Thinking Skills in Problem Solving: Pre-Knowledges

The present article shows the results of a study aimed at evaluating the way in which physics students of first semesters use the thinking skills in problem solving. We speak of pre-knowledge in terms of prior theoretical knowledge of an area of ​​knowledge, in this case it is about identifying pre-knowledge in the case of thinking skills for students who have recently entered higher education. At present, the teaching of thinking skills is considered one of the main characteristics of education for the 21st century. An instrument of ten problems submitted to expert judgment was designed to be applied during the academic semester to the students of electrical physics of two Colombian universities during the years 2016 and 2018. Are evaluated the categories of description, representation, identification of relationships, use of the mathematical model and drawing conclusions for each of the problems. The results show statistically a very low starting point in the ability to use such skills, and is in turn a reflection element for the design of effective pedagogical strategies in solving problems in physics in higher education.

What You Need to Know to Read This Book

This chapter details the background knowledge needed to read this book. Specifically, it assumes some knowledge of mathematics and electrical physics and an appreciation for the value of analytical reasoning—but no more than a technically minded college-prep high school junior or senior would have. In particular, the math level is that of algebra, including knowing how matrices multiply. The electrical background is simple: knowing (1) that electricity comes in two polarities (positive and negative) and that electrical charges of like polarity repel and of opposite polarity attract; and (2) understanding Ohm's law for resistors (that the voltage drop across a resistor in volts is the current through the resistor in amperes times the resistance in ohms) and the circuit laws of Kirchhoff (that the sum of the voltage drops around any closed loop is zero, which is an expression of the conservation of energy; the sum of all the currents into any node is zero).

Pathophysiology and management of electrocution

Electrocution is a common source of morbidity and mortality, primarily affecting young children through accidents in the home and adults through occupational exposure. A familiarity with the basic principles of electrical physics helps elucidate the typical injuries sustained following electrical shock. Although death is a frequent result, patients successfully resuscitated following initial cardiopulmonary arrest often have a favourable prognosis. Survivors of electrocution may suffer injuries to a variety of organ systems, including the skin, cardiovascular system, and nervous system, and are generally treated in specialized burn units. Such patients are considered trauma patients, and should be treated accordingly. Determination of prognosis is often difficult, because the full extent of injury from electric shock is not always initially apparent.

Optimum Performance-Based Seismic Design Using a Hybrid Optimization Algorithm

A hybrid optimization method is presented to optimum seismic design of steel frames considering four performance levels. These performance levels are considered to determine the optimum design of structures to reduce the structural cost. A pushover analysis of steel building frameworks subject to equivalent-static earthquake loading is utilized. The algorithm is based on the concepts of the charged system search in which each agent is affected by local and global best positions stored in the charged memory considering the governing laws of electrical physics. Comparison of the results of the hybrid algorithm with those of other metaheuristic algorithms shows the efficiency of the hybrid algorithm.