in China, Colombia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, the Philippines, Sweden, Thailand, and the United States. Children ages 7 to 10 years (N = 1410) reported on their relationally and physically aggressive behavior. Relational and physical aggression shared a common factor structure across countries. Unsurprisingly, boys reported being more physically aggressive than girls across all nine countries; surprisingly, there were no significant gender differences in relational aggression. In all nine countries, relational and physical aggression were significantly correlated (average r = .49). The countries differed significantly in the mean levels of both relational and physical aggression that children reported using and with respect to whether children reported using more physical than relational aggression or more relational than physical aggression. Despite mean level differences in relational and physical aggression across countries, the findings provided support for cross-country similarities in associations between relational and physical aggression, as well as links between gender and aggression. PMID:23935227

Introductory concepts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnes, W.E.

1983-01-01

Physical theories are commonly classified as being either ''classical'' or ''modern''. The reasons for this distinction are both historical and substantive. Limited in the sophistication of their measuring instruments, early scientists proposed theories appropriate for the description of the simplest and most accessible physical phenomena, e.g., the trajectories of the planets. Because of the class of phenomena observed, certain beliefs came to underlie all classical theories with regard to the nature of time, space, matter, etc. For example, the idea was undisputed that an object has at all times both a definite position and velocity. Not until the interior of the atom and the nature of electromagnetic radiation were explored was it discovered that the concepts of classical physics are inadequate to deal with many phenomena. A reassessment of fundamental postulates led to the formulation of modern physics which, it is believed, successfully treats the behavior of all physical systems. To gain an understanding of the rudiments of modern physics, one proceeds as the early scientists did by first mastering the classical concepts that emerge from their intuitive picture of the world. Modifications of these concepts are subsequently introduced which allow a more accurate treatment of physical phenomena, particularly atomic and nuclear systems

[Concept analysis of workplace bullying].

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Shu-Ching; Wang, Hsiu-Hung; Chen, Jih-Yuan

2011-08-01

Workplace bullying is a complicated and imprecise concept. Research findings have highlighted it as an important issue in the nursing environment worldwide. Workplace bullying arises due to malfunctions in workplace organizational and cultural related antecedents and manifests in various forms. Many studies have reported that nurses experiencing workplace bullying face increased levels of physical, psychological and social distress, may adopt suicidal thoughts and negativity towards the nursing profession, and may even abandon the nursing profession completely. Although a large number of papers have discussed the antecedents, forms and interventions related to workplace bullying, there has yet been no systematic concept analysis of workplace bullying. This paper applied Walker and Avant's concept analysis process to verify concept definitions, identify defining attributes, antecedents, and consequences, and provide examples of model, borderline, and contrary cases. Findings can help nursing administrators understand and clarify the meaning of workplace bullying in order to take appropriate measures to improve the working environment for nursing professionals.

The relationship between self-esteem and sexual self-concept in people with physical-motor disabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Salehi, Mehrdad; Kharaz Tavakol, Hooman; Shabani, Maede; Ziaei, Tayebe

2015-01-01

Self-esteem is the value that the individuals give themselves, and sexual self-concept is also a part of individuality or sexual-self. Impairment or disability exists not only in the physical body of disabled people but also in their attitudes. Negative attitudes affect the mental health of disabled people, causing them to have lower self-esteem. This study aimed to examine the relationship between self-esteem and sexual self-concept in people with physical-motor disabilities. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 random samples with physical-motor disabilities covered by Isfahan Welfare Organization in 2013. Data collection instruments were the Persian Eysenck self-esteem questionnaire, and five domains (sexual anxiety, sexual self-efficacy, sexual self-esteem, sexual fear and sexual depression) of the Persian multidimensional sexual self-concept questionnaire. Because of incomplete filling of the questionnaires, the data of 183 people were analyzed by the SPSS 16.0 software. Data were analyzed using the t-test, Man-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests and Spearman correlation coefficient. The mean age was 36.88 ± 8.94 years for women and 37.80 ± 10.13 for men. The mean scores of self-esteem among women and men were 15.80 ± 3.08 and 16.2 ± 2.90, respectively and there was no statistically significance difference. Comparison of the mean scores of sexual anxiety, sexual self-efficacy, sexual self-esteem, sexual fear and sexual depression among men and women showed that women scored higher than men in all domains. This difference was statistically significant in other domains except the sexual self-esteem (14.92 ± 3.61 vs. 13.56 ± 4.52) (P self-esteem, there was a statistical difference between other domains of people's sexual self-concept and degree of disability (P self-esteem and sexual self-efficacy with their self-esteem. This correlation was positive in sexual anxiety and negative in two other domains. Lack of difference in self-esteem of disabled

Are digital games perceived as fun or danger? Supporting and suppressing different game-related concepts.

Science.gov (United States)

Kneer, Julia; Glock, Sabine; Beskes, Sara; Bente, Gary

2012-11-01

Violent digital game play has repeatedly been discussed to be strongly related to aggression and emotional instability. Thus, digital game players have to defend against these prejudices through emphasizing positive game-related concepts such as achievement, social interaction, and immersion. We experimentally investigated which positive- and negative-concept players and nonplayers activate when being primed with digital games. Participants were either exposed to violent or nonviolent game content and were required to work on a lexical decision task. Results showed that response latencies for the concept aggression and emotional instability were faster than for neutral concepts (not associated with digital games), but slower than for the positive concepts sociality and competition. Both players and nonplayers felt the need to defend against prejudices and emphasized positive concepts. Neither their own gaming experience nor the game content influenced the results. Being a part of the net generation is sufficient to suppress negative game-related concepts and to support positive game-related concepts to protect digital games as common leisure activity among peers.

The concepts of nanotechnology as a part of physics education in high school and in interactive science museum

Science.gov (United States)

Kolářová, Lucie; Rálišová, Ema

2017-01-01

The advancements in nanotechnology especially in medicine and in developing new materials offer interesting possibilities for our society. It is not only scientists and engineers who need a better understanding of these new technologies but it is also important to prepare the young people and the general public on impact of nanotechnology on their life. Knowledge from this field likewise provides the opportunities to engage and motivate high school students for the study of science. Although, the concepts of nanoscience and nanotechnology are not a part of Czech high school physics curriculum they can be successfully integrated into regular curriculum in appropriate places. Because it is an interdisciplinary field, it also provides an opportunity for the interdisciplinary connections of physics, chemistry and biology. Many concepts for understanding the nanoworld can be shown by the simple activities and experiments and it is not a problem to demonstrate these experiments in each classroom. This paper presents the proposal for integration of the concepts of nanoscience and nanotechnologies into the high school physics curriculum, and the involvement of some of these concepts into the instructional program for middle and high school students which was realized in interactive science museum Fort Science in Olomouc. As a part of the program there was a quantitative questionnaire and its goal was to determine the effectiveness of the program and how students are satisfied with it.

Towards a Definition of Role-related Concepts for Business Modeling

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meertens, Lucas Onno; Iacob, Maria Eugenia; Nieuwenhuis, Lambertus Johannes Maria

2010-01-01

Abstract—While several role-related concepts play an important role in business modeling, their definitions, relations, and use differ greatly between languages, papers, and reports. Due to this, the knowledge captured by models is not transferred correctly, and models are incomparable. In this

Reciprocal effects of exercise and nutrition treatment-induced weight loss with improved body image and physical self-concept.

Science.gov (United States)

Annesi, James J; Porter, Kandice J

2015-01-01

Improvements in self-image and mood are often reported as outcomes of obesity interventions. However, they may also concurrently influence weight loss, suggesting a reciprocal effect. Although previously reported for overweight women, such relationships were untested in morbidly obese women whose psychosocial responses to treatment may be different, and health-risks greater. Women (N = 161, Meanage = 42 years) with morbid obesity (MeanBMI = 45.1 kg/m(2)) participated in a 6-month, behaviorally based physical activity and nutrition treatment. Significant within-group improvements in weight-loss behaviors (physical activity and eating), weight, body satisfaction, physical self-concept, and depression were found. After controlling for age, mediation analyses indicated that, as a result of the treatment, weight loss was both an outcome and mediator of improvements in body-areas satisfaction and physical self-concept (reciprocal effects), but not depression. Results replicated findings from women with lower degrees of overweight, and suggested that weight-loss treatments emphasize changes in self-perception.

The methodological foundations of mutual integration of scientific knowledge in the field of physical education and sports and related sciences.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kozina Zh.L.

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Possibilities of application of scientific knowledge in physical education and sport in contiguous scientific directions are considered. The advanced studies of leading specialists in area of physical education and sport are analysed. It is rotined that on the modern stage scientific developments in area of physical education and sport attained a level, when can be utillized in fundamental and applied sciences. Scientific researches in area of physical education and sport to the application scientific areas, such as pedagogics, psychology, design, programming et al are related. One of examples of mutual integration of scientific knowledge in area of physical education and sport there is theoretical conception of individualization of preparation of sportsmen.

Dissociating the Representation of Action- and Sound-Related Concepts in Middle Temporal Cortex

Science.gov (United States)

Kiefer, Markus; Trumpp, Natalie; Herrnberger, Barbel; Sim, Eun-Jin; Hoenig, Klaus; Pulvermuller, Friedemann

2012-01-01

Modality-specific models of conceptual memory propose close links between concepts and the sensory-motor systems. Neuroimaging studies found, in different subject groups, that action-related and sound-related concepts activated different parts of posterior middle temporal gyrus (pMTG), suggesting a modality-specific representation of conceptual…

Predicting students' physical activity and health-related well-being: a prospective cross-domain investigation of motivation across school physical education and exercise settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Standage, Martyn; Gillison, Fiona B; Ntoumanis, Nikos; Treasure, Darren C

2012-02-01

A three-wave prospective design was used to assess a model of motivation guided by self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2008) spanning the contexts of school physical education (PE) and exercise. The outcome variables examined were health-related quality of life (HRQoL), physical self-concept (PSC), and 4 days of objectively assessed estimates of activity. Secondary school students (n = 494) completed questionnaires at three separate time points and were familiarized with how to use a sealed pedometer. Results of structural equation modeling supported a model in which perceptions of autonomy support from a PE teacher positively predicted PE-related need satisfaction (autonomy, competence, and relatedness). Competence predicted PSC, whereas relatedness predicted HRQoL. Autonomy and competence positively predicted autonomous motivation toward PE, which in turn positively predicted autonomous motivation toward exercise (i.e., 4-day pedometer step count). Autonomous motivation toward exercise positively predicted step count, HRQoL, and PSC. Results of multisample structural equation modeling supported gender invariance. Suggestions for future work are discussed.

Is engagement different from satisfaction and organizational commitment?: relations with intention to remain, psychological well-being and perceived physical health in volunteers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María L. Vecina

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In a sample of volunteers, who work, but not for money, and whose managers expect them to remain with the organization over the long term and to feel well by doing good, this study examines the distinctiveness between three concepts, usually related in the work field: Engagement, organizational commitment, and satisfaction. Based on the existing literature, they are related among them and regarding three relevant outcomes for management: Intention to remain, psychological well-being, and perceived physical health. Three structural equations models make it clear that volunteer engagement does contribute to the explanation of organizational commitment, volunteer satisfaction, and psychological well-being. At the same time, it does not seem to account for levels of intention to remain neither perceived physical health. On the contrary, organizational commitment is the only predictor of intention to remain, and volunteer satisfaction is the only predictor of perceived physical health. This last result was not expected, according to the literature on work, but reinforces the distinctiveness between the concepts and may have a plausible explanation in the volunteering field.

Preservice Elementary Mathematics Teachers' Level of Relating Mathematical Concepts in Daily Life Contexts

Science.gov (United States)

Akkus, Oylum

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate preservice elementary mathematics teachers' ability of relating mathematical concepts and daily life context. Two research questions were set; what is the preservice elementary mathematics teachers' level of relating mathematical concepts and daily life context regarding to their education year and…

Multiple-choice test of energy and momentum concepts

OpenAIRE

Singh, Chandralekha; Rosengrant, David

2016-01-01

We investigate student understanding of energy and momentum concepts at the level of introductory physics by designing and administering a 25-item multiple choice test and conducting individual interviews. We find that most students have difficulty in qualitatively interpreting basic principles related to energy and momentum and in applying them in physical situations.

Advancing Uncertainty: Untangling and Discerning Related Concepts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janice Penrod

2002-12-01

Full Text Available Methods of advancing concepts within the qualitative paradigm have been developed and articulated. In this section, I describe methodological perspectives of a project designed to advance the concept of uncertainty using multiple qualitative methods. Through a series of earlier studies, the concept of uncertainty arose repeatedly in varied contexts, working its way into prominence, and warranting further investigation. Processes of advanced concept analysis were used to initiate the formal investigation into the meaning of the concept. Through concept analysis, the concept was deconstructed to identify conceptual components and gaps in understanding. Using this skeletal framework of the concept identified through concept analysis, subsequent studies were carried out to add ‘flesh’ to the concept. First, a concept refinement using the literature as data was completed. Findings revealed that the current state of the concept of uncertainty failed to incorporate what was known of the lived experience. Therefore, using interview techniques as the primary data source, a phenomenological study of uncertainty among caregivers was conducted. Incorporating the findings of the phenomenology, the skeletal framework of the concept was further fleshed out using techniques of concept correction to produce a more mature conceptualization of uncertainty. In this section, I describe the flow of this qualitative project investigating the concept of uncertainty, with special emphasis on a particular threat to validity (called conceptual tunnel vision that was identified and addressed during the phases of concept correction. Though in this article I employ a study of uncertainty for illustration, limited substantive findings regarding uncertainty are presented to retain a clear focus on the methodological issues.

Adiposopathy, metabolic syndrome, quantum physics, general relativity, chaos and the Theory of Everything.

Science.gov (United States)

Bays, Harold

2005-05-01

Excessive fat (adiposity) and dysfunctional fat (adiposopathy) constitute the most common worldwide epidemics of our time -- and perhaps of all time. Ongoing efforts to explain how the micro (adipocyte) and macro (body organ) biologic systems interact through function and dysfunction in promoting Type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension and dyslipidemia are not unlike the mechanistic and philosophical thinking processes involved in reconciling the micro (quantum physics) and macro (general relativity) theories in physics. Currently, the term metabolic syndrome refers to a constellation of consequences often associated with excess body fat and is an attempt to unify the associations known to exist between the four fundamental metabolic diseases of obesity, hyperglycemia (including Type 2 diabetes mellitus), hypertension and dyslipidemia. However, the association of adiposity with these metabolic disorders is not absolute and the metabolic syndrome does not describe underlying causality, nor does the metabolic syndrome necessarily reflect any reasonably related pathophysiologic process. Just as with quantum physics, general relativity and the four fundamental forces of the universe, the lack of an adequate unifying theory of micro causality and macro consequence is unsatisfying, and in medicine, impairs the development of agents that may globally improve both obesity and obesity-related metabolic disease. Emerging scientific and clinical evidence strongly supports the novel concept that it is not adiposity alone, but rather it is adiposopathy that is the underlying cause of most cases of Type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension and dyslipidemia. Adiposopathy is a plausible Theory of Everything for mankind's greatest metabolic epidemics.

