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Andrzej Sokolowski, The Woodlands Christian Academy, United StatesAbstract
Physics instruction traditionally presents projectile motion as a parabolic trajectory described by a quadratic equation. Although mathematically correct, this approach often emphasizes the completed path rather than the simultaneous evolution of two independent functions of time. We argue that students develop deeper conceptual understanding when they construct parametric models of motion from empirical observations instead of beginning with symbolic equations. Although parametric equations provide a natural framework for representing two-dimensional motion, they remain underused in physics instruction. Unlike previous studies that used interactive simulations primarily for visualization, this study employed the PhET Projectile Motion simulation as a source of empirical data from which students developed parametric models. The research investigated the effectiveness of an inquiry-based instructional intervention designed to promote conceptual understanding of projectile motion through mathematical modeling. Participants were 24 advanced high school students enrolled in an AP Physics 1 course. The intervention consisted of three 45-minute instructional units that guided students from constructing independent horizontal and vertical functions, x(t) and y(t), to developing a complete parametric model of projectile motion. Guided inquiry activities integrated simulation-based investigations with mathematical modeling tasks focused on interpreting position, velocity, and acceleration as vector-valued functions. Student learning was evaluated using a mixed-methods design that combined survey responses with descriptive analyses of conceptual kinematics tasks. Results indicate that the intervention improved students’ ability to interpret projectile motion as the simultaneous evolution of two independent functions linked by the common parameter of time. These findings suggest that simulation-supported parametric modeling provides an effective framework for strengthening conceptual understanding and connecting mathematics with physics.
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Conference: PCE2026Stream: Educational Research
This paper is part of the PCE2026 Conference Proceedings (View)
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