Students’ understanding of superposition of electric fields

Abstract

In this article an analysis of the difficulties experienced by students when applying the principle of superposition to electric fields is presented. A study of university level students in France and Sweden revealed the existence of difficulties arising out of two issues: (1) a causal interpretation of some relationships, (2) the student’s need for an effect, motion of some kind, to accept the existence of a field. The links between these obstacles and a lack of a unified view on electric phenomena are discussed from a pedagogical point of view.