“This work-in-progress paper explores how students express their understanding of torque. Typically introduced in first semester physics, torque is a fundamental concept across many engineering disciplines. However, the transition from physics to engineering mechanics (i.e., statics) appears to be a hurdle for students. Specifics on why students struggle with torque are sparse. Both quantitative and qualitative studies have investigated how students learn torque, but to our knowledge, no study has yet investigated how students conceptualize torque. To address this gap, this qualitative study investigated the research question: What themes emerge when students express their conceptualization of torque?”
