Teaching Mechanics with Maple

Radian G. Belu; Irina Nicoleta Ciobanescu Husanu; Alexandru Catalin Belu

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Conference: 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Vancouver, BC
Publication Date: June 26, 2011
Start Date: June 26, 2011
End Date: June 29, 2011
ISSN: 2153-5965
Conference Session: Aerospace Teaching and Learning II
Tagged Division: Aerospace
Page Count: 21
Page Numbers: 22.1396.1 - 22.1396.21
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--18346
Permanent URL: https://216.185.13.174/18346
Download Count: 1454

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Paper Authors

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Radian G. Belu Drexel University

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Dr. Radian Belu is Assistant Professor within the Engineering Technology (ET) program - Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA, and Research Assistant Professor at DRI, Reno, Nevada. Before joining to the Drexel University Dr. Belu hold faculty and research positions at universities and research institutes in Romania, Canada and United States. His research interests included power system stability, control and protection, renewable energy system analysis, assessment and design, power electronics and electric machines for wind energy conversion, radar and remote sensing, wave and turbulence simulation, measurement and modeling, numerical modeling, electromagnetic compatibility and engineering education. During his career, Dr. Belu published several papers in referred journals and in conference proceedings in his areas of the research interests. He has also been PI or co-PI for various research projects United States and abroad in power systems analysis and protection, load and energy demand forecasting and analysis, renewable energy analysis, assessment and design, turbulence and wave propagation, radar and remote sensing, instrumentation, atmosphere physics, electromagnetic compatibility, and engineering education.

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Irina Nicoleta Ciobanescu Husanu Drexel University

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Dr. Ciobanescu–Husanu is Assistant Professor in Engineering Technology at Drexel University. She received her Ph.D. degree in mechanical engineering from Drexel University in 2005 and also holds a M.S. degree in aeronautical engineering. Her research interest is in thermal and fluid sciences with applications in micro-combustion, fuel cells and research of alternative and green fuels as well as expanding her research work towards new areas regarding plasma assisted combustion. Dr. Ciobanescu-Husanu has prior industrial experience in aerospace engineering areas, that encompasses both theoretical analysis and experimental investigations such as designing and testing of propulsion systems including design and development of pilot testing facility, mechanical instrumentation of the tested prototype, and developing industrial applications of aircraft engines. Also, in the past six years, she gained experience in teaching Mechanical Engineering courses with emphasis on thermal-fluid and energy conversion areas from various levels of instruction and addressed to a broad spectrum of students, varying from freshmen to seniors, from high school graduates to adult learners. She also has extended experience in curriculum development at both community college and university level.

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Alexandru Catalin Belu Case Western Reserve University

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Abstract

Teaching Mechanics with Maple Physics is guided by simple principles, but for many topics the physics tends to be obscured inthe profusion of mathematics. The paper describes some of the merits of using computer algebrain teaching mechanics. Various applications of computer algebra systems, specifically Maple tothe teaching of machanics are given. The examples illustrate the use of the Maple package inperforming calculations complete with units. We report on our experience in teaching, over theyears of dynamical systems and mechanics courses to second-year engineering students, usingsymbolic computation. Engineering students in many universities have to take two courses inPhysics during their first or second year of studies. Usually, the first course is a course onNewtonian mechanics. When they attend that course, they have already taken one or twosemesters of calculus, and during their high-school studies they must have already studiedparticle kinematics and dynamics. The main goal of the first course in physics is then to solve theequations of motion for some mechanical systems, such as one-dimensional particle motion,harmonic oscillator, etc. Simulation software and computer algebra systems allow students toexperiment with phenomena which are too complex to calculate or too expensive to bereproduced in a laboratory, or are simply not accessible to the senses. Computer algebra systemis essentially the ability to manipulate, on computer expressions which are symbolic, algebraicand no limited to numerical evaluation. Computer algebra systems can perform many of themathematical techniques which are part and parcel of a traditional physics course. The successfuluse of the computer algebra systems does not imply that the mathematical skills are no longer ata premium: such skills are important as ever. However, computer algebra systems may removethe need for those poorly understood mathematical techniques, which are practiced and taughtsimply because they serve as useful tools. It is well-documented by the physics educationcommunity about the conceptual and reasoning difficulties that students have in introductory andadvanced physics courses, including calculus-based honors courses. Their appropriate use cantherefore be an important aid in the trainer of better physicists and engineers. In this presentationwe will discuss ways in which computer algebra systems like Maple, can be used, by instructorsand by students, to help students make these connections and to use them once they are made.Benefits that accrue to upper-class students able to make effective use of a computer algebrasystem provide a further rationale for introducing student use of these systems into our coursesfor those who plan to major in physics or other technical fields.

Citation
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Belu, R. G., & Ciobanescu Husanu, I. N., & Belu, A. C. (2011, June), Teaching Mechanics with Maple Paper presented at 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Vancouver, BC. 10.18260/1-2--18346

TY - CPAPER
AB - Teaching Mechanics with Maple Physics is guided by simple principles, but for many topics the physics tends to be obscured inthe profusion of mathematics. The paper describes some of the merits of using computer algebrain teaching mechanics. Various applications of computer algebra systems, specifically Maple tothe teaching of machanics are given. The examples illustrate the use of the Maple package inperforming calculations complete with units. We report on our experience in teaching, over theyears of dynamical systems and mechanics courses to second-year engineering students, usingsymbolic computation. Engineering students in many universities have to take two courses inPhysics during their first or second year of studies. Usually, the first course is a course onNewtonian mechanics. When they attend that course, they have already taken one or twosemesters of calculus, and during their high-school studies they must have already studiedparticle kinematics and dynamics. The main goal of the first course in physics is then to solve theequations of motion for some mechanical systems, such as one-dimensional particle motion,harmonic oscillator, etc. Simulation software and computer algebra systems allow students toexperiment with phenomena which are too complex to calculate or too expensive to bereproduced in a laboratory, or are simply not accessible to the senses. Computer algebra systemis essentially the ability to manipulate, on computer expressions which are symbolic, algebraicand no limited to numerical evaluation. Computer algebra systems can perform many of themathematical techniques which are part and parcel of a traditional physics course. The successfuluse of the computer algebra systems does not imply that the mathematical skills are no longer ata premium: such skills are important as ever. However, computer algebra systems may removethe need for those poorly understood mathematical techniques, which are practiced and taughtsimply because they serve as useful tools. It is well-documented by the physics educationcommunity about the conceptual and reasoning difficulties that students have in introductory andadvanced physics courses, including calculus-based honors courses. Their appropriate use cantherefore be an important aid in the trainer of better physicists and engineers. In this presentationwe will discuss ways in which computer algebra systems like Maple, can be used, by instructorsand by students, to help students make these connections and to use them once they are made.Benefits that accrue to upper-class students able to make effective use of a computer algebrasystem provide a further rationale for introducing student use of these systems into our coursesfor those who plan to major in physics or other technical fields.
AU - Radian G. Belu
AU - Irina Nicoleta Ciobanescu Husanu
AU - Alexandru Catalin Belu
CY - Vancouver, BC
DA - 2011/06/26
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Teaching Mechanics with Maple
UR - https://216.185.13.174/18346
DO - 10.18260/1-2--18346
ER -