Les Concepts de la Physique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michel Paty

2001-12-01

Full Text Available Physics, at the various stages of knowledge, presents itself as an objective description of the natural world, and makes use, for this purpose, of rational concepts, proposed as universal. However, these concepts are built by human thought in particular subjective and historical situations, and are submitted to transformation processes. Is it possible to conciliate these two points of views, the objective and the relative ones? And how to conceive such transformations, unclear the sign of intelligibility, of this science and of history as well?

Gender differences in teachers' behaviors in relation to adolescents' self-concepts.

Science.gov (United States)

Mboya, M M

1995-12-01

Gender differences in the relationship between teachers' behaviors and adolescents' self-concepts were investigated in 276 (156 boys and 120 girls) Standard Ten students from two coeducational high schools in Langa, Cape Town, South Africa. The Perceived Teacher Behavior Inventory was used to measure adolescents' self-concepts. Analysis indicated significant differences in perceived teachers' behavior and adolescents' self-description scale scores between boys and girls. Further, students' self-concept dimensions most strongly associated with teachers' behaviors were relations with family, general school, and health.

Comment on "Ducklings imprint on the relational concept of 'same or different'".

Science.gov (United States)

Langbein, Jan; Puppe, Birger

2017-02-24

Martinho and Kacelnik (Reports, 15 July 2016, p. 286) reported that newly hatched ducklings imprinted on relational concepts. We argue that reanalyzing the data at the individual level shows that this conclusion cannot be applied for all sets of stimuli presented and that the ability to grasp relational concepts is limited to the stimulus category that is most beneficial for survival. Copyright © 2017, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Creativity and Introductory Physics

Science.gov (United States)

Guilaran, Ildefonso (Fonsie) J.

2012-01-01

When I was an undergraduate physics major, I would often stay up late with my physics major roommate as we would digest the physics content we were learning in our courses and explore our respective imaginations armed with our new knowledge. Such activity during my undergraduate years was confined to informal settings, and the first formal creativity assignment in my physics education did not come until well into my graduate years when my graduate advisor demanded that I write a prospectus for my dissertation. I have often lamented the fact that the first formal assignment in which I was required to be creative, take responsibility for my own learning and research objectives, and see them to completion during my physics education came so late, considering the degree to which creative attributes are celebrated in the personalities of great physicists. In this essay I will apply some of the basic concepts as defined by creativity-related psychology literature to physics pedagogy, relate these concepts to the exchanges in this journal concerning Michael Sobel's paper "Physics for the Non-Scientist: A Middle Way," and provide the framework for a low-overhead creativity assignment that can easily be implemented at all levels of physics education.

Age and gender differences in the relation between self-concept facets and self-esteem

OpenAIRE

Arens, A. Katrin; Hasselhorn, Marcus

2014-01-01

This study tested whether the gender intensification hypothesis applies to relations between multiple domain-specific self-concept facets and self-esteem. This hypothesis predicts gender-stereotypic differences in these relations and assumes they intensify with age. Furthermore, knowledge about gender-related or age-related differences in self-concept-self-esteem relations might provide valuable knowledge for designing effective self-esteem enhancement interventions. We investigated grade and...

Relation Between Higher Physical Activity and Public Transit Use

Science.gov (United States)

Vernez Moudon, Anne; Kang, Bumjoon; Hurvitz, Philip M.; Zhou, Chuan

2014-01-01

Objectives. We isolated physical activity attributable to transit use to examine issues of substitution between types of physical activity and potential confounding of transit-related walking with other walking. Methods. Physical activity and transit use data were collected in 2008 to 2009 from 693 Travel Assessment and Community study participants from King County, Washington, equipped with an accelerometer, a portable Global Positioning System, and a 7-day travel log. Physical activity was classified into transit- and non–transit-related walking and nonwalking time. Analyses compared physical activity by type between transit users and nonusers, between less and more frequent transit users, and between transit and nontransit days for transit users. Results. Transit users had more daily overall physical activity and more total walking than did nontransit users but did not differ on either non–transit-related walking or nonwalking physical activity. Most frequent transit users had more walking time than least frequent transit users. Higher physical activity levels for transit users were observed only on transit days, with 14.6 minutes (12.4 minutes when adjusted for demographics) of daily physical activity directly linked with transit use. Conclusions. Because transit use was directly related to higher physical activity, future research should examine whether substantive increases in transit access and use lead to more physical activity and related health improvements. PMID:24625142

[Physical exercise and mental health: cognition, anxiety, depression and self-concept].

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Yan-Lin; Wang, John; Yao, Jia-Xin; Ji, Cheng-Shu; Dai, Qun; Jin, Ya-Hong

2014-10-01

This review focuses on the benefits of regular physical activity participation have mainly focused on cognitive functioning, anxiety and depression, and self-concept. It is well documented that ex- ercise can enhance cognitive functioning, improve executive function at old age, and improve mental abil- ity of children labeled as educational subnormal or disability. Regular exercise has been used to reduce stress and ward off anxiety and feelings of depression. In addition, exercise can improve self-esteem and positive outlook in life. Studies in these three main areas were reviewed and issues and future directions were highlighted.

''Wie alles sich zum Ganzen webt'': on a new orientation for the concept of matter, based on relations between quantum physics and cosmology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goernitz, T. [Inst. fuer Didaktik der Physik, J.W.Goethe-Univ., Frankfurt/Main (Germany)

2007-07-01

It is common sense between physicists that in the beginning the cosmos is in a narrow relationship to quantum phenomena. Because of the universal validity of quantum theory this relation remains significant in the whole cosmic evolution. Whereas a classical approach is sufficient for the description of many phenomena it is no more useful at last for the case of the ground state of a system. This holds also for the cosmos. The black holes are that part of physics where quantum theory and gravitational theory come into close contact. There a Gedankenexperiment becomes possible that clarifies the fundamental role of abstract quantum information. We give it a new name (Protyposis) because it must be imagined without emitter, receiver and moreover without any concrete meaning. This meaning-free abstract quantum information is defined by means of black holes and cosmology. Protyposis enables a new conception for ''matter'' and makes possible to overcome the problems of the ''Lego-world-view'', which result from the attempt to find the ''simple and therefore basic concepts'' in the range of spatial smallness. Matter can be understood now as ''formed and condensed quantum information''. But on a first view it is nothing to see from its character of being information, as like matter does not appear as ''pure motion'', what it is also because of E=mc{sup 2}. (orig.)

The Effectiveness of Concept Maps in Teaching Physics Concepts Applied to Engineering Education: Experimental Comparison of the Amount of Learning Achieved With and Without Concept Maps

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez, Guadalupe; Pérez, Ángel Luis; Suero, María Isabel; Pardo, Pedro J.

2013-04-01

A study was conducted to quantify the effectiveness of concept maps in learning physics in engineering degrees. The following research question was posed: What was the difference in learning results from the use of concept maps to study a particular topic in an engineering course? The study design was quasi-experimental and used a post-test as a measuring instrument. The sample included 114 university students from the School of Industrial Engineering who were divided into two equivalent homogeneous groups of 57 students each. The amount of learning attained by the students in each group was compared, with the independent variable being the teaching method; the experimental group (E.G.) used concept maps, while the control group (C.G.) did not. We performed a crossover study with the two groups of students, with one group acting as the E.G. for the topic of optical fibers and as the C.G. for the topic of the fundamental particles of matter and vice versa for the other group. For each of the two topics studied, the evaluation instrument was a test of 100 dichotomous items. The resulting data were subjected to a comparative statistical analysis, which revealed a significant difference in the amount of learning attained by the E.G. students as compared with the C.G. students. The results allow us to state that for the use of concept maps, the average increment in the E.G. students' learning was greater than 19 percentage points.

Can dual processing theory explain physics students’ performance on the Force Concept Inventory?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna K. Wood

2016-07-01

Full Text Available According to dual processing theory there are two types, or modes, of thinking: system 1, which involves intuitive and nonreflective thinking, and system 2, which is more deliberate and requires conscious effort and thought. The Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT is a widely used and robust three item instrument that measures the tendency to override system 1 thinking and to engage in reflective, system 2 thinking. Each item on the CRT has an intuitive (but wrong answer that must be rejected in order to answer the item correctly. We therefore hypothesized that performance on the CRT may give useful insights into the cognitive processes involved in learning physics, where success involves rejecting the common, intuitive ideas about the world (often called misconceptions and instead carefully applying physical concepts. This paper presents initial results from an ongoing study examining the relationship between students’ CRT scores and their performance on the Force Concept Inventory (FCI, which tests students’ understanding of Newtonian mechanics. We find that a higher CRT score predicts a higher FCI score for both precourse and postcourse tests. However, we also find that the FCI normalized gain is independent of CRT score. The implications of these results are discussed.

The Relationship Between Self-Esteem and Sexual Self-Concept in People With Physical-Motor Disabilities

Science.gov (United States)

Salehi, Mehrdad; Kharaz Tavakol, Hooman; Shabani, Maede; Ziaei, Tayebe

2015-01-01

Background: Self-esteem is the value that the individuals give themselves, and sexual self-concept is also a part of individuality or sexual-self. Impairment or disability exists not only in the physical body of disabled people but also in their attitudes. Negative attitudes affect the mental health of disabled people, causing them to have lower self-esteem. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the relationship between self-esteem and sexual self-concept in people with physical-motor disabilities. Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 random samples with physical-motor disabilities covered by Isfahan Welfare Organization in 2013. Data collection instruments were the Persian Eysenck self-esteem questionnaire, and five domains (sexual anxiety, sexual self-efficacy, sexual self-esteem, sexual fear and sexual depression) of the Persian multidimensional sexual self-concept questionnaire. Because of incomplete filling of the questionnaires, the data of 183 people were analyzed by the SPSS 16.0 software. Data were analyzed using the t-test, Man-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests and Spearman correlation coefficient. Results: The mean age was 36.88 ± 8.94 years for women and 37.80 ± 10.13 for men. The mean scores of self-esteem among women and men were 15.80 ± 3.08 and 16.2 ± 2.90, respectively and there was no statistically significance difference. Comparison of the mean scores of sexual anxiety, sexual self-efficacy, sexual self-esteem, sexual fear and sexual depression among men and women showed that women scored higher than men in all domains. This difference was statistically significant in other domains except the sexual self-esteem (14.92 ± 3.61 vs. 13.56 ± 4.52) (P self-esteem, there was a statistical difference between other domains of people’s sexual self-concept and degree of disability (P self-esteem and sexual self-efficacy with their self-esteem. This correlation was positive in sexual anxiety and negative in two other

Environmental physics as a teaching concept

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boeker, Egbert; Grondelle, Rienk van; Blankert, Piet

2003-01-01

Environmental physics is understood as the physics connected with analysing and mitigating environmental problems. It draws on most sub-disciplines of physics and provides a way of making physics relevant. In this paper the motivation of teaching environmental physics is discussed and examples of course content and supporting student work are given, based on work in the authors' department

The Effect of Weight on Self-Concept, and Psychosocial Correlates of Physical Activity in Youths

Science.gov (United States)

Welk, Gregory J.; Joens-Matre, Roxane

2007-01-01

Much more attention has been given to the health implications of overweight and obesity than to the psychosocial implications. In order to combat obesity effectively, it is important to understand the implications of overweight on self-concept, self-esteem, and physical activity levels. Youth obesity has been associated with negative psychosocial…

Auditing SNOMED CT hierarchical relations based on lexical features of concepts in non-lattice subgraphs.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Licong; Bodenreider, Olivier; Shi, Jay; Zhang, Guo-Qiang

2018-02-01

We introduce a structural-lexical approach for auditing SNOMED CT using a combination of non-lattice subgraphs of the underlying hierarchical relations and enriched lexical attributes of fully specified concept names. Our goal is to develop a scalable and effective approach that automatically identifies missing hierarchical IS-A relations. Our approach involves 3 stages. In stage 1, all non-lattice subgraphs of SNOMED CT's IS-A hierarchical relations are extracted. In stage 2, lexical attributes of fully-specified concept names in such non-lattice subgraphs are extracted. For each concept in a non-lattice subgraph, we enrich its set of attributes with attributes from its ancestor concepts within the non-lattice subgraph. In stage 3, subset inclusion relations between the lexical attribute sets of each pair of concepts in each non-lattice subgraph are compared to existing IS-A relations in SNOMED CT. For concept pairs within each non-lattice subgraph, if a subset relation is identified but an IS-A relation is not present in SNOMED CT IS-A transitive closure, then a missing IS-A relation is reported. The September 2017 release of SNOMED CT (US edition) was used in this investigation. A total of 14,380 non-lattice subgraphs were extracted, from which we suggested a total of 41,357 missing IS-A relations. For evaluation purposes, 200 non-lattice subgraphs were randomly selected from 996 smaller subgraphs (of size 4, 5, or 6) within the "Clinical Finding" and "Procedure" sub-hierarchies. Two domain experts confirmed 185 (among 223) suggested missing IS-A relations, a precision of 82.96%. Our results demonstrate that analyzing the lexical features of concepts in non-lattice subgraphs is an effective approach for auditing SNOMED CT. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

History of modern physics; Histoire de la physique moderne

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Biezunski, M

1994-12-31

This book presents an history of the principal concepts of contemporary physics and their genesis from the great cleavages of the beginning of the century with some incursions in a more far-away past. The essential concepts are replaced in their creation context, especially relativity, quantum mechanics and particles physics. (A.B.).

