Conceptualization of electrostatic potential: resource theory perspective

Electromagnetism (EM) is one of the foundational subjects in physics and electrical engineering curriculum across the globe. The foundation for EM begins with the topic of ‘electrostatics’ through the concepts of electrostatic ‘force’ and ‘field’. Technically, such quantities are vectors and in general, the implications have to be analysed in more than one physical dimension. In order to simplify the mathematical complexity, a new construct called electrostatic potential is introduced and it is a scalar quantity. The electrostatic potential allows us to establish a straightforward connection from force (on a charged particle) to its potential energy and therefore, it forms a crucial factor in describing the dynamical evolution of a system of charged particles. At an undergraduate level, these connections are presented in a mathematically abstract and complex framework. Consequently, there is a wide room for divergent conceptualization amongst learners which could lead to alternative conceptions. The ‘resource’ theory, which encompasses a constructivist epistemological viewpoint, views any piece of knowledge (previous knowledge, intuitive idea, experience) which the learners use to comprehend the processes involved in problem solving as a resource. Particularly, in physics, a ‘resource’ or a ‘map of resources’ are intangible entities that could be employed to define the concepts as well as create arguments for various physical processes. One ‘resource’ could be shared by multiple concepts and the ‘resources’ could be optimally connected (to create a resource map) for creating a coherent conceptual framework. This study is an endeavour to scout mental models of electrostatic potential amongst a group of learners using tasks that involve problem solving followed by one-to-one interactions. We have analysed the responses from the perspective of ‘resource theory’ and found discernible alternative conceptions that tend to pose challenges for a self-consistent idea of electrostatics.