Acting Out Current Density

Highlights of the activity

1. This kinesthetic activity is designed to provide students with an intuitive understanding of current density and total current.
2. Students move around the room to act out linear, surface and volume current densities.
3. Discussion focuses on the meaning of “steady” current, the difference between constant and uniform, what is “linear” about linear current density, and the idea of current as the flux of current density.

Reasons to spend class time on the activity

Middle division students very often have difficulty thinking about densities other than mass densities, and often confuse charge density and current density. This activity helps students to understand current density conceptually.

Reflections

• Reflections from the original implementation.

• Reflections from "official" adapters/adopters.

• Reflections from the general public.

Instructor's Guide

• Wiki version