Coherence of Physics and Chemistry Curricula in Terms of the Electron Concept

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elena, Ivanova

2016-01-01

One of the major contradictions in subject teaching is the contradiction between the unity of the world and the discrete separated generalized content of natural sciences that study natural phenomena. These are physics, chemistry, biology and more. One can eliminate the conflict if opens the content's interdisciplinary links set by the events that are studied by different disciplines. The corresponding contexts of the phenomenon content arise depending on the discipline, and they are not enough coordinated. Obviously, we need a mechanism that allows establishing interdisciplinary links in the content quickly and without losing the logic of the material and assess their coherence in academic disciplines. This article uses a quantitative method of coherence assessment elaborated by T.N. Gnitetskaya. The definition of the concept of the semantic state introduced by the authors is given in this article. The method is applied to coherence assessment of physics and chemistry textbooks. The coherence of two pairs of chemistry and physics textbooks by different authors in different combinations was calculated. The most cohered pairs of textbooks (chemistry-physics) were identified. One can recommend using the pair of textbooks for eighth grade that we offered that favors the development of holistic understandings of the world around us. (paper)

Coherence of Physics and Chemistry Curricula in Terms of the Electron Concept

Science.gov (United States)

Elena, Ivanova

2016-08-01

One of the major contradictions in subject teaching is the contradiction between the unity of the world and the discrete separated generalized content of natural sciences that study natural phenomena. These are physics, chemistry, biology and more. One can eliminate the conflict if opens the content's interdisciplinary links set by the events that are studied by different disciplines. The corresponding contexts of the phenomenon content arise depending on the discipline, and they are not enough coordinated. Obviously, we need a mechanism that allows establishing interdisciplinary links in the content quickly and without losing the logic of the material and assess their coherence in academic disciplines. This article uses a quantitative method of coherence assessment elaborated by T.N. Gnitetskaya. The definition of the concept of the semantic state introduced by the authors is given in this article. The method is applied to coherence assessment of physics and chemistry textbooks. The coherence of two pairs of chemistry and physics textbooks by different authors in different combinations was calculated. The most cohered pairs of textbooks (chemistry-physics) were identified. One can recommend using the pair of textbooks for eighth grade that we offered that favors the development of holistic understandings of the world around us.

How Does Physical Activity Intervention Improve Self-Esteem and Self-Concept in Children and Adolescents? Evidence from a Meta-Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Mingli; Wu, Lang; Ming, Qingsen

2015-01-01

Objective To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis for the effects of physical activity intervention on self-esteem and self-concept in children and adolescents, and to identify moderator variables by meta-regression. Design A meta-analysis and meta-regression. Method Relevant studies were identified through a comprehensive search of electronic databases. Study inclusion criteria were: (1) intervention should be supervised physical activity, (2) reported sufficient data to estimate pooled effect sizes of physical activity intervention on self-esteem or self-concept, (3) participants’ ages ranged from 3 to 20 years, and (4) a control or comparison group was included. For each study, study design, intervention design and participant characteristics were extracted. R software (version 3.1.3) and Stata (version 12.0) were used to synthesize effect sizes and perform moderation analyses for determining moderators. Results Twenty-five randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies and 13 non-randomized controlled trial (non-RCT) studies including a total of 2991 cases were identified. Significant positive effects were found in RCTs for intervention of physical activity alone on general self outcomes (Hedges’ g = 0.29, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.14 to 0.45; p = 0.001), self-concept (Hedges’ g = 0.49, 95%CI: 0.10 to 0.88, p = 0.014) and self-worth (Hedges’ g = 0.31, 95%CI: 0.13 to 0.49, p = 0.005). There was no significant effect of intervention of physical activity alone on any outcomes in non-RCTs, as well as in studies with intervention of physical activity combined with other strategies. Meta-regression analysis revealed that higher treatment effects were associated with setting of intervention in RCTs (β = 0.31, 95%CI: 0.07 to 0.55, p = 0.013). Conclusion Intervention of physical activity alone is associated with increased self-concept and self-worth in children and adolescents. And there is a stronger association with school-based and gymnasium

How Does Physical Activity Intervention Improve Self-Esteem and Self-Concept in Children and Adolescents? Evidence from a Meta-Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Mingli; Wu, Lang; Ming, Qingsen

2015-01-01

To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis for the effects of physical activity intervention on self-esteem and self-concept in children and adolescents, and to identify moderator variables by meta-regression. A meta-analysis and meta-regression. Relevant studies were identified through a comprehensive search of electronic databases. Study inclusion criteria were: (1) intervention should be supervised physical activity, (2) reported sufficient data to estimate pooled effect sizes of physical activity intervention on self-esteem or self-concept, (3) participants' ages ranged from 3 to 20 years, and (4) a control or comparison group was included. For each study, study design, intervention design and participant characteristics were extracted. R software (version 3.1.3) and Stata (version 12.0) were used to synthesize effect sizes and perform moderation analyses for determining moderators. Twenty-five randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies and 13 non-randomized controlled trial (non-RCT) studies including a total of 2991 cases were identified. Significant positive effects were found in RCTs for intervention of physical activity alone on general self outcomes (Hedges' g = 0.29, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.14 to 0.45; p = 0.001), self-concept (Hedges' g = 0.49, 95%CI: 0.10 to 0.88, p = 0.014) and self-worth (Hedges' g = 0.31, 95%CI: 0.13 to 0.49, p = 0.005). There was no significant effect of intervention of physical activity alone on any outcomes in non-RCTs, as well as in studies with intervention of physical activity combined with other strategies. Meta-regression analysis revealed that higher treatment effects were associated with setting of intervention in RCTs (β = 0.31, 95%CI: 0.07 to 0.55, p = 0.013). Intervention of physical activity alone is associated with increased self-concept and self-worth in children and adolescents. And there is a stronger association with school-based and gymnasium-based intervention compared with other settings.

Special relativity - the foundation of macroscopic physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dixon, W.G.

1978-01-01

This book aims to show that an understanding of the basic laws of macroscopic systems can be gained more easily within relativistic physics than within Newtonian physics. The unity of dynamics, thermodynamics and electromagnetism under the umbrella of special relativity is examined under chapter headings entitled: the physics of space and time, affine spaces in mathematics and physics, foundations of dynamics, relativistic simple fluids, and, electrodynamics of polarizable fluids. (U.K.)

Disentangling longitudinal relations between physical activity, work-related fatigue, and task demands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vries, J.D. de; Claessens, B.J.C.; Hooff, M.L.M. van; Geurts, S.A.E.; Bossche, S.N.J. van den; Kompier, A.J.

2016-01-01

Purpose This longitudinal study examined ‘normal’, ‘reversed’, and ‘reciprocal’ relationships between (1) physical activity and work-related fatigue; and (2) physical activity and task demands. Furthermore, the effects of across-time change in meaningful physical activity groups on levels of

3D Printed Potential and Free Energy Surfaces for Teaching Fundamental Concepts in Physical Chemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Kaliakin, Danil S.; Zaari, Ryan R.; Varganov, Sergey A.

2015-01-01

Teaching fundamental physical chemistry concepts such as the potential energy surface, transition state, and reaction path is a challenging task. The traditionally used oversimplified 2D representation of potential and free energy surfaces makes this task even more difficult and often confuses students. We show how this 2D representation can be…

Concepts in quantum mechanics

CERN Document Server

Mathur, Vishnu S

2008-01-01

NEED FOR QUANTUM MECHANICS AND ITS PHYSICAL BASIS Inadequacy of Classical Description for Small Systems Basis of Quantum Mechanics Representation of States Dual Vectors: Bra and Ket Vectors Linear Operators Adjoint of a Linear Operator Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors of a Linear Operator Physical Interpretation Observables and Completeness Criterion Commutativity and Compatibility of Observables Position and Momentum Commutation Relations Commutation Relation and the Uncertainty ProductAppendix: Basic Concepts in Classical MechanicsREPRESENTATION THEORY Meaning of Representation How to Set up a Representation Representatives of a Linear Operator Change of Representation Coordinate Representation Replacement of Momentum Observable p by -ih d/dqIntegral Representation of Dirac Bracket A2|F|A1> The Momentum Representation Dirac Delta FunctionRelation between the Coordinate and Momentum RepresentationsEQUATIONS OF MOTIONSchrödinger Equation of Motion Schrödinger Equation in the Coordinate Representation Equation o...

IS IT NECESSARY TO TEACH THE THEORY OF RELATIVITY IN GENERAL PHYSICS COURSE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergey N. Kolgatin

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of the present investigation is to discuss and study the general structure of the course of Physics at the high school in an extended sense. In a narrower sense, the author wonders about the necessity for inclusion of the section «Theory of Relativity» in the General Physics course, and discusses the possible site of this issue in the order of presentation.Methods. A method for designing Physics course in modern conditions requires certain sophistication from a lecturer. This is due to the strong reduction of Physics course occurred in recent years, and due to a number of objective and subjective reasons. Planning the course structure, one has to make the selection of most significant questions sacrificing minor and less significant issues. This process is particularly exacerbated by severe restrictions on the time allowed for the subject. It is necessary to re-examine the content of the course due to the recent reduction in lecture hours on Physics. In this case, it would be undesirable to neglect the substantial parts of the subject content which are important conceptually or in its applications, e.g. the Relativity Theory. The author discusses two ways of disposition of the relevant material in the course structure, and correlates them with the required level of Physics teaching. In the first approach the Relativity Theory course is considered as a part of Modern Mechanics and is placed in the first semester immediately following Kinematics. In the second approach, Relativistic Physics is presented as a result of deduction, as a generalized theory explaining the unity of the world and the objective existence of physical laws; in this case, the section is better to locate after Optics, immediately before Atomic Physics.Results. As a result of consideration, the author proves the conclusion that the inclusion of the Relativistic Theory course in a number of sections of General Physics is necessary. The author offers a list of

Mathematica for Theoretical Physics: Electrodynamics, Quantum Mechanics, General Relativity and Fractals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heusler, Stefan

2006-01-01

The main focus of the second, enlarged edition of the book Mathematica for Theoretical Physics is on computational examples using the computer program Mathematica in various areas in physics. It is a notebook rather than a textbook. Indeed, the book is just a printout of the Mathematica notebooks included on the CD. The second edition is divided into two volumes, the first covering classical mechanics and nonlinear dynamics, the second dealing with examples in electrodynamics, quantum mechanics, general relativity and fractal geometry. The second volume is not suited for newcomers because basic and simple physical ideas which lead to complex formulas are not explained in detail. Instead, the computer technology makes it possible to write down and manipulate formulas of practically any length. For researchers with experience in computing, the book contains a lot of interesting and non-trivial examples. Most of the examples discussed are standard textbook problems, but the power of Mathematica opens the path to more sophisticated solutions. For example, the exact solution for the perihelion shift of Mercury within general relativity is worked out in detail using elliptic functions. The virial equation of state for molecules' interaction with Lennard-Jones-like potentials is discussed, including both classical and quantum corrections to the second virial coefficient. Interestingly, closed solutions become available using sophisticated computing methods within Mathematica. In my opinion, the textbook should not show formulas in detail which cover three or more pages-these technical data should just be contained on the CD. Instead, the textbook should focus on more detailed explanation of the physical concepts behind the technicalities. The discussion of the virial equation would benefit much from replacing 15 pages of Mathematica output with 15 pages of further explanation and motivation. In this combination, the power of computing merged with physical intuition would

Self-concept mediates the relation between achievement and emotions in mathematics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van der Beek, Jojanneke P J; Van der Ven, Sanne H G; Kroesbergen, Evelyn H; Leseman, Paul P M

BACKGROUND: Mathematics achievement is related to positive and negative emotions. Pekrun's control-value theory of achievement emotions suggests that students' self-concept (i.e., self-appraisal of ability) may be an important mediator of the relation between mathematics achievement and emotions.

Self-concept mediates the relation between achievement and emotions in mathematics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Beek, J.P.J. van der; Ven, S.H.G. van der; Kroesbergen, E.H.; Leseman, P.P.M.

2017-01-01

Background: Mathematics achievement is related to positive and negative emotions. Pekrun's control-value theory of achievement emotions suggests that students' self-concept (i.e., self-appraisal of ability) may be an important mediator of the relation between mathematics achievement and emotions.

Concepts of magnetospheric convection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasyliunas, V.M.

1975-01-01

Magnetospheric physics, which grew out of attempts to understand the space environment of the Earth, is becoming increasingly applicable to other systems in the Universe. Among the planets, in addition to the Earth, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars and (in a somewhat different way) Venus are now known to have magnetospheres. The magnetospheres of pulsars have been regarded as an essential part of the pulsar phenomenon. Other astrophysical systems, such as supernova remnant shells or magnetic stars and binary star systems, may be describable as magnetospheres. The major concepts of magnetospheric physics thus need to be formulated in a general way not restricted to the geophysical context in which they may have originated. Magnetospheric convection has been one of the most important and fruitful concepts in the study of the Earth's magnetosphere. This paper describes the basic theoretical notions of convection in a manner applicable to magnetospheres generally and discusses the relative importance of convective corotational motions, with particular reference to the comparison of the Earth and Jupiter. (Auth.)

Basic concepts in computational physics

CERN Document Server

Stickler, Benjamin A

2016-01-01

This new edition is a concise introduction to the basic methods of computational physics. Readers will discover the benefits of numerical methods for solving complex mathematical problems and for the direct simulation of physical processes. The book is divided into two main parts: Deterministic methods and stochastic methods in computational physics. Based on concrete problems, the first part discusses numerical differentiation and integration, as well as the treatment of ordinary differential equations. This is extended by a brief introduction to the numerics of partial differential equations. The second part deals with the generation of random numbers, summarizes the basics of stochastics, and subsequently introduces Monte-Carlo (MC) methods. Specific emphasis is on MARKOV chain MC algorithms. The final two chapters discuss data analysis and stochastic optimization. All this is again motivated and augmented by applications from physics. In addition, the book offers a number of appendices to provide the read...

Playing, Gaming, Working and Labouring: Framing the Con-cepts and Relations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arwid Lund

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of this article is to define the concepts of playing, working, gaming, and labouring, through a literature study, and to construct a typology. This typology will be used to create a field model that is structured by the horizontal parameters of qualitative-quantitative (characteristics and the vertical parameters of activity-result (in focus. It is shown how this model can be used to visualise different theoretical positions in empirical material, which connects to the concepts and their relations. Working and labouring are distinguished into a trans-historical and a historical, capitalist, category, and likewise playing and gaming, where the former is the trans-historical category and the latter the historical one. The main focus of the article, since working and labouring is well covered within the critical Marxist tradition, is on playing and its relation to working, with the aim of understanding and criticising the concept of playbour.

Concept Analysis: Health-Promoting Behaviors Related to Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Infection.

