Modeling an activity of physics to improve the teaching of the concept of function

Abstract

In this paper, the concept of function is examined from a non-mathematical, physical context. The paper develops a modeling of the phenomenon of capacitance, in which the behavior of the use of capacitors allows to identify the variables that affect the loading and unloading processes of the same. From this practice the result is magnitudes of time t against voltage V and current I, whose graphs represent exponential or logarithmic functions. The objective of the study is that the students of the second semester of engineering would be able to identify them. Due to the characteristics of modeling, experimentation is subject to the Extended Praxeological Model of Castela and Romo-Vázquez (2011). According to the results the students reaffirmed their knowledge of the concept of exponential function through activities developed with practice. In addition, involving knowledge of the calculus course in physics causes strong conflicts with the study programs, which are not justified by teachers or authors of textbooks.