Student difficulties regarding the angular velocity () and angular acceleration () of a particle have remained relatively unexplored in contrast to their linear counterparts. We present an inventory comprising multiple choice questions aimed at probing misconceptions and eliciting ill-suited reasoning patterns. The development of the inventory was based on interactions with students, teachers and experts. We report misconceptions, some of which are parallel to those found earlier in linear kinematics. Fixations with inappropriate prototypes were uncovered. Many students and even teachers mistakenly assume that all rotational motion is necessarily circular. A persistent notion that the direction of and should be ‘along’ the motion exists. Instances of indiscriminate usage of equations were identified.

We present the development, administration, and analysis of a focused inventory on the rotational kinematics of a rigid body around a fixed axis. The inventory, which is made up of 13 multiple-choice questions, was developed on the basis of interactions with students and teachers. The systematic and iterative aspects of the construction of the inventory are illustrated. The questions, which were validated, were administered to a set of teachers (N = 25) and two groups of preuniversity students (N = 74 and 905) in India. Students, as well as teachers, exhibited difficulties in applying the operational definition of angular velocity to a rigid body. Many erroneously assumed that an angular acceleration cannot exist without a net torque. Patterns of reasoning resulting in errors were identified and categorized under four broad themes. These include inappropriate extensions of familiar procedural practices, reasoning cued by primitive elements in thought, lack of differentiation between related but distinct concepts, and indiscriminate use of equations. The inventory was also administered to introductory-level students (N = 384) at the University of Washington. Popular distractors to most items were similar to the Indian students.

Related ArticlesThinking like a physicist: A multi-semester case study of junior-level electricity and magnetism Am. J. Phys. 80, 923 (2012) An item response curves analysis of the Force Concept Inventory Am. J. Phys. 80, 825 (2012) Chronicling a successful secondary implementation of Studio Physics Am. J. Phys. 80, 832 (2012) Function plot response: A scalable system for teaching kinematics graphs Am. J. Phys. 80, 724 (2012) Comparing large lecture mechanics curricula using the Force Concept Inventory: A five thousand student study Am.Rectilinear motion of a particle with constant velocity is one of the simplest situations one can envisage in mechanics. We discuss the rotational kinematics associated with this motion and find that they are of pedagogical relevance. We have constructed a small inventory consisting of conceptual multiple-choice questions after consultation with content experts and feedback from students. This inventory was administered to a group of physics teachers and the responses reveal interesting misconceptions harbored even by teachers. A brief discussion of the pitfalls and instructional implications is carried out.