Science.gov (United States)

McCutcheon, Tonna; Schaar, Gina; Parker, Karen L

2015-01-01

The concept of health-promoting behaviors incorporates ideas presented in the Ottawa Charter of Public Health and the nursing-based Health Promotion Model. Despite the fact that the concept of health-promoting behaviors has a nursing influence, literature suggests nursing has inadequately developed and used this concept within nursing practice. A further review of literature regarding health promotion behaviors and the human papilloma virus suggest a distinct gap in nursing literature. This article presents a concept analysis of health-promoting behaviors related to the human papilloma virus in order to encourage the application of the concept into nursing practice, promote continued nursing research regarding this concept, and further expand the application of health-promoting behaviors to other situations and populations within the nursing discipline. Attributes of health-promoting behaviors are presented and include empowerment, participation, community, and a positive concept of health. Antecedents, consequences, and empirical referents are also presented, as are model, borderline, and contrary cases to help clarify the concept. Recommendations for human papilloma virus health-promoting behaviors within the nursing practice are also provided. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Health-related physical fitness for children with cerebral palsy

Science.gov (United States)

Maltais, Désirée B.; Wiart, Lesley; Fowler, Eileen; Verschuren, Olaf; Damiano, Diane L.

2014-01-01

Low levels of physical activity are a global health concern for all children. Children with cerebral palsy have even lower physical activity levels than their typically developing peers. Low levels of physical activity, and thus an increased risk for related chronic diseases, are associated with deficits in health-related physical fitness. Recent research has provided therapists with the resources to effectively perform physical fitness testing and physical activity training in clinical settings with children who have cerebral palsy, although most testing and training data to date pertains to those who walk. Nevertheless, based on the present evidence, all children with cerebral palsy should engage, to the extent they are able, in aerobic, anaerobic and muscle strengthening activities. Future research is required to determine the best ways to evaluate health-related physical fitness in non-ambulatory children with cerebral palsy and foster long-term changes in physical activity behavior in all children with this condition. PMID:24820339

Discussion on the concepts of "coordination" and "agility" in terms of physical education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V.A. Zaporozhanov

2015-03-01

Full Text Available In the scientific and methodological literature and practice of physical education concepts of "coordination" and "agility" are often used synonymously. And discussion about the appropriateness distinguish these concepts is mainly analytical character. Purpose : to evaluate the nature of the relationship metrically between indicators kinesthesia (which characterize the internal processes of interaction in the neuro-muscular system - coordination and the efficient delivery of a complex exercise (in cooperation man in the external environment of physical education - agility. Material : 77 students surveyed. Students performed on 100 strikes the ball into the goal in terms of golf (10 control measurements. The experiment was conducted for 8 months. 7700 measurement precision of centimeters processed statistically. Calculated reliability of measurements: 100 comparability repetitive beats, accuracy hitting the ball into the goal and the pace of learning in terms of the impact of blows. Results : the total volume measurements was characterized by high variability (V% = 53,5, indicating that the low status of kinesthesia surveyed. This reduces the reliability of the correlation coefficients according to 30 and then 10 of the best students in the general rank in terms of reliability of measurements. Significant correlation occurred only in terms of performance beats the purpose of learning the technique and pace (0,417; n = 30, p <0,05; and 0,677; n = 10, p <0,05. Conclusions : Overall, the results of our study showed that the concept of "coordination" and "agility" should still be distinguished. In some cases, students with a good level of kinesthesia occurred and high mobility in complex locomotion. If we recognize it expedient to continue this discussion, then we must rely on objective, metric information. This information should be obtained in studies with a broad contingent surveyed, consistently show good concentration and high reliability

Embodied Germ Cell at Work: Building an Expansive Concept of Physical Mobility in Home Care

Science.gov (United States)

Engestrom, Yrjo; Nummijoki, Jaana; Sannino, Annalisa

2012-01-01

This article presents a process of collective formation of a new concept of mobility between home care workers and their elderly clients, who are at risk of losing physical mobility and functional capacity. A new tool called mobility agreement was introduced to facilitate the inclusion of regular mobility exercises in home care visits and in the…

Eliciting physics students mental models via science fiction stories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Acar, H.

2005-01-01

This paper presents the results of an experiment which investigated the effects of the using science fiction stories in physics lessons. A questionnaire form containing 2 open-ended questions related to Jules Vernes story From the Earth to the Moon was used with 353, 9th and 10th grade students to determine their pre-conceptions about gravity and weightlessness. Mental models explaining students scientific and alternative views were constructed, according to students replies. After these studies, 6 students were interviewed. In this interview, researches were done about whether science fiction stories had an effect on bringing students pre-conceptions related to physics subjects out, on students inquiring their own concepts and on increasing students interest and motivation towards physics subjects. Studies in this research show that science fiction stories have an effect on arousing students interest and curiosity, have a role encouraging students to inquire their own concepts and are effective in making students alternative views come out

Children's Moral Reasoning regarding Physical and Relational Aggression

Science.gov (United States)

Murray-Close, Dianna; Crick, Nicki R.; Galotti, Kathleen M.

2006-01-01

Elementary school children's moral reasoning concerning physical and relational aggression was explored. Fourth and fifth graders rated physical aggression as more wrong and harmful than relational aggression but tended to adopt a moral orientation about both forms of aggression. Gender differences in moral judgments of aggression were observed,…

Advancing Uncertainty: Untangling and Discerning Related Concepts

OpenAIRE

Janice Penrod

2002-01-01

Methods of advancing concepts within the qualitative paradigm have been developed and articulated. In this section, I describe methodological perspectives of a project designed to advance the concept of uncertainty using multiple qualitative methods. Through a series of earlier studies, the concept of uncertainty arose repeatedly in varied contexts, working its way into prominence, and warranting further investigation. Processes of advanced concept analysis were used to initiate the formal in...

Hot Brakes and Energy-Related Concepts: Is Energy Lost?

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez, V.; Pinto, R.

2012-01-01

This paper describes a secondary school experience which is intended to help students to think profoundly about some energy-related concepts. It is quite different to other experiences of mechanics because the focus is not on the quantitative calculation of energy conservation but on the qualitative understanding of energy degradation. We first…

Concepts on integration of physical protection and material accounting functions in a safeguards system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reynolds, D.A.

1981-01-01

Concepts on integration of physical protection and material accounting systems to enhance overall safeguards capability are developed and presented. Integration is approached by coordinating all safeguards information through a safeguards coordination center. This center represents a higher level in a communication, data-processing, and decision-making structure which is needed for efficient real-time operation of the integrated system. The safeguards coordination center functions to assess alarm and warning data required to resolve threats in the safeguards system, coordinate information and interaction involving the material accounting, physical protection, and facility monitoring and control systems, and present a single unified interface for interaction with facility management, facility operations, safeguards system personnel, and response forces

ADOLESCENTS’ SELF-CONCEPT AND SOCIAL STATUS IN THEIR SCHOOL CLASS AND PEER CLIQUE

OpenAIRE

Ļevina, Jeļena

2013-01-01

The purpose of this research was to investigate the relations between multiple aspects of adolescents’ self-concept and various dimensions of their social status in the classroom and in the peer clique. It was found that there was a positive relationship (1) between physical abilities selfconcept and social preference, perceived popularity, and social dominance; (2) between physical appearance self-concept and perceived popularity and social dominance; (3) between oppositesex ...

Children's Self-Concepts as Related to Family Structure and Family Concept.

Science.gov (United States)

Parish, Joycelyn G.; Parish, Thomas S.

1983-01-01

Surveyed 426 children from intact, divorced, and reconstituted families, who responded to the Personal Attribute Inventory for Children to evaluate their families and themselves. Results showed a significant association between children's self-concepts and both their family structure and family concepts. (JAC)

The Relation of Physics Teachers' Leadership with Burnout Levels and Attitudes towards Change. Turkey Case

Science.gov (United States)

Tortop, Hasan Said

2012-01-01

Nowadays, leadership concept has changed into ability to work with team behaviour from doing something alone It is inevitable that school managements include their teachers to the leadership concept. Leadership of physics teachers who educate necessary individuals for developing society in views of technologically and scientifically is important.…

Concept Analysis: Alzheimer’s Caregiver Stress

Science.gov (United States)

Llanque, Sarah; Savage, Lynette; Rosenburg, Neal; Honor’s, BA; Caserta, Michael

2015-01-01

AIM The aim of this article was to analyze the concept of caregiver stress in the context of caring for a person with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. BACKGROUND Currently, there are more than 15 million unpaid care-givers for persons suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. This unpaid care can be stressful for caregivers due to the chronic nature of the disease process, as well as other factors. METHOD The paper incorporates the modified method of Wilson’s concept analysis procedure to analyze the concept of caregiver stress. DATA SOURCES A review of the literature was undertaken using the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Google Scholar, and PubMed. RESULTS A theoretical definition of caregiver stress is provided, and the defining attributes, related concepts, antecedents, and consequences of caregiver stress are proposed, and case studies are presented. CONCLUSIONS The analysis demonstrates that caregiver stress is the unequal exchange of assistance among people who stand in close relationship to one another, which results in emotional and physical stress on the caregiver. Implications for future nursing research and practice conclude the paper. PMID:24787468

Understanding the physical and chemical changes on the three levels of the presentation of chemical concepts in students primary education

OpenAIRE

Bregar, Anja

2017-01-01

Physical and chemical changes are learning contents that address the essential chemical concepts in processes at particle level. When explaining chemical concepts at particle level, it is necessary to use various and appropriate visualization elements, such as (1) pictures, (2) photographs, (3) film excerpts (4) 2D or 3D stationary submicroscopic representations, (5) 2D and 3D dynamic contamination schemes, etc. This way, teachers can explain and interpret a chemical concept on three presenta...

The Concept of Security in International Relations Theory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriel Orozco

2006-01-01

Full Text Available The end of the Cold War and the emergence of globalisation have transformed the reality of International Relations, which has meant a change in the theories which this reality had assumed. The concept of security reveals itself as an organisational idea on the different phenomena of globalisation, carrying out a programme of research that goes beyond the realistic presumptions of military power or of the idealistic principles of research for peace. This article explores the new meanings of security for International Relations theory and discusses the theoretical models that influence policy design and that aim to confront the problems and challenges of security in globalisation.

'This stroke was sent…': Stroke-related illness concepts and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Though there is evidence that stroke incidence is increasing even in low and middle income countries, there is no study of stroke-related illness concepts and HSB in Nigerians. Data from 960 educated Nigerians were analysed. Eight hundred and fifty four respondents (431 aged 20-40 years and 423 aged 41 years or ...

Lectures on torah and modern physics (the lectures in kabbalah series)

CERN Document Server

Ginsburgh, Harav Yitzchak

2013-01-01

Modern physics has forever changed the way we view and understand physical reality. With a wide spectrum of theories, from general relativity to quantum mechanics, our conceptions of the very big and the very small are no longer intuitively obvious. Many philosophers, even scientists have expressed the opinion that the counterintuitive conclusions posited in modern physics are best understood using spiritual terminology. In the 11 lectures in this volume, Harav Ginsburgh, one of our generation's foremost scholars, innovators, and teachers of Kabbalah, reveals how modern physics reflects foundational concepts in the Torah's inner dimension. A wide range of topics from relativity (special and general), quantum mechanics, and string theory are addressed. Elegantly and gracefully, Harav Ginsburgh's exposition of the topics switches back and forth between the scientific and Torah perspectives. With his deep insight, Harav Ginsburgh gives even well-known physical concepts a refreshing and new treatment. Apart from ...

Physical security and IT convergence: Managing the cyber-related risks.

Science.gov (United States)

McCreight, Tim; Leece, Doug

The convergence of physical security devices into the corporate network is increasing, due to the perceived economic benefits and efficiencies gained from using one enterprise network. Bringing these two networks together is not without risk. Physical devices like closed circuit television cameras (CCTV), card access readers, and heating, ventilation and air conditioning controllers (HVAC) are typically not secured to the standards we expect for corporate computer networks. These devices can pose significant risks to the corporate network by creating new avenues to exploit vulnerabilities in less-than-secure implementations of physical systems. The ASIS Information Technology Security Council (ITSC) developed a white paper describing steps organisations can take to reduce the risks this convergence can pose, and presented these concepts at the 2015 ASIS/ISC2 Congress in Anaheim, California. 1 This paper expands upon the six characteristics described by ITSC, and provides business continuity planners with information on how to apply these recommendations to physical security devices that use the corporate network.

Nuclear physics and neutronics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paya, D.

1997-01-01

After a brief review of the beginnings of the nuclear reaction physics in France in the 40's and 50's, the experimentation neutronics and nuclear physics studies are related and their uses presented, which aims were to provide data for the study of the various reactor concepts and to study fundamental physics. Progressively, pure nuclear physics lost its links with neutronics, and its influence decreases more or less. Long life radioactive waste reprocessing is an important domain where it could regain its contribution

Self-Concept Mediates the Relation between Achievement and Emotions in Mathematics

Science.gov (United States)

Van der Beek, Jojanneke P. J.; Van der Ven, Sanne H. G.; Kroesbergen, Evelyn H.; Leseman, Paul P. M.

2017-01-01

Background: Mathematics achievement is related to positive and negative emotions. Pekrun's control-value theory of achievement emotions suggests that students' self-concept (i.e., self-appraisal of ability) may be an important mediator of the relation between mathematics achievement and emotions. Aims: The aims were (1) to investigate the…

The physical self in motion: within-person change and associations of change in self-esteem, physical self-concept, and physical activity in adolescent girls.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindwall, Magnus; Asci, Hulya; Crocker, Peter

2014-12-01

The purpose of this study was to examine patterns of within-person change, and associations of change, in global self-esteem (GSE), physical self-perceptions (PSP), and physical activity in a sample of 705 Canadian adolescent girls over three measurements points and 24 months. The Physical Self-Perceptions Profile (PSPP) was used to measure GSE and PSP, and the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A) was used to assess physical activity. Latent growth curve models were used to analyze the data. All PSP variables except for body attractiveness demonstrated significant average decline, but also significant was the change in between-person heterogeneity. Change in GSE and PSP was moderately to strongly related on a between-person level and weakly to moderately associated on a within-person level. Change in physical activity was related to change in the majority of the PSP variables but not to change in GSE.

Alternative fusion concepts: engineering and utility considerations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gough, W.C.; Amherd, N.A.

1978-01-01

Alternative systems are described to be an integral part of the total fusion effort, making use of many developments of the mainline efforts but also contributing on a broad scale to improved understanding of fusion plasmas, technology and engineering. We hypothesize that the rationale for supporting alternative concepts will shift from physics related justifications to the perceived benefits for commercial use. Three principal factors are used to describe the commercialization potential of energy systems: technological risk, perceived benefit, and capital requirements. R and D can reduce the risk of a technology option, but perceived benefit and capital availability are largely governed by non-R and D elements. Hence, power station decision criteria as determined by electric-utility executives are presented, and a balance among the three commercialization factors described. An outline of past and on-going alternative concept reactor study endeavors is given and a suggestion for rapidly developing the physics base of the concepts is described

Academic self-concept in children with epilepsy and its relation to their quality of life.

