Journal of Turkish Science Education
By Kucukozer, Huseyin & Kocakulah, Sabri
“Secondary School Students’ Misconceptions about Simple Electric Circuits”
Publisher:
1/4
Pp. 101-115
2007
Secondary School Students’ Misconceptions about Simple Electric Circuits
Type: Empirical
Data collection method: Interview, Test
Number of subjects, range: Large — 31 or more
Grade and age of subjects: 9th-12 grade — 15-18 years
Everyday Language Based Misconceptions
- Current flows in all bulbs because the switch is closed and the brightness of all bulbs are the same.
- Current does not flow and none of bulbs are lit when the switch is closed.
- Current is consumed in the circuit.
- Bulbs in parallel are always brighter than those in series.
- Brightness of the bulb that is far from the battery is less than those, which are close to the battery.
- Bulbs give equal brightness (Independent from the type of the connection).
- Brightness of the bulb that is close to the switch is much more than those, which are far away.
General Misconceptions: Constant Current Source
- Batteries are constant current sources (students imply that main circuit currents in three circuits with identical batteries and the brightness of bulbs in parallel are reduced due to the division of main circuit current between the branches.
- There is a proportion of the number of bulbs to their brightness. If the bulbs are in the same number, then bulbs in parallel give more light than those in series.
- All bulbs have the same brightness because batteries and bulbs are identical.
General Misconceptions: Consumption of Current
- Current has the same value in every point of the circuit (conserved).
- Current decreases when it passes through the bulb.
- Current on the positive terminal side of the battery is always bigger than the current on the negative terminal side.
- Current flows to the bulb from both terminals of the battery and each have the same value.
Teaching Based Misconception
- Bulb on the branch of the opened switch is not lit and current is consumed in the circuit.
- Bulb on the branch of opened switch is not lit and current flows from both terminals of the battery.
- None of the bulbs is lit while the switch is open.
- Bulbs in parallel are always brighter than those in series.
- All the bulbs will have the same brightness as the switch is opened.
- Brightness of the bulb that is far from the battery is less than those which are close to the battery.