The Concept of Flux

Highlights of the activity

1. This kinesthetic activity is designed to introduce students to a geometric concept of flux.
2. Students create vector fields with rulers and the instructor uses a hula hoop as a surface element.
3. The whole class discussion focuses on what it means geometrically to take the dot product of a vector with a surface element.

Reasons to spend class time on the activity

Students' understanding of electrostatic flux is helped with this visualization activity.

This activity works particularly well when sequenced with other activities.

Reflections

• Reflections from the original implementation.

• Reflections from "official" adapters/adopters.

• Reflections from the general public.

Instructor's Guide

• Wiki version