Science.gov (United States)

Brabcova, Dana; Krsek, Pavel; Kohout, Jiri; Jost, Jiri; Zarubova, Jana

2015-04-01

Academic achievement in children with epilepsy is a highly studied topic with many important implications. However, only little attention has been devoted to academic self-concept of such children and the relation of academic self-concept to their quality of life. We aimed to examine academic self-concept in children with epilepsy, to assess its relationship to academic achievement and to determine possible correlations between academic self-concept and quality of life. The study group consisted of 182 children and adolescents aged 9-14 years who completed the student's perception of ability scale (SPAS) questionnaire to determine their academic self-concept and the modified Czech version of the CHEQOL-25 questionnaire to determine their health-related quality of life. We found that academic self-concept in children with epilepsy was on average significantly lower than in their peers without seizures, especially with regard to general school-related abilities, reading, and spelling. On the other hand, the variance in the data obtained from the group of children with epilepsy was significantly higher than in the whole population and the proportion of individuals with very high academic self-concept seems comparable among children with and without epilepsy. Moreover, it was found that correlations between academic self-concept and academic achievement are significantly lower in children with epilepsy than in the whole population. The presented results suggest that considerable attention should be paid to the role of academic self-concept in education of children with epilepsy and to the factors influencing this self-concept in this group.

General relativity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kenyon, I.R.

1990-01-01

General relativity is discussed in this book at a level appropriate to undergraduate students of physics and astronomy. It describes concepts and experimental results, and provides a succinct account of the formalism. A brief review of special relativity is followed by a discussion of the equivalence principle and its implications. Other topics covered include the concepts of curvature and the Schwarzschild metric, test of the general theory, black holes and their properties, gravitational radiation and methods for its detection, the impact of general relativity on cosmology, and the continuing search for a quantum theory of gravity. (author)

Nonequilibrium statistical physics of small systems: fluctuation relations and beyond (annual reviews of nonlinear dynamics and complexity (vch))

CERN Document Server

2013-01-01

This book offers a comprehensive picture of nonequilibrium phenomena in nanoscale systems. Written by internationally recognized experts in the field, this book strikes a balance between theory and experiment, and includes in-depth introductions to nonequilibrium fluctuation relations, nonlinear dynamics and transport, single molecule experiments, and molecular diffusion in nanopores. The authors explore the application of these concepts to nano- and biosystems by cross-linking key methods and ideas from nonequilibrium statistical physics, thermodynamics, stochastic theory, and dynamical s

Hand-related physical function in rheumatic hand conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Klokker, Louise; Terwee, Caroline B; Wæhrens, Eva Ejlersen

2016-01-01

as well as those items from the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Physical Function (PF) item bank that are relevant to patients with rheumatic hand conditions. Selection will be based on consensus among reviewers. Content validity of selected items will be established......INTRODUCTION: There is no consensus about what constitutes the most appropriate patient-reported outcome measurement (PROM) instrument for measuring physical function in patients with rheumatic hand conditions. Existing instruments lack psychometric testing and vary in feasibility...... and their psychometric qualities. We aim to develop a PROM instrument to assess hand-related physical function in rheumatic hand conditions. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will perform a systematic search to identify existing PROMs to rheumatic hand conditions, and select items relevant for hand-related physical function...

Hand-related physical function in rheumatic hand conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Klokker, Louise; Terwee, Caroline; Wæhrens, Eva Elisabet Ejlersen

2016-01-01

INTRODUCTION: There is no consensus about what constitutes the most appropriate patient-reported outcome measurement (PROM) instrument for measuring physical function in patients with rheumatic hand conditions. Existing instruments lack psychometric testing and vary in feasibility...... and their psychometric qualities. We aim to develop a PROM instrument to assess hand-related physical function in rheumatic hand conditions. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will perform a systematic search to identify existing PROMs to rheumatic hand conditions, and select items relevant for hand-related physical function...... as well as those items from the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Physical Function (PF) item bank that are relevant to patients with rheumatic hand conditions. Selection will be based on consensus among reviewers. Content validity of selected items will be established...

A historical analysis of the construction of physical meanings to the concept of vector potential in classical electromagnetism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aldo Aoyagui Gomes Pereira

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Currently, the concept of vector potential is usually treated in textbooks and taught in university courses of electromagnetism as a mathematical device for the calculation of electric and magnetic fields. However, the historical  investigation  of  the  origin  and  development  of  this  concept, especially in the works of Michael Faraday and James Clerk Maxwell, gave  us  indications  that  these  scientists  attributed  physical   and  mechanical analogical meanings to the quantities that currently receive the  denomination  of  vector  potential.  In  the  contexto  in  which  these scientists worked in the second half of the nineteenth century, the scientific community considered that electromagnetic phenomena occurred in an ether with mechanical properties and that electromagnetic quantities should  have  mechanical  analogues. At the  end  of  this  century,  some physicists, including Oliver Heaviside and Heinrich Hertz reformulated Maxwell's theory, abandoning the physical interpretation given by Maxwell to the vector potential. In this paper, we discuss in a syntactic way  how  this  process  of  change  occurred.  For  this,  we  conducted  a historical study based on primary and secondary sources on the subject and,  finally,  investigated  the  approach  used  in  some  textbooks  of electromagnetism in teaching this concept. We also present indications that the abandonment of physical interpretation of the concept of vector potential  has  been  associated  with  philosophical  and  methodological positions as well as with the interest in solving practical problems in the recent telegraph cable industry in nineteenth-century Britain.

How Do Students Learn to See Concepts in Visualizations? Social Learning Mechanisms with Physical and Virtual Representations

Science.gov (United States)

Rau, Martina A.

2017-01-01

STEM instruction often uses visual representations. To benefit from these, students need to understand how representations show domain-relevant concepts. Yet, this is difficult for students. Prior research shows that physical representations (objects that students manipulate by hand) and virtual representations (objects on a computer screen that…

Body-related self-conscious emotions relate to physical activity motivation and behavior in men.

Science.gov (United States)

Castonguay, Andree L; Pila, Eva; Wrosch, Carsten; Sabiston, Catherine M

2015-05-01

The aim of this study was to examine the associations between the body-related self-conscious emotions of shame, guilt, and pride and physical activity motivation and behavior among adult males. Specifically, motivation regulations (external, introjected, indentified, intrinsic) were examined as possible mediators between each of the body-related self-conscious emotions and physical activity behavior. A cross-sectional study was conducted with adult men (N = 152; Mage = 23.72, SD = 10.92 years). Participants completed a questionnaire assessing body-related shame, guilt, authentic pride, hubristic pride, motivational regulations, and leisure-time physical activity. In separate multiple mediation models, body-related shame was positively associated with external and introjected regulations and negatively correlated with intrinsic regulation. Guilt was positively linked to external, introjected, and identified regulations. Authentic pride was negatively related to external regulation and positively correlated with both identified and intrinsic regulations and directly associated with physical activity behavior. Hubristic pride was positively associated with intrinsic regulation. Overall, there were both direct and indirect effects via motivation regulations between body-related self-conscious emotions and physical activity (R(2) shame = .15, guilt = .16, authentic pride = .18, hubristic pride = .16). These findings highlight the importance of targeting and understanding self-conscious emotions contextualized to the body and links to motivation and positive health behavior among men. © The Author(s) 2014.

The Impact of Gymnastics on Children's Physical Self-Concept and Movement Skill Development in Primary Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Rudd, J. R.; Barnett, L. M.; Farrow, D.; Berry, J.; Borkoles, E.; Polman, Remco

2017-01-01

This study evaluated the effectiveness of an 8-week gymnastics curriculum on children's movement competence and their physical self-concept. There were 113 children (46% girls, 49% intervention) with a mean age of 9.4 years (SD = 1.8) that participated. Intervention children underwent 8 weeks of gymnastics and the comparison group continued with…

Concept analysis of risk in relation to coronary heart disease among Filipino-Americans.

Science.gov (United States)

Dalusung-Angosta, Alona

2010-01-01

To analyze the concept of risk in relation to coronary heart disease (CHD) among Filipino-Americans (FAs) and provide a new definition of risk. Published literature. This concept analysis provided a new meaning of risk in relation to CHD among FAs and shed light on further understanding of risk. Risk has been laced with negativity in health care, but based on the current literature, risk can be conceptualized in a positive perspective, especially in the area of chronic health disease such as CHD. However, further research is needed in the conceptualization of risk related to CHD for consistency, adequacy, and meaning. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Physical, technical and engineer concept of ultradeep nuclear geoprobes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vaschenko, V.; Vachev, B.; Pisarenko, T.

2009-01-01

This report presents information on the results of works dedicated to theoretical, physical and technical justification of contact thermal melting method of low thermal conductivity substances and to prospects of its practical realization as autonomous geoprobe for penetrating into deep Earth interior. The following problems and tasks were investigated and solved by the authors: 1) Investigation of processes of heat and mass transfer by contact melting in near-bore region due to movement of heat source of arbitrary form. 2) Development of methods and estimate of principal engineer parameters of contact thermal penetrating in low heat conducting environment. 3) Analysis of modern high-temperature materials and element base for construction of autonomous ultra deep thermoprobe. 4) Investigation of ecological consequences of possible emergency in case nuclear thermal heat source loss of sealing. 5) Mathematical problem formulation of ultra deep contact thermal penetrating by melting the environment for heat source of arbitrary form moving under gravity force and propose approach to its solution. 6) Formulation and solution of contact thermal penetration process optimization problem. 7) Development of methods of main engineering parameters of contact thermal melting of low heat conducting substances estimate. 8) Development of base of physical, engineering and technical concept of autonomous geoprobe for ultra deep penetrating into Earth interior. It is important that the results obtained may be used in engineering and constructing development of ultra deep geoprobe and also for calculation of technological apparatus and processes that use contact thermal melting of low thermal conducting materials

Applying automatic item generation to create cohesive physics testlets

Science.gov (United States)

Mindyarto, B. N.; Nugroho, S. E.; Linuwih, S.

2018-03-01

Computer-based testing has created the demand for large numbers of items. This paper discusses the production of cohesive physics testlets using an automatic item generation concepts and procedures. The testlets were composed by restructuring physics problems to reveal deeper understanding of the underlying physical concepts by inserting a qualitative question and its scientific reasoning question. A template-based testlet generator was used to generate the testlet variants. Using this methodology, 1248 testlet variants were effectively generated from 25 testlet templates. Some issues related to the effective application of the generated physics testlets in practical assessments were discussed.

The concept of collaborative health.

Science.gov (United States)

Sandberg, Håkan

2010-11-01

Based on empirical research about teamwork in human service organizations in Sweden, the concept of collaborative health (CH) encapsulates the physical, psychological and social health resources the individual uses in teamwork; resources which at the same time are influenced by the teamwork. My argument built on empirical research leading up to identifying and defining the core concept in this article, is that teamwork affects team members' health and this in turn affects the teamwork and its outcome. In this paper collaborative health is viewed from a social constructionism perspective and discussed in relation to earlier concepts developed in social psychology and working life research, including psychosocial stress and burnout. The paper also introduces the concept of functional synergy, which in this context is defined as the simultaneous presence of sharp goal-orientation and synergy in teamwork. The need for a holistic team theory is emphasized as a tool in research on teamwork. Such a theory relies on identifying sound and illuminating constituent concepts. I suggest that collaborative health could be a useful concept for better understanding the complex collaborative and co-operative teamwork of human service organizations of today.

PROPOSAL OF ACTIVITY FOR APPROACH TO CONCEPT TEACHING IN THE MIDDLE OF ENTROPY

OpenAIRE

Monteiro, Marco Aurélio Alvarenga; ITA - São Paulo; Monteiro, Isabel Cristina de Castro; UNESP/Guaratinguetá - SP; Gaspar, Alberto; UNESP/Guaratinguetá-SP; Germano, Jóse Silvério Edmundo; ITA-SP

2009-01-01

To teach concepts of Thermodynamics for students of high school, primarily those relating to the Second Law, is not trivial task, in view of the rare activities proposed to approach these concepts in the classroom. The aim of this article is to offer a proposal for construction activity from simple, inexpensive and easy to use in the classroom so that it can be used by teachers of Physical of the high school aiming teach concepts relating to the Second Law of Thermodynamics. La enseñanza d...

PROPOSAL OF ACTIVITY FOR APPROACH TO CONCEPT TEACHING IN THE MIDDLE OF ENTROPY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Aurélio Alvarenga Monteiro

2009-08-01

Full Text Available To teach concepts of Thermodynamics for students of high school, primarily those relating to the Second Law, is not trivial task, in view of the rare activities proposed to approach these concepts in the classroom. The aim of this article is to offer a proposal for construction activity from simple, inexpensive and easy to use in the classroom so that it can be used by teachers of Physical of the high school aiming teach concepts relating to the Second Law of Thermodynamics.

Comparison of changes in physical self-concept, global self-esteem, depression and anxiety following two different psychomotor therapy programs in nonpsychotic psychiatric inpatients.

Science.gov (United States)

Knapen, Jan; Van de Vliet, Peter; Van Coppenolle, Herman; David, Ans; Peuskens, Joseph; Pieters, Guido; Knapen, Koen

2005-01-01

The first objective of this study was to compare the changes in physical self-concept, global self-esteem, depression and anxiety after participation in one of two 16-week psychomotor therapy programs for nonpsychotic psychiatric inpatients. The second objective was to study the relationship between changes in these variables. One hundred and ninety-nine inpatients were randomly assigned to either a personalized psychomotor fitness program, consisting of aerobic exercise and weight training, or a general program of psychomotor therapy, consisting of different forms of physical exercises and relaxation training. Physical self-concept was evaluated using the Dutch version of the Physical Self-Perception Profile at baseline, after 8 weeks, and after completion of the 16-week interventions. At the same time points, additional variables of global self-esteem, depression and anxiety were assessed by means of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Inventory, the Beck Depression Inventory and the Trait Anxiety Inventory, respectively. After 16 weeks, both groups showed significant improvements in all outcome measures (p values ranged from 0.01 to self-esteem and decreased depression and anxiety levels (p self-esteem, depression and anxiety supports the potential role of the physical self-concept in the recovery process of depressed and anxious psychiatric inpatients. Copyright (c) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Relational conceptions of paternalism: a way to rebut nanny-state accusations and evaluate public health interventions.

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, S M; Entwistle, V A; Little, M

2015-08-01

'Nanny-state' accusations can function as powerful rhetorical weapons against interventions intended to promote public health. Public health advocates often lack effective rebuttals to these criticisms. Nanny-state accusations are largely accusations of paternalism. They conjure up emotive concern about undue governmental interference undermining peoples' autonomy. But autonomy can be understood in various ways. We outline three main conceptions of autonomy, argue that these that can underpin three different conceptions of paternalism, and consider implications for responses to nanny-state accusations and the assessment of public health interventions. Detailed conceptual analysis. The conceptions of paternalism implicit in nanny-state accusations generally depend on libertarian conceptions of autonomy. These reflect unrealistic views of personal independence and do not discriminate sufficiently between trivial and important freedoms. Decisional conceptions of paternalism, like their underlying decisional conceptions of autonomy, have limited applicability in public health contexts. Relational conceptions of paternalism incorporate relational conceptions of autonomy, so recognize that personal autonomy depends on socially shaped skills, self-identities and self-evaluations as well as externally structured opportunities. They encourage attention to the various ways that social interactions and relationships, including disrespect, stigmatization and oppression, can undermine potential for autonomy. While nanny-state accusations target any interference with negative freedom, however trivial, relational conceptions direct concerns to those infringements of negative freedom, or absences of positive freedom, serious enough to undermine self-determination, self-governance and/or self-authorization. Relational conceptions of autonomy and paternalism offer public health policymakers and practitioners a means for rebutting nanny-state accusations, and can support more nuanced

Zero-Gravity Atmospheric Cloud Physics Experiment Laboratory engineering concepts/design tradeoffs. Volume 1: Study results

Science.gov (United States)

Greco, R. V.; Eaton, L. R.; Wilkinson, H. C.

1974-01-01

The work is summarized which was accomplished from January 1974 to October 1974 for the Zero-Gravity Atmospheric Cloud Physics Laboratory. The definition and development of an atmospheric cloud physics laboratory and the selection and delineation of candidate experiments that require the unique environment of zero gravity or near zero gravity are reported. The experiment program and the laboratory concept for a Spacelab payload to perform cloud microphysics research are defined. This multimission laboratory is planned to be available to the entire scientific community to utilize in furthering the basic understanding of cloud microphysical processes and phenomenon, thereby contributing to improved weather prediction and ultimately to provide beneficial weather control and modification.

Towards a concept of food-related life style

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grunert, Klaus G.

Life style has become popular in explaining food choice. In this paper the way life style studies are usually conducted is criticized based on a) that the methods lack a theoretical foundation, b) that the statistical methods are questionable, and c)that the explanatory power with regard to food...... choice remains to be demonstrated. A cognitive deductive approach is presented as a theoretically more well-founded alternative. It defines life style as the system of cognitive categories, scripts, and their associations, which relate a set of products to a set of values. A concept of food-related life...... style should hence contain elements like shopping scripts, meal preparation scripts, desired higher-order food attributes, food usage situations, and desired consequences of food products....

Influence of a health-related physical fitness model on students' physical activity, perceived competence, and enjoyment.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, You; Gao, Zan; Hannon, James; Shultz, Barry; Newton, Maria; Sibthorp, Jim

2013-12-01

This study was designed to explore the effects of a health-related physical fitness physical education model on students' physical activity, perceived competence, and enjoyment. 61 students (25 boys, 36 girls; M age = 12.6 yr., SD = 0.6) were assigned to two groups (health-related physical fitness physical education group, and traditional physical education group), and participated in one 50-min. weekly basketball class for 6 wk. Students' in-class physical activity was assessed using NL-1000 pedometers. The physical subscale of the Perceived Competence Scale for Children was employed to assess perceived competence, and children's enjoyment was measured using the Sport Enjoyment Scale. The findings suggest that students in the intervention group increased their perceived competence, enjoyment, and physical activity over a 6-wk. intervention, while the comparison group simply increased physical activity over time. Children in the intervention group had significantly greater enjoyment.

Chirality: a relational geometric-physical property.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerlach, Hans

2013-11-01

The definition of the term chirality by Lord Kelvin in 1893 and 1904 is analyzed by taking crystallography at that time into account. This shows clearly that chirality is a relational geometric-physical property, i.e., two relations between isometric objects are possible: homochiral or heterochiral. In scientific articles the relational term chirality is often mistaken for the two valued measure for the individual (absolute) sense of chirality, an arbitrary attributive term. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Ayurvedic concepts related to psychotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Behere, Prakash B; Das, Anweshak; Yadav, Richa; Behere, Aniruddh P

2013-01-01

The perfect balance of mind, body and soul is considered as complete health in Ayurveda. Ayurveda has its own identity as most ancient and traditional System of Medicine in India. Even Ayurveda emphasizes its treatment modalities into three parts viz. Satwawajay Chikitsa, Yuktivyapashray and Daivyapashray Chikitsa. Sattvavajaya therapy mentioned in Charakasamhita and it used as new concept of psychotherapy in Ayurveda. The effectiveness of "traditional mental health promoting practices" was identified as health regimens (swasthvrtt), correct behavior (sadvrtt), and yoga. Sattvavajaya as psychotherapy, is the mental restraint, or a "mind control" as referred by Caraka, is achieved through "spiritual knowledge, philosophy, fortitude, remembrance and concentration. Ayurvedic psychotherapy would play a dual role: First, as a revival of authentic medical culture, the exercise of a practice with an assumed primordial dimension, and second as a discovery of authentic subjectivity, the revelation of a self with an assumed interior depth. When we integrate the contemporary art of psychotherapy with the ancient science of Ayurveda, it becomes a powerful combination that is called Psycho Veda. The integration of Psycho and Veda is motivated by the complete integration of the immense but fairly contemporary view of the mind, emotions and psyche and how this performs in our lives. Integrating Psychotherapy and Vedic principles teaches us how to rediscover critical knowledge and awareness of the natural forces and rhythms that compliment and strengthen our human experience, through the understanding of the psyche and what our inner experiences are and also involving practical daily activities with thorough attention to our total environment to bring about radical changes in our mental outlook and in physical health.

Applying GPS to enhance understanding of transport-related physical activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Duncan, Mitch J; Badland, Hannah M; Mummery, W Kerry

2009-09-01

The purpose of the paper is to review the utility of the global positioning system (GPS) in the study of health-related physical activity. The paper draws from existing literature to outline the current work performed using GPS to examine transport-related physical activity, with a focus on the relative utility of the approach when combined with geographic information system (GIS) and other data sources including accelerometers. The paper argues that GPS, especially when used in combination with GIS and accelerometery, offers great promise in objectively measuring and studying the relationship of numerous environmental attributes to human behaviour in terms of physical activity and transport-related activity. Limitations to the use of GPS for the purpose of monitoring health-related physical activity are presented, and recommendations for future avenues of research are discussed.

Safety physics inter-comparison of advanced concepts of critical reactors and ADS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slessarev, I.

2001-01-01

Enhanced safety based on the principle of the natural ''self-defence'' is one of the most desirable features of innovative nuclear systems (critical or sub-critical) regarding both TRU transmutation and ''clean'' energy producer concepts. For the evaluation of the ''self-defence'' domain, the method of the asymptotic reactivity balance has been generalised. The promising option of Hybrids systems (that use a symbiosis of fission and spallation in sub-critical cores) which could benefit the advantages of both Accelerated Driven Systems of the traditional type and regular critical systems, has been advocated. General features of Hybrid dynamics have been presented and analysed. It was demonstrated that an external neutron source of Hybrids can expand the inherent safety potential significantly. This analysis has been applied to assess the safety physics potential of innovative concepts for prospective nuclear power both for energy producers and for transmutation. It has been found, that safety enhancement goal defines a choice of sub-criticality of Hybrids. As for energy producers with Th-fuel cycle, a significant sub-criticality level is required due to a necessity of an improvement of neutronics together with safety enhancement task. (author)

Virtual laboratory learning media development to improve science literacy skills of mechanical engineering students on basic physics concept of material measurement

Science.gov (United States)

Jannati, E. D.; Setiawan, A.; Siahaan, P.; Rochman, C.

2018-05-01

This study aims to determine the description of virtual laboratory learning media development to improve science literacy skills of Mechanical Engineering students on the concept of basic Physics. Quasi experimental method was employed in this research. The participants of this research were first semester students of mechanical engineering in Majalengka University. The research instrument was readability test of instructional media. The results of virtual laboratory learning media readability test show that the average score is 78.5%. It indicates that virtual laboratory learning media development are feasible to be used in improving science literacy skill of Mechanical Engineering students in Majalengka University, specifically on basic Physics concepts of material measurement.

Neural reuse leads to associative connections between concrete (physical) and abstract (social) concepts and motives.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yimeng; Bargh, John A

2016-01-01

Consistent with neural reuse theory, empirical tests of the related "scaffolding" principle of abstract concept development show that higher-level concepts "reuse" and are built upon fundamental motives such as survival, safety, and consumption. This produces mutual influence between the two levels, with far-ranging impacts from consumer behavior to political attitudes.

RELATION BETWEEN THE PHYSICAL WORKING CAPACITY (PWC170 AND STATIC RELATIVE STRENGTH

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Abdulla Elezi

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Determining the relationship within the segments, and establish the correlation between the functional and motor areas may be important for programming load both in education and in sports and recreation. For this reason we set goals and work this year. The main objective of this research is to determine association and motor characteristics impact on functional ability (physical work capacity. The sample is defined as a sample of 263 respondents drawn from the population of secondary schools: Gymnasium Zenel Hajdini; Marin Barleti and Mehmet Isai in city of Gjilan. Nine tests were used to estimate motoric capabilities and a test of functional capacity of aerobic-type (physical work capacity. To determine the relation between the predictor (motor variables and criterion variables (physical working capacity - PWC170 it is prepared the regression analysis of the manifest space. Analyses were made to the program SPSS 12.0 for Windows. The connection of the entire system of variables static relative strength with a score of Physics working capacity (PWC170 on a bicycle ergo meter as aerobic type variable explains the coefficient of multiple correlations, which is RO 0.394. Regression analysis indicates that the better results on a bicycle ergo meter will have respondents who score better in tests of static relative strength of the leg (at the test isometric muscle contraction quadriceps thighs and static tests of the relative strength of arm and shoulder area (at the test of isometric contraction triceps muscle circumference.

Let's Get Physical: Teaching Physics Through Gymnastics

Science.gov (United States)

Sojourner, Elena J.; Burgasser, Adam J.; Weise, Eric D.

2018-01-01

The concept of embodied learning—that we can learn with our bodies and with our minds—is a well-established concept in physics and math education research, and includes symbolic understanding (e.g., gestures that track how students think or facilitate learning to model complex systems of energy flow) as well as the literal experience of exploring physical phenomena through body movements. Sport has long served as a guide for both illustrating and experiencing physical concepts and phenomena, with a particularly relevant example being the sport of gymnastics. Here, the practitioner is subjected to a wide range of forces and torques, and experiences translational and rotational motions, all guided by control of body positioning, shape, strength, and leverage. Smith provides a comprehensive study of the mechanics used to analyze gymnastic movements, which includes core concepts such as force balance, leverage and torque, center of mass and stability, moment of inertia, ballistic motion, pendulum motion, and circular motion. For life science majors, gymnastics also provides relevant physical examples of biomechanics and the physical limits of biological materials (skin, bones, ligaments). The popularity of gymnastics—consider the phenomenon of Simone Biles—makes it broadly accessible and engaging, particularly across genders.

Identifying biological concepts from a protein-related corpus with a probabilistic topic model

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Lu Xinghua

2006-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Biomedical literature, e.g., MEDLINE, contains a wealth of knowledge regarding functions of proteins. Major recurring biological concepts within such text corpora represent the domains of this body of knowledge. The goal of this research is to identify the major biological topics/concepts from a corpus of protein-related MEDLINE© titles and abstracts by applying a probabilistic topic model. Results The latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA model was applied to the corpus. Based on the Bayesian model selection, 300 major topics were extracted from the corpus. The majority of identified topics/concepts was found to be semantically coherent and most represented biological objects or concepts. The identified topics/concepts were further mapped to the controlled vocabulary of the Gene Ontology (GO terms based on mutual information. Conclusion The major and recurring biological concepts within a collection of MEDLINE documents can be extracted by the LDA model. The identified topics/concepts provide parsimonious and semantically-enriched representation of the texts in a semantic space with reduced dimensionality and can be used to index text.

Practical implementation of the concept of "Culture of Health" in the process of physical education teachers.

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Verbludov I.B.

2011-04-01

Full Text Available The article explains the usefulness and methodology of the use of psychotherapy in the formation of inner psycho-physiological mechanisms of personality that characterize the concept of "Culture of Health". Also, the article highlights the use of extra-curricular activities for physical education students of pedagogical universities to address problem. In experiment took part 178 male and female students.

Unified Technical Concepts. Module 8: Force Transformers.

Science.gov (United States)

Technical Education Research Center, Waco, TX.

This concept module on force transformers is one of thirteen modules that provide a flexible, laboratory-based physics instructional package designed to meet the specialized needs of students in two-year, postsecondary technical schools. Each of the thirteen concept modules discusses a single physics concept and how it is applied to each energy…

Students’ Conception on Heat and Temperature toward Science Process Skill

Science.gov (United States)

Ratnasari, D.; Sukarmin, S.; Suparmi, S.; Aminah, N. S.

2017-09-01

This research is aimed to analyze the effect of students’ conception toward science process skill. This is a descriptive research with subjects of the research were 10th-grade students in Surakarta from high, medium and low categorized school. The sample selection uses purposive sampling technique based on physics score in national examination four latest years. Data in this research collecting from essay test, two-tier multiple choice test, and interview. Two-tier multiple choice test consists of 30 question that contains an indicator of science process skill. Based on the result of the research and analysis, it shows that students’ conception of heat and temperature affect science process skill of students. The students’ conception that still contains the wrong concept can emerge misconception. For the future research, it is suggested to improve students’ conceptual understanding and students’ science process skill with appropriate learning method and assessment instrument because heat and temperature is one of physics material that closely related with students’ daily life.

Inquiries about awareness and knowledge of children and pupils on the concept related with atomic energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atobe, Kozo; Kobayashi, T.; Matukawa, Tokuo; Honda, Makoto; Awata, Takaaki; Fukuoka, Noboru; Okada, Moritami

2001-01-01

There is almost no chance to learn about the words (atomic energy), (radioactivity) and (radiation) in the middle and/or high school educations in Japan, because physics is one of the options in the high school curriculum, and 80-90% of students do not like to choose physics. This inquires aim to know the level of their knowledge on energy resources, atomic energy, radioactivity, radiation, and information sources on their related knowledge. Inquiries are made for the middle and high school students in Tokushima and Tsuruga. There are coal power plants in Tokushima, while atomic power plants in Tsuruga. Fossils energy gets the highest points in Tokushima, while Atomic energy gets the highest points in Tsuruga for a present-day energy source. Solar energy sources get the highest point as a promising 21st century energy source in both prefectures, especially for female students. Radioactivity reminds them of words atomic bomb, disease, injury, and harmful, those give very negative images. Radiation reminds them of words roentgen, radiation therapy, x-ray, and hospital use, those designate a sort of plus-image. More than 50 to 60% of them obtained their knowledge from mass media, particularly, television. In addition, less than a few % of them can give any scientific description about these words. As a whole, authors can say that the students have got a certain concept for these words from information of mass media. Meanwhile the school education has approximately no effect on the formation of their concept. Authors are giving some advises and recommendations for the school education and mass media in Japan. (Y. Tanaka)

The geometric phase in quantum systems foundations, mathematical concepts, and applications in molecular and condensed matter physics

CERN Document Server

Böhm, Arno; Koizumi, Hiroyasu; Niu, Qian; Zwanziger, Joseph

2003-01-01

Aimed at graduate physics and chemistry students, this is the first comprehensive monograph covering the concept of the geometric phase in quantum physics from its mathematical foundations to its physical applications and experimental manifestations It contains all the premises of the adiabatic Berry phase as well as the exact Anandan-Aharonov phase It discusses quantum systems in a classical time-independent environment (time dependent Hamiltonians) and quantum systems in a changing environment (gauge theory of molecular physics) The mathematical methods used are a combination of differential geometry and the theory of linear operators in Hilbert Space As a result, the monograph demonstrates how non-trivial gauge theories naturally arise and how the consequences can be experimentally observed Readers benefit by gaining a deep understanding of the long-ignored gauge theoretic effects of quantum mechanics and how to measure them

Zero-gravity cloud physics laboratory: Candidate experiments definition and preliminary concept studies

Science.gov (United States)

Eaton, L. R.; Greco, R. V.; Hollinden, A. B.

1973-01-01

The candidate definition studies on the zero-g cloud physics laboratory are covered. This laboratory will be an independent self-contained shuttle sortie payload. Several critical technology areas have been identified and studied to assure proper consideration in terms of engineering requirements for the final design. Areas include chambers, gas and particle generators, environmental controls, motion controls, change controls, observational techniques, and composition controls. This unique laboratory will allow studies to be performed without mechanical, aerodynamics, electrical, or other type techniques to support the object under study. This report also covers the candidate experiment definitions, chambers and experiment classes, laboratory concepts and plans, special supporting studies, early flight opportunities and payload planning data for overall shuttle payload requirements assessments.

[Physical activity diminishes aging-related decline of physical and cognitive performance].

Science.gov (United States)

Apor, Péter; Babai, László

2014-05-25

Aging-related decline of muscle force, walking speed, locomotor coordination, aerobic capacity and endurance exert prognostic impact on life expectancy. Proper use of training may diminish the aging process and it may improve the quality of life of elderly persons. This paper provides a brief summary on the impact of training on aging-related decline of physical and cognitive functions.

Engagement and burnout at work, and related concepts for the 6th EWCS

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Houtman, I.L.D.; Schaufeli, W.B.

2017-01-01

Work engagement in Europe: an ultra-short work engagement scale and its relation with related concepts. Research and policy attention on work-related stress, mental health and well-being has increased, both in the international scientific literature as well as in society. Within the latter sphere,

Physical protection concepts of nuclear materials. The French experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arnaud, G.; Artaud, R.

1995-01-01

As the nuclear energy was being developed, it appeared necessary to set up protections against its potential hazards, that should be more complete and elaborate than those implemented on the other industrial installations. This had to be done both in the safety field to prevent the environment and the populations from the consequences of severe casualties, and in the security field to avoid the risk of proliferation and limit to an acceptable level the results of voluntarily provoked accidents and sabotages. Taking advantage of the gathered experience, this document gives consideration to the concepts used in France in order to ensure the physical protection of the nuclear materials. The following topics are tackled: context inside which are envisaged the specific measures, coherence with the general dispositions taken to protect industrial installations, importance and limitations of the part played by the regulations, respective responsibilities of the plant operators and the public authorities, compromise between objectives in view and means to implement, adjustment between the physical protection system and the operating requirements. In addition, the ways in which these systems should be implemented are discussed, underlining the necessity to make progressive steps under a permanent will, in order, first, to update and bring under conformity the old installations, and second, to ensure the maintenance of the systems, taking account of the evolutions of needs and techniques. Those points are commented on examples taken among the different types of installations to be found in France, showing the differences in approach coming from the type and the age of the facilities, and giving the present trends for the new plants. (authors). 1 annexe

Self-concept and gender effects in Korean adolescents with epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Sang-Ahm; Choi, Eun-Ju; Kwon, Soonhak; Eom, Soyong

2016-08-01

We aimed to determine whether adolescents with epilepsy (AWE) have a compromised self-concept, whether a lower self-concept is related to mental health, and whether there are sex differences in self-concept in AWE. A total of 179 AWE and 259 control adolescents without epilepsy participated in this cross-sectional, multicenter study. Self-concept was measured using the Harter's Self-Perception Profile for Children. Depressive symptoms and anxiety were assessed by the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS). A group-by-sex interaction was evaluated using an analysis of covariance controlling for age. Adolescents with epilepsy had a lower level of self-concept, especially in domains of behavioral conduct (partial eta(2): 0.257) and social acceptance (partial eta(2): 0.116), than controls (pself-concept did not differ by sex in the group with epilepsy. A group-by-sex interaction effect was found on social acceptance (p=0.042). Unlike the control group, age was not correlated with self-concept in AWE. Physical appearance was negatively correlated with HADS-anxiety scores (r=-0.291, pself-concept, especially in the domains of behavioral conduct and social acceptance, than controls. Sex differences in self-concept were identified in the control group but not in the group with epilepsy. Physical appearance was negatively correlated with anxiety in girls with epilepsy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A systematic review of financial incentives for physical activity: The effects on physical activity and related outcomes

OpenAIRE

Barte, J.C.M.; Wendel-Vos, G.C.W.

2017-01-01

The aim of this review is to give an overview of the available evidence on the effects of financial incentives to stimulate physical activity. Therefore, a systematic literature search was performed for randomized trials that investigate the effects of physical-activity-related financial incentives for individuals. Twelve studies with unconditional incentives (eg, free membership sport facility) and conditional incentives (ie, rewards for reaching physical-activity goals) related to physical ...

Students' Conceptions about Energy and the Human Body

Science.gov (United States)

Mann, Michael; Treagust, David F.

2010-01-01

Students' understanding of energy has been primarily within the domain of physics. This study sought to examine students' understanding of concepts relating to energy and the human body using pencil and paper questionnaires administered to 610 students in Years 8-12. From students' responses to the questionnaires, conceptual patterns were…

Doing physics how physicists take hold of the world

CERN Document Server

Krieger, Martin H

2012-01-01

Doing Physics makes concepts of physics easier to grasp by relating them to everyday knowledge. Addressing some of the models and metaphors that physicists use to explain the physical world, Martin H. Krieger describes the conceptual world of physics by means of analogies to economics, anthropology, theater, carpentry, mechanisms such as clockworks, and machine tool design. The interaction of elementary particles or chemical species, for example, can be related to the theory of kinship-who can marry whom is like what can interact with what. Likewise, the description of physical situations i

How unique is continuity of care? A review of continuity and related concepts.

Science.gov (United States)

Uijen, Annemarie A; Schers, Henk J; Schellevis, François G; van den Bosch, Wil J H M

2012-06-01

The concept of 'continuity of care' has changed over time and seems to be entangled with other care concepts, for example coordination and integration of care. These concepts may overlap, and differences between them often remain unclear. In order to clarify the confusion of tongues and to identify core values of these patient-centred concepts, we provide a historical overview of continuity of care and four related concepts: coordination of care, integration of care, patient-centred care and case management. We identified and reviewed articles including a definition of one of these concepts by performing an extensive literature search in PubMed. In addition, we checked the definition of these concepts in the Oxford English Dictionary. Definitions of continuity, coordination, integration, patient-centred care and case management vary over time. These concepts show both great entanglement and also demonstrate differences. Three major common themes could be identified within these concepts: personal relationship between patient and care provider, communication between providers and cooperation between providers. Most definitions of the concepts are formulated from the patient's perspective. The identified themes appear to be core elements of care to patients. Thus, it may be valuable to develop an instrument to measure these three common themes universally. In the patient-centred medical home, such an instrument might turn out to be an important quality measure, which will enable researchers and policy makers to compare care settings and practices and to evaluate new care interventions from the patient perspective.

Gender differences in the causal relation between adolescents' maths self-concept and scholastic performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristina Antunes

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Mathematics is a core subject in every school curriculum and it is strongly correlated with maths self-concept, which is defined as the subjective feelings and beliefs about one's competence in maths. In general, boys tend to report higher maths self-concept than girls, but the difference between boys and girls' maths scholastic performance is low or even inexistent. Some authors maintain that academic self-concept can play an important role as a motivational variable, promoting self-confidence and investment in the learning process. This study examined the causal relations between maths self-concept and maths scholastic performance in four cohorts of boys and girls within a three-wave longitudinal study. The first two cohorts were composed of 187 girls and 139 boys attending grades 7 and 8 at Time 1 and the third and fourth cohorts were composed of 167 girls and 123 boys attending grades 9 and 10 at Time 1. Structural Equation Modelling was used to test the fit of several models of causal relations. The results revealed that for the first two cohorts the best models were reciprocal and skill-development for both boys and girls. However, for the older students, a reciprocal model gave a best fit for the boys, but for the girls there was only one significant effect from maths self-concept to maths scholastic performance. Results are discussed on the basis of gender-related differential learning expectancies.

Improving literacy about energy-related issues: the need for a better understanding of the concepts behind energy intake and expenditure among adolescents and their parents.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Melissa C; Lytle, Leslie A; Pasch, Keryn E

2009-02-01

Despite the need for effective obesity prevention strategies, little research has assessed adolescents' knowledge about basic concepts of energy intake, expenditure, and balance. Using data from 349 adolescent-caregiver pairs (recruited from Minneapolis/St Paul, MN metro region, 2006-2007), cross-sectional linear regression was used to assess adolescent and parental knowledge related to energy intake and expenditure as a predictor of adolescent weight-related behaviors and outcomes. Findings indicated that knowledge related to energy intake and expenditure was highly variable, with a substantial proportion of participants (particularly adolescents) lacking knowledge on a range of concepts. Adolescent knowledge was positively associated with moderate physical activity and negatively associated with television viewing (Pfast food intake, weight status, and/or body composition. Although overall parental knowledge was a significant predictor of adolescent knowledge (Phealth promotion strategies are insufficient to initiate long-term healthful behavior change. Educational strategies may be effective when combined with those also targeting familial, social, and environmental influences. The examination of interactive effects between individual-level and environmental influences on health behavior is an important area for future obesity-related research.

Toward a new conception of conceptions: Interplay of talk, gestures, and structures in the setting

Science.gov (United States)

Givry, Damien; Roth, Wolff-Michael

2006-12-01

Most studies about students' conceptions and conceptual change are based exclusively on the analysis language, which is treated as a tool to make private contents of the mind public to researchers. Following recent studies that focused on (a) language and discursive practice and (b) the pragmatics of communication that draws on talk, gestures, and semiotic resources in the setting, we propose a redefinition of the nature of conception. Conceptions are understood as the dialectical relation of simultaneously available speech, gestures, and contextual structures that cannot be reduced to verbal rendering because gestures and contextual structures constitute different modalities in the communication. Drawing on data collected during a physics unit about gas taught in French tenth grade classrooms, we show why an appropriate account of conceptions requires: (a) gestures simultaneously produced with talk; and (b) identification of the relevant structures in the setting used by the participants as meaning-making (semiotic) resources. We propose to: (a) reconceptualize the notion of conception as consisting of a dialectical unit of all relevant semiotic (meaning-making) resources publicly made available by a speaker (talk, gesture, context); and (b) consider conceptual change through the temporal evolution of the dialectical unit defined in this manner.

Prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among physical therapists

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Zaheen Iqbal

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Background: Health professions like dentistry, nursing and physical therapy have been reported at high risk for developing workrelated musculoskeletal disorders. Results of studies conducted in these occupational groups may help formulate prevention strategies. However, no such data among physical therapists has been reported in India. Material and Methods: We conducted an online survey among 100 physiotherapists in Delhi. Results: The response rate was 75%. The prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders is found to be high since 92% of them reported to feel some pain after joining physical therapy which affects daily activities and even sometimes forces them to change their work. Physical therapists specialty, gender, furniture used in clinic and duration of patient contact are found to be related to the pain development (p < 0.05. Conclusions: We need to emphasize the role of ergonomics and techniques of patient handling in development of work-related pain symptoms. Med Pr 2015;66(4:459–469

Low physical activity work-related and other risk factors increased the risk of poor physical fitness in cement workers

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Ditha Diana

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Aim Low physical activity causes poor physical fitness, which leads to low productivity. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of low work-related physical activity and other risk factors on physical fitness.Methods This study was done in February 2008. Subjects were workers from 15 departments in PT Semen Padang, West Sumatera (Indonesia. Data on physical activities were collected using the questionnaire from the Student Field Work I Guidebook and Hypertension – Geriatric Integrated Program of the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia2003. Physical fitness was measured using the Harvard Step Test.Results A number of 937 male workers aged 18 – 56 years participated in this study. Poor physical fitness was found in 15.9% of the subjects. Low work-related physical activity, smoking, lack of exercise, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and asthma were dominant risk factors related to poor physical fi tness. Subjects with low compared to high work-related activity had a ten-fold risk of poor physical fitness [adjusted odds ratio (ORa = 10.71; 95% confidence interval (CI = 4.71–24.33]. In term of physical exercise, subjects who had no compared to those who had physical exercise had a six-fold risk of poor physical fitness (ORa = 6.30; 95%CI = 3.69-10.75.Conclusion Low work-related physical activities, smoking, lack of exercise, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and sthma were correlated to poor physical fi tness. It is, among others, therefore necessary to implement exercises for workers with poor physical fitness. (Med J Indones. 2009;18:201-5Key words: exercise test, occupational healths, physical fitness

Gender Differences in Both Force Concept Inventory and Introductory Physics Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Docktor, Jennifer; Heller, Kenneth

2008-10-01

We present data from a decade of introductory calculus-based physics courses for science and engineering students at the University of Minnesota taught using cooperative group problem solving. The data include 40 classes with more than 5500 students taught by 22 different professors. The average normalized gain for males is 0.4 for these large classes that emphasized problem solving. Female students made up approximately 20% of these classes. We present relationships between pre and post Force Concept Inventory (FCI) scores, course grades, and final exam scores for females and males. We compare our results with previous studies from Harvard [2] and the University of Colorado [3,4]. Our data show there is a significant gender gap in pre-test FCI scores that persists post-instruction although there is essentially no gender difference in course performance as determined by course grade.

Geometric theory of fundamental interactions. Foundations of unified physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pestov, A.B.

2012-01-01

We put forward an idea that regularities of unified physics are in a simple relation: everything in the concept of space and the concept of space in everything. With this hypothesis as a ground, a conceptual structure of a unified geometrical theory of fundamental interactions is created and deductive derivation of its main equations is produced. The formulated theory gives solution of the actual problems, provides opportunity to understand the origin and nature of physical fields, local internal symmetry, time, energy, spin, charge, confinement, dark energy and dark matter, thus conforming the existence of new physics in its unity

Improving student learning and views of physics in a large enrollment introductory physics class

Science.gov (United States)

Salehzadeh Einabad, Omid

Introductory physics courses often serve as gatekeepers for many scientific and engineering programs and, increasingly, colleges are relying on large, lecture formats for these courses. Many students, however, leave having learned very little physics and with poor views of the subject. In interactive engagement (IE), classroom activities encourage students to engage with each other and with physics concepts and to be actively involved in their own learning. These methods have been shown to be effective in introductory physics classes with small group recitations. This study examined student learning and views of physics in a large enrollment course that included IE methods with no separate, small-group recitations. In this study, a large, lecture-based course included activities that had students explaining their reasoning both verbally and in writing, revise their ideas about physics concepts, and apply their reasoning to various problems. The questions addressed were: (a) What do students learn about physics concepts and how does student learning in this course compare to that reported in the literature for students in a traditional course?, (b) Do students' views of physics change and how do students' views of physics compare to that reported in the literature for students in a traditional course?, and (c) Which of the instructional strategies contribute to student learning in this course? Data included: pre-post administration of the Force Concept Inventory (FCI), classroom exams during the term, pre-post administration of the Colorado Learning Attitudes About Science Survey (CLASS), and student work, interviews, and open-ended surveys. The average normalized gain (=0.32) on the FCI falls within the medium-gain range as reported in the physics education literature, even though the average pre-test score was very low (30%) and this was the instructor's first implementation of IE methods. Students' views of physics remained relatively unchanged by instruction

Study of Relation between Physical Activity and Preterm Birth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehran N.

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Background and Objectives: Preterm birth is the main cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity and the importance of knowing its causes is clear. Since the effect of physical activity on preterm birth is unknown and its prevention is the priority in health care, we decided to do this study with the aim of determining the relation between physical activity and preterm birth. Methods: In this case-control study, 300 pregnant women delivering in Izadi Hospital in Qom, Iran in the second half of 2008, selected through simple sampling. The data were collected using standard pregnancy physical activity questionnaire that categorizes the physical activity into 4 groups: work activities, home activities, transport activities and fun/exercise activities. The physical activity severity was calculated as MET (Metabolic Equivalence Test. Finally, the data were analyzed using descriptive and analytic (x2 and t test statistics. A p<0.05 was considered as significant.Results: The findings didn't show any significant relation between physical activity and preterm birth. In addition, in view of activity type, fun/exercise and work activities (respectively and in view of activity severity, sedentary and moderate activities (respectively were associated with higher, but insignificant rate of preterm birth. Among demographic factors, only gravidity of women was significantly associated with preterm birth.Conclusion: Although, in this study the significant relation between physical activity and preterm delivery wasn't observed, the same research with further sample is recommended.

Children's conceptions of physical events: explicit and tacit understanding of horizontal motion.

Science.gov (United States)

Howe, Christine; Taylor Tavares, Joana; Devine, Amy

2014-06-01

The conceptual understanding that children display when predicting physical events has been shown to be inferior to the understanding they display when recognizing whether events proceed naturally. This has often been attributed to differences between the explicit engagement with conceptual knowledge required for prediction and the tacit engagement that suffices for recognition, and contrasting theories have been formulated to characterize the differences. Focusing on a theory that emphasizes omission at the explicit level of conceptual elements that are tacitly understood, the paper reports two studies that attempt clarification. The studies are concerned with 6- to 10-year-old children's understanding of, respectively, the direction (141 children) and speed (132 children) of motion in a horizontal direction. Using computer-presented billiards scenarios, the children predicted how balls would move (prediction task) and judged whether or not simulated motion was correct (recognition task). Results indicate that the conceptions underpinning prediction are sometimes interpretable as partial versions of the conceptions underpinning recognition, as the omission hypothesis would imply. However, there are also qualitative differences, which suggest partial dissociation between explicit and tacit understanding. It is suggested that a theoretical perspective that acknowledges this dissociation would provide the optimal framework for future research. © 2013 The British Psychological Society.

Safety physics inter-comparison of advanced concepts of critical reactors and ADS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Slessarev, I. [CEA Cadarache, 13 - Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France). Dept. d' Etudes des Reacteurs

2001-07-01

Enhanced safety based on the principle of the natural ''self-defence'' is one of the most desirable features of innovative nuclear systems (critical or sub-critical) regarding both TRU transmutation and ''clean'' energy producer concepts. For the evaluation of the ''self-defence'' domain, the method of the asymptotic reactivity balance has been generalised. The promising option of Hybrids systems (that use a symbiosis of fission and spallation in sub-critical cores) which could benefit the advantages of both Accelerated Driven Systems of the traditional type and regular critical systems, has been advocated. General features of Hybrid dynamics have been presented and analysed. It was demonstrated that an external neutron source of Hybrids can expand the inherent safety potential significantly. This analysis has been applied to assess the safety physics potential of innovative concepts for prospective nuclear power both for energy producers and for transmutation. It has been found, that safety enhancement goal defines a choice of sub-criticality of Hybrids. As for energy producers with Th-fuel cycle, a significant sub-criticality level is required due to a necessity of an improvement of neutronics together with safety enhancement task. (author)

Teaching physics in a physiologically meaningful manner

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Plomer

2010-09-01

Full Text Available The learning outcome of a physics laboratory course for medical students was examined in an interdisciplinary field study and discussed for the electrical physiology (“Propagation of Excitation and Nerve Cells”. At the Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich (LMU at a time about 300 medicine students were assessed in two successive years. Students from the control group worked with standard experiments, while students from the treatment group performed newly developed “addressee-specific” experiments, designed to guide students to transfer physics knowledge to physiological problems. The assessment took place within the laboratory course on physiology, after the students had finished their laboratory classes in physics, and consisted of the construction of a concept map with additional multiple choice questions. The results showed that standard physics experiments are not adequate for teaching students to transfer physical principles to physiology. Introducing new addressee-specific experiments enriched the physics laboratory course by improving student attitudes toward physics and demonstrating better ability of students to relate concepts of physics and medicine, and overall to improve their understanding of the physics taught in the course.

Expressing air pollution-induced health-related externalities in physical terms with the help of DALYs.

Science.gov (United States)

Bachmann, Till M; van der Kamp, Jonathan

2017-06-01

The unintended impacts of industrial activity on human health and the environment have regularly been assessed and monetised (referred to as "external costs"). External costs are, however, a rather abstract aggregate so that decision makers cannot easily relate them to tangible impacts. At the same time, physical health impact indicators have different units that cannot readily be compared and communicated in a joint way. To support better informed decisions at policy or company level, we propose and demonstrate a way to facilitate communication on non-monetized, that is, physical health indicators quantified in studies. The concept Disability-Adjusted Life Year (DALY) is chosen as metric due to its widespread use. We establish a comprehensive and consistent set of six health endpoints caused by particles and ozone, and derive related up-to-date DALYs. Further we apply the DALY values to a French smart grid demonstration project. Owing to its size, the gains in terms of reduced DALYs are however small. In contrast to external cost assessments, in the frame of which morbidity endpoints usually contribute to around 10-15%, they are found to be insubstantial in the overall DALY score (i.e. below 1%). This is because DALYs only consider time losses weighted by severity while external costs also factor in further welfare effects, i.e. combining resource, disutility and opportunity costs of illness. As a result, methodological limitations, mainly existing for the morbidity-related DALY values, appear to be less of concern. Overall, using the DALYs with and without morbidity impacts is justifiable. Either choice in the communication of health-related physical externalities induces the need to explain the limitations in terms of the treatment of morbidity endpoints (notably their definition and the disability weights used) or their complete disregard. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Do New Production Concepts and a new Management of Employment Relations, yield higher Employee Performance and lower Job Strain?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karolus Kraan

2007-05-01

Full Text Available In this article old versus new production concepts (NPCs and employment relation instruments, are studied, separately and in combination, to find out which yield high employee performance and low job strain. Therefore, in 2005, TNO conducted coupled surveys among 149 supervisors and employees. In the past decades, in reaction to dysfunctions of Tayloristic and professional bureaucratic production concepts and employment relations, several new forms of employment relations and NPCs, appeared. Examples are the Socio-technical NPC and customized employment relations. In this study both this NPC and customized employment relations - i.c. customized performance targets - demonstrate positive associations with employee performance. According to Socio-technical theory the design of employment relations is relatively unimportant, as human resources are mobilised primarily by the production concept. Our results for this NPC show the legitimacy of this assumption, because its high employee performance is irrespective of the employment relation instruments. On the contrary, in the other NPCs and in professional bureaucracies, the (employment relation instruments of respectively an increased period needed for learning the job, and customized performance targets can compensate for the lower employee performance in these production concepts. The results do not show increased job strain, due to new production concepts, or new employment relations. production concepts, employment relations, labour productivity, socio-technical theory

Astrophysical Concepts

CERN Document Server

Harwit, Martin

2006-01-01

This classic text, aimed at senior undergraduates and beginning graduate students in physics and astronomy, presents a wide range of astrophysical concepts in sufficient depth to give the reader a quantitative understanding of the subject. Emphasizing physical concepts, the book outlines cosmic events but does not portray them in detail: it provides a series of astrophysical sketches. For this fourth edition, nearly every part of the text has been reconsidered and rewritten, new sections have been added to cover recent developments, and others have been extensively revised and brought up to date. The book begins with an outline of the scope of modern astrophysics and enumerates some of the outstanding problems faced in the field today. The basic physics needed to tackle these questions are developed in the next few chapters using specific astronomical processes as examples. The second half of the book enlarges on these topics and shows how we can obtain quantitative insight into the structure and evolution of...

Self-Concept and Sport Participation in Sixth Grade Basic School Students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Špela Virag

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the study was to examine self-concept in relation to sport participation among basic school children. The sample included 109 sixth grade students of different Slovenian basic schools. The participants completed the Slovenian version of the SelfPerception Profile for Children – SPPC. The results show significant gender differences in some specific components of self-concept. Boys exhibited higher scores in perceived physical appearance and athletic competence, whereas girls exhibited higher levels in perceived behavioural conduct. Mean values show that students, engaged in organized sport practice, reported higher scores in all self-concept subscales than their inactive peers, although significant differences between these two groups were found in perceived scholastic competence and athletic competence. The study offers a detailed insight into the multidimensional self-perceptions of sixth grade basic school students. The results highlight the importance of physical/sports activity in the self-concept development and can be useful in promoting an active lifestyle among youth.

Some problems of special theory of relativity. (Concept of relativistic length)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strel'tsov, V.N.

1977-01-01

Two available definitions of the concept of length (distance) related (a) to moving the length standard and (b) to sending a light signal (similar to the radar method for measuring distances) are analyzed. Considerations in favour of the preferable use of the (b) definition are discussed. The extension of the (b) definition for fast moving bodies results in the introduction of the definition of relativistic length and volume. The increase of the longitudinal dimensions of fast moving objects is a consequence of the above definition. It should be noted that, e.g., for a rod, the definition corresponds to measurements on the lines orthogonal to the world strip of the given rod. It is shown that the known Michelson-Morley and Throuton-Noble experiments are naturally explained in the framework of the proposed concept of relativistic length. It is also shown that the definition introduced, unlike the conventional one, satisfies the principle of relativity

Age and Gender Differences in the Relation between Self-Concept Facets and Self-Esteem

Science.gov (United States)

Arens, A. Katrin; Hasselhorn, Marcus

2014-01-01

This study tested whether the gender intensification hypothesis applies to relations between multiple domain-specific self-concept facets and self-esteem. This hypothesis predicts gender-stereotypic differences in these relations and assumes they intensify with age. Furthermore, knowledge about gender-related or age-related differences in…

Health-related aspects of objectively measured daily physical activity in children

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dencker, Magnus; Andersen, Lars Bo

2008-01-01

It is well established that physical inactivity in adults is associated with increased mortality and morbidity. Whether daily physical activity level is related to risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in children has been debated. Furthermore, objective data on the habitual daily physica...... activity. This review summarizes recently published studies that have used accelerometers to measure daily physical activity in children and related activity data to known risk factors for CVD.......It is well established that physical inactivity in adults is associated with increased mortality and morbidity. Whether daily physical activity level is related to risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in children has been debated. Furthermore, objective data on the habitual daily physical...... activity in children have at large been scarce in the literature. The main reason for this is the fact that daily physical activity is very difficult to measure in children. In recent years, a new device, the accelerometer, has emerged as a frequently used instrument for the measurement of daily physical...

Causality problem in atomic physics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bor, N

1985-10-01

The casuality problem in atomic physics is analysed by Bohr in a wide methodological context. The first part of the paper is a short historical essay picturing the entry of statistical concepts into physics. Bohr underlines a close relationship between an unavoidably probabilitic nature of the quantum theory and quantum postulates introducing the alien-to-classical-physics concepts of integrity, individuality of atomic processes. In the second central part of the paper Bohr discusses the casuality problems in atomic physics in detail and shows that their solution requires a careful analysis of the observation process. Proceeding from the program methodological requirement to describe the measuring instrumentation operation and observation results in the language of classical physics, he explains that the statistical character of the uncertainty relationships expresses a substantial specifically quantum constraint to the applicifically of classical conceptions analyses of microphenomena. Then Bohr refines in principle the notion ''phenomenon'', as one of the central notions among those he employed for the formulation of his complementarity principle. According to bohr a phenomenon should be under-stood as an unambiguously present situation of a completed experiment. Therefore, it is erroneous to speak of the phenomenon perturbation by the observation. The final part of the article deals with the discussion of methodological parallels of the quantum theory and relativity theory.